Excessive Monetisation
I have numerous happy memories from playing Super Mario Kart on the SNES back in the early nineties. It was at the time and remains so today, a truly great game because it’s fun, very accessible and inherently social. Hence over the years there have been multiple iterations of Mario Kart across all of Nintendo’s platforms. All of which have been well received and provided gamers with what they want. In many ways it is one of key titles that have made Nintendo a global success as a gaming company and a brand. If you see any advertising featuring Mario and friends in go-karts, then it can be taken as read that the game will be a yet another great instalment of the franchise. Or can it? Which brings me neatly (and sadly not happily) to Mario Kart Tour; Nintendo’s latest foray on mobile platforms.
I have numerous happy memories from playing Super Mario Kart on the SNES back in the early nineties. It was at the time and remains so today, a truly great game because it’s fun, very accessible and inherently social. Hence over the years there have been multiple iterations of Mario Kart across all of Nintendo’s platforms. All of which have been well received and provided gamers with what they want. In many ways it is one of key titles that have made Nintendo a global success as a gaming company and a brand. If you see any advertising featuring Mario and friends in go-karts, then it can be taken as read that the game will be a yet another great instalment of the franchise. Or can it? Which brings me neatly (and sadly not happily) to Mario Kart Tour; Nintendo’s latest foray on mobile platforms.
Mario Kart Tour is a litany of gacha mechanics, multiple currencies and gated content. It’s a game that’s designed upon grinding through levels and earning currencies. Racing go-karts appears to be very much a secondary consideration. Naturally the game has the traditional Nintendo aesthetic, with the colourful environment and characters looking great on a modern smartphone screen. But it’s all superficial, as the game itself is hideously compromised by its monetisation. Characters, tracks and vehicles are locked behind pay walls that you can grind for, or if you prefer, spend some money to access. In its base form Mario Kart Tour is little more than a gaming tease. If you want to actually play the game in any meaningful sense, then you have to pay. And then there’s the insanity of the Gold Pass, a £4.99 monthly subscription allowing access to the 200cc racing class, which gives the highest point rewards and the best races. A price point that also buys you access to Apple Arcade and a hundred of the best mobile games around.
However, Nintendo are not the only company that’s happy to push ahead into the realms of excessive monetisation. Ubisoft have seen triple A gaming as a “service” for several years. However, the recent release of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint takes monetisation to new levels. There’s such a degree of microtransactional content it’s almost as if Ubisoft are trolling their player base. Skill points, crafting materials, weapons and their associated upgrades, are available to be purchased, right from the get-go. All of which have a direct impact on gameplay. And folk use to balk at the idea of a paid season pass. Plus some of the items in the in-game store are exclusives and not available by any other means other than paying. Considering that the base game (or should I say empty shell of a game) costs £60, it raises the question exactly how much must a player spend to have access to everything? Assuming that you are then presented with a fully functional game. I’m sure the answer to that question will emerge in the days to come.
Yet despite the egregious nature of such excessive monetisation being as plain as the nose on your face, a large percentage of gamers don’t appear to care. Mario Kart Tour was downloaded by 90 million unique users in its first week, which is six times more than Nintendo's second most popular game. It is too soon to ascertain sales data for Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint as the game is currently in early access for those who pre-ordered and formally launches on Friday October 4th. But this is one of Ubisoft flagship franchises and I’m sure anticipated sales will feature heavily in their Q4 revenue targets. The bottom line is there is a lot of cognitive dissonance in the gaming community. People are happy to pay lip service to complaints of excessive monetisation yet end up doing the complete opposite and supporting the very thing that is the “problem”. Some gamers are enabling and validating the questionable practises of certain publishers and in doing so contribute to video games being held hostage by untrammelled greed.
Video games are a commercial undertaking and no one thinks that game developers and publishers shouldn’t be able to make a profit. But like any other consumer industry, video games needs to be a balanced and realistic quid pro quo. Payment should provide you with a fully functional game. Paid additional content should be an adjunct and not integral to the proceedings. If there must be microtransaction then make them cosmetic, although this also comes with its own set of problems, depending on the games core demographics. But the whole concept of “pay to start” is questionable in so far as you have not really been sold an entire product that is fit for purpose. Logicly, there will come a point when companies such as Ubisoft will go too far and finally the majority of gamers will simply say “no”. The film industry has had several tent pole movies woefully underperform leading to a re-calibration of business practises. Will we eventually see a record number of triple A games fall flat on their face? It’s not impossible. But the biggest question is when?
Destiny 2 Goes F2P
I bought Destiny 2 shortly after it originally launched in October 2017, mainly due to the positive word of mouth comments of friends and colleagues. I got a good deal at the time from an online CD key vendor. As I have enjoyed FPS titles in the past and Destiny 2 also has elements of the MMORPG genre, I spent some time in-game levelling my character. Certainly I had no complaints about the nuts and bolts of the game. The graphics are good and the games systems appropriate and responsive. Combat is fast and dynamic and there is always something to do if you just wanted to jump into some action. But after some time my interest in the game waned. The central story wasn’t exactly compelling and as I was playing solo, there wasn’t any strong social aspect keeping me logging in. So after a few months I stopped playing and moved on to something else.
I bought Destiny 2 shortly after it originally launched in October 2017, mainly due to the positive word of mouth comments of friends and colleagues. I got a good deal at the time from an online CD key vendor. As I have enjoyed FPS titles in the past and Destiny 2 also has elements of the MMORPG genre, I spent some time in-game levelling my character. Certainly I had no complaints about the nuts and bolts of the game. The graphics are good and the games systems appropriate and responsive. Combat is fast and dynamic and there is always something to do if you just wanted to jump into some action. But after some time my interest in the game waned. The central story wasn’t exactly compelling and as I was playing solo, there wasn’t any strong social aspect keeping me logging in. So after a few months I stopped playing and moved on to something else.
Because I try to keep up with the ongoing tsunami that is daily gaming news, it recently came to my attention that developer’s Bungie has ended its relationship with Activision and the game was no longer going to be available on the Battle.Net game launcher. I was therefore curious to see which platform the game migrated to. I even briefly harboured thoughts of trying the game again. However, my initial good humour upon learning that the game was to be available via Steam was quickly dispelled when I learned that Destiny 2 was also going “Free to Play”. I know it’s illogical and I am fully conversant with the “sunk cost fallacy” but I always get the feeling that I’m getting rooked when a game that I own goes F2P. Perhaps on some psychological leveI, I resent the fact that some bastard is getting something free that I had to pay for. On a more serious note, F2P transitions always come with issues.
If like me, you have previously bought Destiny 2 and wish to transfer your existing characters and paraphernalia, this can be done via your existing Bungie account. You simply have to link to your Steam account and then the game will appear in your library. However, at the time of doing this (mid-afternoon UK time on Tuesday October 1st), the system was under a great deal of strain due to the volume of players availing themselves of the service. It took me about three or four attempts before I got anything vaguely resembling a confirmation message. The game finally appeared in my Steam library about an hour later. At some point I’ll look into what sort of status my account has in the revised, post F2P hierarchy of Destiny 2. Will I be deemed a premium player or a VIP? Or does my previous custom count for nowt and for me to be a “good citizen” Bungie now expect me to buy the new Shadowkeep expansion?
Because of my age, I experienced the early days of PC gaming and the business model of those times. You bought a product and owned it. Sometimes you’d get some additional free DLC. But any significant additional content was chargeable, however not at the same price of the base game. I fully realise that times change and we now live in the era of games “as a service”. You don’t just buy something anymore. Content is gated behind pay walls and games are built from the ground up with monetisation determining their structure and form. Yet despite comprehending these things and realising that I can vote with both my wallet and my feet if I don’t like something, deep down on an emotional level, such changes really don’t sit well with me. I have an irrational resentment that someone is getting something free of charge, that I had to pay for. It’s an odd state of affairs. I don’t even play Destiny 2 anymore and have no strong attachment to the game. Yet I moved my account today and the only reason for doing this boils down to “I paid for this”. It can be odd at times being human.
A Welcome Return or Just Repeating a Mistake?
When I first started playing MMOs, it was very easy to maintain a degree of “gaming monogamy”. The Lord of the Rings held my attention for two years, without any distractions because everything was new to me at the time. But eventually, the allure of other genre titles became too great that I moved on to pastures new. And so I spent between 2009 and 2014 trying numerous other games. Star Trek Online, Age of Conan, Aion, Guild Wars 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Secret World, Neverwinter, WildStar and The Elder Scrolls Online to name but a few. If a game took my fancy, I would invest a great deal of time and make substantial progress. Conversely, if the “shoe didn’t fit”, it was quickly dispensed with. For example World of Warcraft never “clicked with me. It’s no reflection on the game itself. I just didn’t warm to any aspect of it. Similarly, the reality of EVE Online was vastly different to what I had imagined and expected.
Aion. July 2011
When I first started playing MMOs, it was very easy to maintain a degree of “gaming monogamy”. The Lord of the Rings held my attention for two years, without any distractions because everything was new to me at the time. But eventually, the allure of other genre titles became too great that I moved on to pastures new. And so I spent between 2009 and 2014 trying numerous other games. Star Trek Online, Age of Conan, Aion, Guild Wars 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Secret World, Neverwinter, WildStar and The Elder Scrolls Online to name but a few. If a game took my fancy, I would invest a great deal of time and make substantial progress. Conversely, if the “shoe didn’t fit”, it was quickly dispensed with. For example World of Warcraft never “clicked with me. It’s no reflection on the game itself. I just didn’t warm to any aspect of it. Similarly, the reality of EVE Online was vastly different to what I had imagined and expected.
Hence, I’ve left numerous MMOs behind me in my gaming wake over the years. Games that I learned were not for me. Or were they? The thing is, I’m not immune to cognitive dissonance. I’m quite capable of holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously. Namely, that hardy perennial among gamers, “I know I didn’t like [insert game title here] last time I played but maybe it’s changed”. And so due to a combination of factors, I have recently found myself revisiting several MMOs I have previously parted company with. Because of the recent coverage of Guild Wars 2 on the Massively OP Podcast, I decided to reinstall the game and return to Tyria. Much to my surprise, I rediscovered that I had three characters at level cap. A Human Ranger, a Norn Warrior and a Charr Engineer. My primary alt was still based in Queensdale which brought back pleasant memories of the “Choo Choo” or Queensdale Express. In fact within a few minutes of pottering around the zone, I began to recall how the various game systems and mechanics work. It began to feel like putting on a comfortable pair of slippers. And then I ported to the Maguuma Jungle and things rapidly went South.
Guild Wars 2 Beta. April 2012
The Heart of Thorns expansion killed my enjoyment of Guild Wars 2. If memory serves, I lasted until summer 2016 and then I quit the game. The “verticality” of the new zone and the grinding for Mastery Points to get the gliding skill and such like, were and remain the primary problem. That and the fact that this expansion made playing solo demonstrably harder and more reliant on others. Path of Fire may well do much to redress these issues but I’ll have to trudge through the first expansion before I can reap any benefits of the second. And as I play MMOs for primarily for pleasure and do not welcome any enterprise that “gets on my tits”, to coin a phrase, I shall be progressing no further in Guild Wars 2. I mistook the MMO for an absent friend because I was focused on my enjoyment of the base game. But the first expansion remains just as frustrating as it originally was and so all I’ve done is repeat a mistake by reinstalling things. I won’t get fooled again. No honestly, I won’t.
Neverwinter Beta. March 2013
So, fresh from this lesson, I decided that it would be a really good idea to ignore what I had just learned and retry Neverwinter. This a game I haven’t played since the beta test in 2013. Unlike Guild Wars 2, I really couldn’t remember much about the game. The only things that stuck in my mind was the combat which was a curious action hybrid. But beyond that, the game didn’t leave that much of an impression upon me. I was most surprised when I found my original avatar still available. However, for practical reasons I think it best to roll a new alt as I have no idea how the game plays. But over the next day or so, I will give this MMO another go. It’s odd that despite being an inferior game to Guild Wars 2, this is the one that seems to be more welcoming. Perhaps I didn’t play sufficiently to become prejudice against Neverwinter. Or may be after a while, suppressed memories will come flooding back. Perhaps my experiment to revisit older MMOs is already a forgone conclusion and these games have been abandoned for obvious and legitimate reason. Either way, it all makes for ideal material for a blog post. If there are any interesting developments I’ll keep you posted.
LOTRO: Minas Morgul Pre-Order
The forthcoming Minas Morgul expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online, became available for pre-order today. Furthermore, Update 24.3 was also released, making the new race of Stout-Axe Dwarves immediately available for those who have purchased the aforementioned expansion. Minas Morgul will provisionally be launched on Tuesday 29th of October, although Standing Stones Games have stated that this may be delayed for a few days should there be any technical issues. As with the previous expansion, Mordor, there are three versions of the game with a variety of additional baubles and trinkets available. These are mainly cosmetic items and sundry buffs and boosts. The pricing ranges from $40 for the Basic Edition, $80 for the Collector’s Edition and $130 for the Ultimate Fan Bundle. Again, as with the last expansion, the respective value of the most expensive tier is currently being “disputed” by players, although having logged into the game, it is already clear that many people have already bought it.
The forthcoming Minas Morgul expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online, became available for pre-order today. Furthermore, Update 24.3 was also released, making the new race of Stout-Axe Dwarves immediately available for those who have purchased the aforementioned expansion. Minas Morgul will provisionally be launched on Tuesday 29th of October, although Standing Stones Games have stated that this may be delayed for a few days should there be any technical issues. As with the previous expansion, Mordor, there are three versions of the game with a variety of additional baubles and trinkets available. These are mainly cosmetic items and sundry buffs and boosts. The pricing ranges from $40 for the Basic Edition, $80 for the Collector’s Edition and $130 for the Ultimate Fan Bundle. Again, as with the last expansion, the respective value of the most expensive tier is currently being “disputed” by players, although having logged into the game, it is already clear that many people have already bought it.
All editions of Minas Morgul come with the following content. Over 250 New Quests. 7 New Instances. Updated Crafting Guilds. Further instalments in the Black Book of Mordor Storyline. A new Shelob Raid and “more”. It should be noted that the instances and raid will follow in patches after launch of the expansion. Furthermore, according to developer’s Stand Stone Games “Minas Morgul will take you on an expedition deep into the Morgul Vale in search of answers to a mystery that spans three thousand years. The words of the shade of Isildur will unearth secrets and visions of the Second Age that have remained untold until now, revealing playable landscape and new adventures from a crucial time in Middle-earth’s history”. There is also yet another increase in the game’s level cap from 120 to 130. Thus creating a new gear check for those who wish to have appropriately levelled armour and jewellery.
For long term LOTRO players, SSG’s announcement and overall marketing strategy for this new expansion holds no surprises. This is pretty much exactly what they did when they launched Mordor in late 2017. The appeal of Minas Morgul is aimed predominantly at core players, although the Character Level Boost to 120 may be of interest to new players who wish to join and play with friends at cap. SSG seem to have found a content release schedule that works well for them, offering an ongoing diet of “same meat, different gravy” which satisfies core players. For those who do not feel the need to pre-order the expansion, it will be available for purchase via the in-game store with LOTRO points in March 2020. Base Edition (includes the Minas Morgul Region & Instances only) is priced at 2495 Points. For those who just want to unlock the Stout-Axe Dwarf race, it will cost 1000 Points.
Fear of Missing Out
According to Wikipedia Fear of Missing Out (or FOMO) is “a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent". Now that may sound to some as a somewhat trivial concern. One that encapsulates the concept of “first world problems” and “Generation Me”. Yet for many, it is a genuine concern. “Fear of missing out” is a not too distant cousin of “fear of being excluded”. Something that is a common part of bullying culture. FOMO plays to human insecurities and we live in times where people feel increasingly vulnerable. If you want further evidence of the veracity of FOMO, consider how it is something that marketing departments now actively seek to play upon and uses for leverage. A recent leaked document for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) outlined how they wish to streamline and revitalise the ailing E3 trade show. One suggestion is to make "exclusive/appointment only activations for select attendees who will create buzz and FOMO”.
According to Wikipedia Fear of Missing Out (or FOMO) is “a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent". Now that may sound to some as a somewhat trivial concern. One that encapsulates the concept of “first world problems” and “Generation Me”. Yet for many, it is a genuine concern. “Fear of missing out” is a not too distant cousin of “fear of being excluded”. Something that is a common part of bullying culture. FOMO plays to human insecurities and we live in times where people feel increasingly vulnerable. If you want further evidence of the veracity of FOMO, consider how it is something that marketing departments now actively seek to play upon and uses for leverage. A recent leaked document for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) outlined how they wish to streamline and revitalise the ailing E3 trade show. One suggestion is to make "exclusive/appointment only activations for select attendees who will create buzz and FOMO”.
For good or ill, it would seem that FOMO is now facet of twentieth century culture. Much like reaction videos, shit posting and the most intellectually bereft member of society being allowed on national television. Furthermore, I cannot claim to be impervious to this malady. I have discussed in the past how I was an avid “early adopter” of technology two decades ago. Something I cannot simply chalk up to just enthusiasm and zeal. FOMO did play a part in this. And then there has been times when fandom has become a job, rather than a leisure activity. I have a friend who still likes to remind me of the numerous times I got up at some ridiculous hour to watch videos that I had to return to Blockbusters, later that day. As a movie fan, it has always been difficult to try and keep up with all the new releases as well as older classics. It’s something I take a far more measured approach to these days but again in the past, FOMO was a factor driving the mentality that I had to “do it all”.
Recently, I took stock of my interests and pastimes. I decided to recalibrate my expectations and aspirations and that meant making some changes. Subsequently, I took to Twitter and spent some time reflecting upon who I was following. I believe the maximum number of people you can follow realistically is about 150. I’m currently over that number by a sizeable amount but I did prune about thirty of so accounts I was following. I based my decision upon how often an account tweeted and whether they were big on interacting with others. I did feel the occasional pang of guilt but ultimately you have to be realistic about what you can and cannot do. Following an excess of people on Twitter just leads to having your timeline swamped and increases the chance of missing something important amid all the white noise. There were also a few people who I couldn’t remember as to why I was following them.
I carried out the same exercise on Feedly and removed several blogs that didn’t seem to be producing any content on a regular basis. As predicted, the drop off rate after Blaugust was noticeable. I also had several blogs on my list that have been dead for a long time and it was merely nostalgia on my part keeping them there. I am also getting somewhat tired of commercial video gaming websites. They have a tendency to regurgitate the same company press releases where it is only the think pieces and long form articles that really interest me. So I have purged many of these. I’ve also shed some of the movie news websites I was following, as these aren’t really broad enough and tend to be too focused on “superhero” movies. And while I’ve been “downsizing” the extent of my online content consumption, I also unsubscribed from numerous YouTube channels. The commercial ones were exceedingly predictable and many of the “non-professional” content creators seemed to have ground to a halt. May be this medium is no longer the cash cow that many assumed it was. And then there’s my gaming “wish lists”. They got kicked into touch as well after a healthy dose of realism.
Here are some fun facts about the “average persons” lifespan. We spend about a third of our lives asleep. That’s 30 years plus. Joe public also spends about five years on the phone during the course of their life. A human brain can store up to a quadrillion separate bit of information in its longterm memory during our “three score years and ten”. Then add to that mix, time spent working, raising children and perhaps most importantly, procrastinating. The bottom line is you’re never going to fit in everything that you want to do. Nope. Not going to happen. The reality of the situation is that FOMO should be logically replaced by AOMO; acceptance of missing out. It’s a mindset I’ve eased myself into over the last decade. Pick what you want to do wisely. Be realistic and honest with yourself about what you can and cannot fit into your schedule. As for FOMO, isn’t it better to do several things well and enjoy them thoroughly, rather than attempting to do too many things at once and doing them badly? You’d think so. But then again people are seldom logical.
Gaming and the Language of "Them Versus Us"
Language is an evolutionary thing. It changes over time, reflecting the needs of the culture that use it. Furthermore, each unique sub-set of society seems to create and utilise its own bespoke lexicon. From business, science, politics, religion, to sports and other leisure activities, all use terminology that is unique to their own group. Overtime some of these terms’ crossover from one niche to another to eventually find broad mainstream acceptance. It is a fascinating process and one I think has accelerated in recent years due to the growth of social media.
I have written before about the subject of gaming semantics and the fact that some terms are so ambiguous and not clearly defined. This subsequently leads to skewed debates and discussion, as there is not a mutually agreed frame of reference of definition. This time I want to focus on another linguistic issue that it currently blighting the discourse surrounding games. That being the proliferation of pejorative terms and ill-conceived labels, which are used not to describe but to discredit. It sadly adds to the increasingly bi-partisan nature of all public debates these days and reinforces my current stance of not defining myself by a pastime that I pursue. The gaming community is becoming increasingly intolerant and I don't wish to be associated with such things.
Language is an evolutionary thing. It changes over time, reflecting the needs of the culture that use it. Furthermore, each unique sub-set of society seems to create and utilise its own bespoke lexicon. From business, science, politics, religion, to sports and other leisure activities, all use terminology that is unique to their own group. Overtime some of these terms’ crossover from one niche to another to eventually find broad mainstream acceptance. It is a fascinating process and one I think has accelerated in recent years due to the growth of social media.
I have written before about the subject of gaming semantics and the fact that some terms are so ambiguous and not clearly defined. This subsequently leads to skewed debates and discussion, as there is not a mutually agreed frame of reference of definition. This time I want to focus on another linguistic issue that it currently blighting the discourse surrounding games. That being the proliferation of pejorative terms and ill-conceived labels, which are used not to describe but to discredit. It sadly adds to the increasingly bi-partisan nature of all public debates these days and reinforces my current stance of not defining myself by a pastime that I pursue. The gaming community is becoming increasingly intolerant and I don't wish to be associated with such things.
Something that often comes up in discussions about PVP, is the term "carebear". Initially this was a term that was jokingly employed to describe players that preferred the social interaction of PVE content and avoided player versus player gameplay. Now it seems to be a routine epithet to negatively label anyone who doesn't advocate any of the competitive aspects of gaming. If you do not like PVP, or end-game raiding, warzones, skirmishes or the like you are a "carebear". The implication being that caring and compassion are negative things and potentially a sign of weakness. It is a blanket term design to be besmirch and standard ammunition in ad hominem attacks.
During the seventies, UK national politics was extremely binary. The right was focused on privatisation, small government and the free market with the left advocating the welfare state, social responsibility and equality. It was during this period that I first became aware of the term "do gooder"; a term broadly meaning a well-meaning but unrealistic or interfering philanthropist or reformer. Yet overtime it simple degenerated into a pejorative label for anyone who's politics were not sufficiently right wing enough. Any sort of policy that advocated fairness or parity was lambasted with this term, to the point where it became nothing but a vacuous buzz word. The reason I mention this is because the exactly the same thing is happening today with the trite label "social justice warrior".
In recent years games discourse has sunk under the weight of these sorts of terms. Any sort of meaningful and mature discussion is obscured under a swath of pointless and ultimately meaningless terms. "Feminazi", "delicate snowflake", "filthy casual gamer" and other such names are bandied about, dragging the debate away from a level playing field and into the playground. Combine this sort of rhetoric with the prevailing mindset that eschews reason, critical thinking and scope to disagree in a civil fashion and all rational discussion ends. The winner is simply those who shout loudest. History has shown us that such groups are seldom the best informed.
When this sort of philosophy prevails it ultimately does more harm than good. Sadly at present, too many gamers are busy indulging in territorial pissing that they are oblivious to the fact that they are befouling their own waterhole. It's only a matter of time before the well is truly poisoned. If gaming culture genuinely wants to improve for everyone's benefits then it needs to start thinking. That begins with the language that we use towards each other. The alternative is to continue down the current road and let those who want to watch Rome burn, do so to the detriment of all. In the meantime there will be those that disassociate themselves from the mainstream and set up isolated safe havens for likeminded gamers. However that doesn't really fix the long-term problems. Are smaller more fragmented markets and communities ultimately good for gaming?
Untitled Goose Game
I totally missed any marketing or hype surrounding the Untitled Goose Game. I simply stumbled across it today while logged into the Epic Store to claim 6 free Batman games. There was a video at the top of the landing page with that catchy title and it instantly chimed with me. I’ve had several run-ins with the Canada Geese at my local park over the years and so I’m somewhat familiar with their penchant for assholery and general douchebaggery. So a game about a troublesome Goose is not a big ask. The quirky animation style and colour palette really caught my eye, so I read the marketing blurb and then bought the game blind on a whim. So much for “advertising doesn’t work on me”, although I believe there’s more to my impulse purchase than meet’s the eye. But my respective psychiatric state is not what is being scrutinised here. The key question is whether the game is any good? Well, in short, the answer is a resounding “yes”. Allow me to elucidate.
I totally missed any marketing or hype surrounding the Untitled Goose Game. I simply stumbled across it today while logged into the Epic Store to claim 6 free Batman games. There was a video at the top of the landing page with that catchy title and it instantly chimed with me. I’ve had several run-ins with the Canada Geese at my local park over the years and so I’m somewhat familiar with their penchant for assholery and general douchebaggery. So a game about a troublesome Goose is not a big ask. The quirky animation style and colour palette really caught my eye, so I read the marketing blurb and then bought the game blind on a whim. So much for “advertising doesn’t work on me”, although I believe there’s more to my impulse purchase than meet’s the eye. But my respective psychiatric state is not what is being scrutinised here. The key question is whether the game is any good? Well, in short, the answer is a resounding “yes”. Allow me to elucidate.
Narratively speaking, Untitled Goose Game is both minimalist and succinct. You get to play as a Goose who leaves the local pond and sets out to bother a small village. There is a check list of achievements such as entering a garden, stealing various items such as keys or a rake and generally being an utter nuisance to the various humans you encounter. The controls are straight forward and logical. Once you’ve cleared the various achievements in one area you move on to the next and strive to get on even more people’s nerves. In gaming terms this is a very straight forward proposition. The systems are not complex although things are more challenging than you may think. But like any good game and by that, I mean a game that grabs you and hits the spot right from the get-go, the devil is in the detail. Untitled Goose Game boast numerous small, yet perfectly conceived, embellishments that elevate it.
The opening tutorial is not only functional but also clearly establishes the games pitch. You’re a Goose. An annoying, asshole of a Goose whose about to embark on some anatine shenanigans. The flat-shaded texture art style, point and click movement and comforting piano score (an adaptation of Debussy’s Préludes) intuitively come together the moment you waddle out of the bushes with an exuberant honk. The waddling is further bolstered by soft slapping of webbed feet. It’s a powerful start. Within moments you have totally bought into the MacGuffin that you’re a Goose, raring to cause mayhem and get on some people’s tits. And as you do so, it’s fabulous. Genuinely funny. Even cathartic.
There’s something incredibly benign about the whimsical world you get to explore. It’s filled with an abundance of objects to interact with and appears to be in some sort of temporal bubble. It has some superficial modern trappings yet is not overly complex. Is that a sixties vibe to the aesthetic and hints of The Prisoner? Or is it more Camberwick Green? Either way the style is captivating. Certainly there are elements from classic LucasArts adventure games with the puzzle solving elements. Yet this is superbly juxtaposed with the stealth elements which feel very modern. Some situations just lend themselves to going in all guns blazing. Other scenarios require timing and a measure of planning. If things go wrong it inevitably ends in a chase with more than just a hint of Benny Hill to it all. And all the time there’s the constant pleasure of hitting X and the spacebar to flap your wings vigorously and honk at all and sundry.
I suspect that developers House House are conversant with many other entertainment genres other than the video games industry. As mentioned previously it’s the attention to detail that is telling. There is keen awareness of the mechanics of silent comedy, of framing action cinematically and complementing the visuals with music. And if you really want to ponder Untitled Goose Game at a deeper level, I’d say it’s an incredibly soothing and therapeutic game. We live in very troubling times. All too often life is something that happens to us rather than something we participate in. Untitled Goose Game offers the release of being an utter git but does so in a very measured fashion. We are not inflicting physical violence upon in-game NPCs but instead participating in low level mischief, reciprocal to that which life often has in store for us. This tempered, non-violent bad behaviour is extremely relaxing and inherently wholesome, compared to shooting someone in the face in an FPS.
The PC version of Untitled Goose Game appears to be exclusive to the Epic Store. At the price of £11.99 it is an utter bargain. As a game it’s one of those rare examples where the stars aligned and pretty much all elements have fallen into place. Unlike so many contemporary games which are burdened with complexity, decisions and tendency to punish the player if they choose unwisely, Untitled Goose Game simply offers an opportunity to “be”. It sets out its stall and allows the players to immediately come to terms with the task in hand. You’re a Goose. Go make yourself a nuisance. Don’t worry about it. Because you’re a Goose and this is what they do. I’m not sure if it’s some sort of bizarre form of method acting or the video game equivalent of the Rorschach test. But it’s great fun and an absolute hoot. Or should that be a honk?
Stout-Axe Dwarf Preview
As Standing Stone Games successfully “got away” with adding High Elves to The Lord of the Rings Online as a playable race in late 2017, then it is only logical that they expect to do exactly the same with Stout-Axe Dwarves this year. Furthermore, as High Elves were introduced with the Mordor expansion, it’s not unreasonable to assume that Stout-Axe Dwarves will similarly be tied to the forthcoming Minas Morgul expansion. Just remember that Mordor came in three varieties and the base edition did not include the High Elf class. So keep an eye out for the various versions of Minas Morgul, when it is announced. But let’s not kid ourselves, core LOTRO players are usually lore enthusiasts and eager to support the game that they love, so I see no reason for this new race to be rejected by the playerbase. Dwarves have their fans, so I’m sure that Stout-Axe Dwarves will be welcomed into the game and find their niche.
As Standing Stone Games successfully “got away” with adding High Elves to The Lord of the Rings Online as a playable race in late 2017, then it is only logical that they expect to do exactly the same with Stout-Axe Dwarves this year. Furthermore, as High Elves were introduced with the Mordor expansion, it’s not unreasonable to assume that Stout-Axe Dwarves will similarly be tied to the forthcoming Minas Morgul expansion. Just remember that Mordor came in three varieties and the base edition did not include the High Elf class. So keep an eye out for the various versions of Minas Morgul, when it is announced. But let’s not kid ourselves, core LOTRO players are usually lore enthusiasts and eager to support the game that they love, so I see no reason for this new race to be rejected by the playerbase. Dwarves have their fans, so I’m sure that Stout-Axe Dwarves will be welcomed into the game and find their niche.
Bullroarer test server currently has an early preview of the Stout-Axe Dwarf class. As ever, it’s a beta test so there is scope for change. There are some subtle aesthetic differences between the Stout-Axe and the Longbeards. Their beards are shorter and often braided, along with their hair. The passive skills for the new race also vary from traditional Dwarves. Unyielding Will gives a will, vitality and mitigations boost. Wrought by the Black Lands gives a shadow mitigation buff. This makes sense as the race hails from Mordor. Shadow of the Eye reduces vitality. Doom of Dràsa’s Folk reduces fate. Again the lore justifys this as the Stout-Axes are a subjugated people. And like regular Dwarves there is a One-Handed Axes passive trait. It should also be noted that it looks like SSG have overhauled the character creation screen, as the default models appear to have been updated.
SPOILER ALERT:
The introductory story for the Stout-Axe Dwarves is set in Mordor circa T.A. 3017. The plot conceit being that Dràsa’s Folk where one of the seven Dwarven Houses. When Sauron sought to take their ring of power, they resisted and were subsequently enslaved and taken to Mordor. After creating your Stout-Axe character you find yourself, labouring in the depth of Barad-dûr. There are rumours that Sauron is to release one of his captives and one of your eager companions wants to use this opportunity to mutiny and escape. After some arbitrary task involving cleaning and working, you find yourself amid an uprising. During the ensuing pandemonium you break out of the Black Fortress. The scene then changes to Ered Luin. Obviously, your character has traversed much of Middle-earth only to encounter the Dourhands. When you recognise that Skorgrím Dourhand and Ivar the Blood-hand are allied to the same evil that you have fled, you seek out the Longbeards at Thorin’s Hall to warn them. It is at this point the story joins the existing storyline for that region.
Once again, SSG have managed to craft an intriguing tale that embellishes the lore without breaking it. Or does it? I seem to recall during the Mordor quest line that Gimli had no specific knowledge of Dwarves hailing from Mordor. Dialogue from the quest “A Land of Ash and Shadow” appear to support this. Legolas: “Gimli has found old tools of dwarf-make in this ruin, and though he will not speak of it, unease has crept into his mind. If ever dwarves dwelt within Mordor, it seems their fate was not a pleasant one and that their line is long ended”. Furthermore, when you complete that quest and find a Stout-Axe body Gimli exclaims "So dwarves still dwell in Mordor, but where have they made their home”. But as the Stout-Axe story has your character introduce themselves to Dwalin, there is a contradiction here. Also the Epic Story has you interact with Gimli on numerous occasions as you level up thus causing further narrative issues.
Now there is a good chance I may have overlooked a story element or am misremembering things. Or perhaps SSG intend to revise the various story elements. They have done so in the past. Remember how “The Assault on Archet” originally featured the Angmarim Commander Éogan arriving in the burning town to claim Amdir. And how this was later changed to feature a more sinister Cargûl and the Blackwold villain Calder Cob. Perhaps they have something similar in mind to address this. But regardless of the potential lore disparities, the new Stout-Axe story is a surprising good addition to the game. I suspect it will appeal more to long term players with a penchant for alts, rather than new players who may want a less lore heavy start to their adventures in LOTRO. It will be interesting to see how SSG polish this new starter experience in the weeks ahead.
The Problem with MMO Economies Part 2
A few years ago, STO developers Cryptic, added a new system to the game that allowed players to re-engineer gear and alter the various modifiers associated with each item. One of the reasons behind this move was to reduce the hyperinflation associated with high end gear that has the most desirable statistics. If players could re-engineer the items that they desired it would undermine the trade in such items on the exchange. Needless to say this plan didn’t succeed and the market did not radically alter. The overall cost of the resources required to successfully re-engineer a piece of equipment ended up being comparable or even more than the price of a similar item being sold on the exchange. Similarly, the legendary progression servers in LOTRO had a brief period of economic stability and fiscal prudence when they were launched. Initially, no one section of the playerbase had more resources than others. A year on and now the same issues of inflation and excessive prices have happened with a tedious sense of inevitability. Can anything be done to stabilise MMO economies?
A few years ago, STO developers Cryptic, added a new system to the game that allowed players to re-engineer gear and alter the various modifiers associated with each item. One of the reasons behind this move was to reduce the hyperinflation associated with high end gear that has the most desirable statistics. If players could re-engineer the items that they desired it would undermine the trade in such items on the exchange. Needless to say this plan didn’t succeed and the market did not radically alter. The overall cost of the resources required to successfully re-engineer a piece of equipment ended up being comparable or even more than the price of a similar item being sold on the exchange. Similarly, the legendary progression servers in LOTRO had a brief period of economic stability and fiscal prudence when they were launched. Initially, no one section of the playerbase had more resources than others. A year on and now the same issues of inflation and excessive prices have happened with a tedious sense of inevitability. Can anything be done to stabilise MMO economies?
If MMO developers wanted to seriously address this matter, it would require designing a game with a far more controlled and regulated in-game economy. It would also require a far more interventionist approach in managing the ebb and flow of in-game resources. IE controlling the availability of specific resources and items, as well as imposing taxes and fees upon auction house transactions. Such an approach would certainly be perceived as “political” from certain quarters of the gaming community and would not be well received. Given the levels of political and socioeconomic illiteracy among some players, it would more than likely play into the ongoing culture wars we see across all levels of society in western democracies. And it can also be argued that “trading” is one of the few social elements left in the MMO genre. Plus it’s also a “game within a game” for many players. If this is fundamentally altered or regulated to the point of “no fun”, then its effectively just another nail in the coffin of the old school concept of the MMORPG. I’m not too sure how many nails the playerbase can endure.
Grinding out rewards and obtaining rare and unique items is a fundamental motivator for many MMO players. For those without the time to pursue such goals, buying these things from the in-game auction house is a credible alternative. There are still a few ships in STO that are demonstrably superior to others. If you are unable or unwilling to spend real world money on multiple loot boxes to get one of these ships, then there is always the exchange and the option to buy what you desire for energy credits. It may well be an immense uphill struggle but it can be done. If you remove such an avenue from the game you are effectively barring certain players from achieving their goal. That sends very clear message to the playerbase and not a positive one. There are already enough obstacles for new players of long established MMOs. If a player feels that they cannot reach their full potential then why should they continue to play. Life isn’t a meritocracy but we broadly seem to like the illusion of one.
Conversely, if resources and rewards are too readily available and easily acquired, it does much to mitigate a great deal of the challenge and motivation to play. It is always fun to log into a MMO test server and instantly receive all the gear you desire from the live server. But the novelty soon wears off. Players like to have goals to work towards and if you negate that you really are pulling the carpet out from under them. I don’t agree with the philosophy that things given freely have no inherent value but I do agree that familiarity breeds contempt. The optimal path is somewhere in between, so let players earn their rewards but make the journey credible. Overall, I don’t know what the long-term solution to this chicken and egg conundrum is, as it requires that developers and players alike must “unlearn what they have learned”. Perhaps it will fall to a small developer to make a bold experiment one day and create a game with an economy that breaks the existing mould. In the meantime I’m sure this problem will persist and we’ll still see regular articles decrying the status quo and asking for something to be done. Gaming like any other aspect of human culture is cyclical.
The Problem with MMO Economies Part 1
I have a very mixed relationship with MMO economies. In The Lord of the Rings Online I have adequate supplies of in-game gold but most of the items I seek to buy on Auction House are insanely overpriced. In Star Trek Online, earning energy credits is so problematic, the developers have had to add them as part of the daily personal endeavour rewards. Again, there is runaway inflation and the most desirable items such as Tier 6 ships are ridiculously priced. And in The Elder Scrolls Online, the gold slowly builds up over time but the lack of a server wide auction system means that finding and purchasing quality gear at credible prices is an arcane undertaking. There was a point a few years ago when I use to play the LOTRO economy and as a result, I had sufficient means to buy what I wanted. But maintaining that level of wealth and financial leverage is time consuming and requires adhering to a strategy. As I do not play the game, or indeed any other MMO, to that level anymore, my personal wealth in all of them has declined accordingly.
I have a very mixed relationship with MMO economies. In The Lord of the Rings Online I have adequate supplies of in-game gold but most of the items I seek to buy on Auction House are insanely overpriced. In Star Trek Online, earning energy credits is so problematic, the developers have had to add them as part of the daily personal endeavour rewards. Again, there is runaway inflation and the most desirable items such as Tier 6 ships are ridiculously priced. And in The Elder Scrolls Online, the gold slowly builds up over time but the lack of a server wide auction system means that finding and purchasing quality gear at credible prices is an arcane undertaking. There was a point a few years ago when I use to play the LOTRO economy and as a result, I had sufficient means to buy what I wanted. But maintaining that level of wealth and financial leverage is time consuming and requires adhering to a strategy. As I do not play the game, or indeed any other MMO, to that level anymore, my personal wealth in all of them has declined accordingly.
Over the years there have been many articles written about the iniquities of MMO economies and whether anything can be done to run them in a more equitable fashion. For example, last Wednesday, there was an interesting post by Ben Griggs over at Massively Overpowered about the short comings of the Guild Trade system in ESO. Then today, there was a further article about how to acquire in-game wealth in Guild Wars 2, by Bree Royce. Both highlight the recurring problems and complaints that MMO economies regularly generate. A cursory look at the comments on both posts show that there isn’t a prevailing consensus among gamers, as to which is the best way to run an MMO economy. Furthermore, game developers seem to all too often throw in the towel when a games economy starts to get out of control and hyperinflation sets in. It’s as if it is just assumed that this is an inevitable course of events and simply something endemic to the MMORPG genre. And I’m beginning to think that perhaps they are right.
Video games are commercial products. Yes, they can be art as well but MMORPGs are not developed by altruistic, Franciscan monks out of a sense of social obligation. All the resources required to create a game come with a cost. In many ways video games are the ultimate expression of consumerism in western, capitalist countries. The controversies surrounding the monetisation of a leisure activity such as video games, is the epitome of a “first world problem”. However, when you consider the economic factors that determine the creation and sales of video games, it is hardly surprising to find the same dogma perpetuated within the virtual worlds they offer. Therefore, there is little or no will to create a game with a radically different economy to that of the real world to begin with. The mantra that “time is money” has always been the under-pinning ideology of game economies. Those with any advantage in this respect will always find themselves succeeding more than those who have a time deficit. And any MMO that has existed for several years or more, will have a core player base that owns superior resources to that of any newcomers.
Over time MMO developers have often tried a variety of methods to try and mollify these problems. Tinkering with drop rates of valuable items or reducing how often resource nodes spawn. Then there’s binding items to account or to characters. Some games have even put a specific cap on how much in-game gold a player can own. But players always seem to be one step ahead and all too often such restrictions are circumnavigated. Hence, we see bots and scripts implemented by players to farm resources. I’ve even subcontracted out my own resource gathering in LOTRO in the past. You can also find third party websites where rare items are traded for real money. Player in ESO will use the gifting mechanic to achieve sales that can’t be facilitated by traditional means. And if the developers are too vociferous with the bind to character mechanic, then people will just sell accounts. It’s a blunt tool but it works. All of these issues persist because neoliberalism that exists in real life economies, bleeds into the MMO games design.
Star Trek Online: Awakening
The new story arc Awakening, launched this week in Star Trek Online. The first instalment, Beneath the Skin, saw Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp, returning as Commander Paul Stamets in an adventure that takes the player back into the Mycelial Realm. Cryptic have also added a new Task Force Operation, several patrols and numerous of “quality of life” fixes. The event system has now been removed from the reputation panel and added to the mission journal and now tracks progress in a single experience bar. Furthermore there is a new ongoing event which when completed rewards players with an Elachi Qulash Frigate [T6]. The developers have also revised yet another Tier 6 ship skin. This time round they have improved the aesthetics of the Kelvin-Timeline Intel Dreadnought Cruiser (AKA U.S.S. Vengeance from Star Trek Into Darkness).
The new story arc Awakening, launched this week in Star Trek Online. The first instalment, Beneath the Skin, saw Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp, returning as Commander Paul Stamets in an adventure that takes the player back into the Mycelial Realm. Cryptic have also added a new Task Force Operation, several patrols and numerous of “quality of life” fixes. The event system has now been removed from the reputation panel and added to the mission journal and now tracks progress in a single experience bar. Furthermore there is a new ongoing event which when completed rewards players with an Elachi Qulash Frigate [T6]. The developers have also revised yet another Tier 6 ship skin. This time round they have improved the aesthetics of the Kelvin-Timeline Intel Dreadnought Cruiser (AKA U.S.S. Vengeance from Star Trek Into Darkness).
It’s been a while since we had a story update in STO. Although I have enjoyed the various narrative threads of each previous mission set in the Discovery era, they have been somewhat disjointed. Finally in Awakening, the various dots are connected and I suspect that the arc will be concluded. Beneath the Skin sees an assault in Andorian space by rogue 23rd Klingon Matriarch, J’Ula. This results in the creation of a rift between space time and the Mycelial Network. As all data regarding this realm is classified, the player has to call upon the expertise of a holographic Commander Paul Stamets and enter the rift. Probes sent by J’Ula have leaked Hargh'peng radiation and are causing sickness and corruption throughout the Mycelial Realm. Furthermore, in a surprise twist, we discover that the Elachi where native to the fungal zone prior to being subsumed into Iconian servitude.
As ever with STO, the new story is inventive and draws heavily upon multiple threads of established in-game and canonical lore. There are numerous elements to the plot but complexity is not always a stumbling block, if handled well. Cryptic are aware that not all players may be familiar with all the elements from Star Trek: Discovery so there are several instances of characters pausing to deliver substantial quantities of expositionary dialogue. It does at time slow things down but it’s a necessary evil. The presence of Anthony Rapp is a big bonus to the proceedings. He maintains his acerbic, passive aggressive demeanour and at appropriate points delivers some great quips. As ever with Cryptic, they excel with the little things that add to the ambience. The baby Tardigrades are great as they scamper around the Mycelial Network. And the Elachi who was previously a Romulan was a great call back to an earlier story line.
There is sufficient new content to be getting on with for the present. My concerns about a decline in narrative material has been somewhat tempered. The new patrols are more complex than expected and it’s nice to see the return of characters such as the rogue Ferengi entrepreneur Madran and Lukari Captain Kuumaarke. Plus a major bonus to all this is the fact that the latest mission Beneath the Skin rewards the player with an Elachi Bridge Officer, which is the best news I’ve had since I acquired my Holographic James Kurland. And as developers Cryptic are still working on bug fixes and “quality of life” improvements, I shall patiently wait for classic content such as the classic mission “City on the Edge of Never” to be returned to the game. In the meantime, gaming peripherals vendor Steelseries currently have a Star Trek Online giveaway to celebrate the launch of Awakening. Just create a user account and you can claim a free Ferengi Bridge Officer for the Klingon faction, along with a B’Rotlh Bird of Prey Ship [1]. Free stuff is always welcome and its nice to see the KDF getting some love.
Gamers, Ethics and Boycotts
When I’m at my local supermarket with Mrs P, buying our monthly groceries, we often try and purchase fair trade products. This tends to be fruit, vegetables and wine. It’s a nominal gesture towards ethics, done in good faith. However, I suspect we cancel out any collective good we may do by making other consumer decisions, which aren’t so considerate. It’s a curious paradox that consumerism, something that is couched in untrammelled capitalism, can be tempered by the moral proclivities of customers. Some would argue that this is just an afterthought, lip service or virtue signalling (although the latter is an intellectually bankrupt concept to begin with). I just see it as people trying to do something vaguely decent, within the confines of a system that is rife with dubious practices and unethical tendencies. It is virtually impossible to be morally pure while living in a contemporary democracy. Comedian Frankie Boyle best summed this up when he said, “If you get offended by any jokes, by the way, feel free to Tweet your outrage on a mobile phone made by a ten-year-old in China”.
When I’m at my local supermarket with Mrs P, buying our monthly groceries, we often try and purchase fair trade products. This tends to be fruit, vegetables and wine. It’s a nominal gesture towards ethics, done in good faith. However, I suspect we cancel out any collective good we may do by making other consumer decisions, which aren’t so considerate. It’s a curious paradox that consumerism, something that is couched in untrammelled capitalism, can be tempered by the moral proclivities of customers. Some would argue that this is just an afterthought, lip service or virtue signalling (although the latter is an intellectually bankrupt concept to begin with). I just see it as people trying to do something vaguely decent, within the confines of a system that is rife with dubious practices and unethical tendencies. It is virtually impossible to be morally pure while living in a contemporary democracy. Comedian Frankie Boyle best summed this up when he said, “If you get offended by any jokes, by the way, feel free to Tweet your outrage on a mobile phone made by a ten-year-old in China”.
Moving on to video games, once again commentator Jim Sterling has highlighted how some quarters of the industry are just a complete mess. In the latest episode of the Jimquisition, he explores allegations made against indie developer Chucklefish. To cut along story short, it would appear that this company has not financially compensated all of it staff and taken advantage of the “passion” that younger gamers often have for video games and the wider industry. It’s a familiar story, only this time its an indie developer rather than a big, triple A publisher. It shouldn’t come as a shock that greed, along with manipulative and exploitative behaviour are everywhere. It’s just a shame because the indie scene often positions itself to be the moral opposite of the big corporations. Yet here they are having the same vices. Naturally, as this story has blown up, there has been a degree of pushback from fans who have supported Chucklefish over the years. As I’ve stated in the past, rightly or wrongly, a lot of gamers have an odd relationship with game developers and publishers. Many do not view it within the confines of the traditional consumer/vendor dynamic.
Which brings me to my point. I personally have not yet experienced a situation where I have boycotted a specific publisher or developer on the grounds of their business ethics. There are games that I have chosen not to buy because of their business model and monetisation strategy but I have not yet shunned a company that I have previously done business with. I always find statements such as “I’ll never buy one of your games ever again” or “you’ll never see another penny of my money” from gamers on subreddits and forums, to be somewhat melodramatic and unverifiable. However, Jim Sterling’s video has highlighted the fact that unethical business practises are potentially everywhere. I think it likely that sooner, rather than later, I’m going to find a scandal associated with something much closer to home. If for example, Standing Stone Games were tainted by the iniquities of their publisher Daybreak Game Company, how would I react? Would I abandon LOTRO? Or simply stop paying SSG any money? The latter would impact upon my enjoyment of the game but that is the consequence of protesting. Voting with your wallet denies something from all parties.
Considering that most companies do not like negative publicity and like to maintain a “good guy” image irrespective of whether its deserved, is critical press coverage potentially more effective than player boycotts? Or do player communities have more clout than we think. It certainly appeared that player power was responsible for the removal of “pay to win” microtransactions from Star Wars Battlefront II in January 2018. Yet that story was everywhere and even found its way into the mainstream press. Did either side provide the tipping point for EA or was it a perfect storm of both? In the meantime I’m going to continue to monitor the decline in ethics in the video game industry, as it now seems to have become yet another front upon which the ongoing culture war is being fought. If I do, as I have predicted, find myself in a position where I may have to countenance a moral decision to boycott a company or some similar situation, perhaps discussing it as a blog post will provide an easier solution. But as the old adage says, “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it”.
Gaming Addiction and the World Health Organisation
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. It was established on 7th April 1948 and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. As a body it has been instrumental in the eradication of smallpox. Its current priorities include communicable diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS, Ebola, malaria and tuberculosis; the mitigation of the effects of non-communicable diseases; sexual and reproductive health, development, and ageing; nutrition, food security and healthy eating; occupational health; substance abuse; and driving the development of reporting, publications, and networking. Recently, unlike other health institutions, WHO has chosen to address the thorny issue of gaming addiction; a condition that is still heavily disputed and lacks a universally agreed definition.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. It was established on 7th April 1948 and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. As a body it has been instrumental in the eradication of smallpox. Its current priorities include communicable diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS, Ebola, malaria and tuberculosis; the mitigation of the effects of non-communicable diseases; sexual and reproductive health, development, and ageing; nutrition, food security and healthy eating; occupational health; substance abuse; and driving the development of reporting, publications, and networking. Recently, unlike other health institutions, WHO has chosen to address the thorny issue of gaming addiction; a condition that is still heavily disputed and lacks a universally agreed definition.
WHO formally listed gaming addiction as a mental health condition in May 2019. According to their criteria based upon extensive research, gaming addiction it as a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour so severe that it takes "precedence over other life interests". This definition, as stipulated by WHO, correlates with several other countries that have already identified this addiction as a major health issue. There are already private addiction clinics that “treat” this condition and the actions of WHO have certainly brought this particular health issue to the wider public’s attention. By adding gaming addiction to the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases, it removes some of the incredulity that the condition has met from certain health bodies.
The WHO guide contains codes for diseases, signs and symptoms and is used by doctors and researchers worldwide to track and diagnose disease. The guide suggests that abnormal gaming behaviour should be in evidence over a period of at least 12 months "for a diagnosis to be assigned" but has stipulated that period might be shortened "if symptoms are severe". At present the symptoms for gaming addiction include impaired control over gaming (frequency, intensity, duration), increased priority given to gaming and continuation or escalation of gaming despite negative consequences. Some healthcare professionals have welcomed the decision to recognise the condition. Dr Richard Graham, lead technology addiction specialist at the Nightingale Hospital in London said “It is significant because it creates the opportunity for more specialised services. It puts it on the map as something to take seriously”. However, he also stated that he would have sympathy for those who do not think the condition should be medicalised because he did see scope for misdiagnosis at present. "It could lead to confused parents whose children are just enthusiastic gamers."
It is this point that seems to be the biggest stumbling block for the universal acceptance of a medical condition of this nature. How exactly do you verify that the alleged addiction is actually taking up all available “neurological real-estate” and dominating thinking and becoming a total preoccupation for the patient? Because fandom per se can at time mirror these qualities. Subsequently, many psychiatrists currently refer to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), in which internet gaming disorder is listed as a "condition for further study", meaning it is not officially recognised. Because of this reasoning and prevailing attitude, it is clear that WHO may find their perspective challenged for the present. However, irrespective of the medical and semantical disputes, the field of game related addiction is still being scrutinised around the world. South Korea has introduced a legislation banning access for children under 16 from online games between midnight and 6:00 AM although effectively enforcing such regulation is difficult.
There has also been a degree of pushback from those in the video games development and retail industry. Naturally, as interested parties they are concerned about misdiagnosis and scope for ill-conceived legislation that may be rushed to address public concerns and tabloid campaigning. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) trade group released a statement downplaying the WHO's concerns about addiction to video games and stated "Just like avid sports fans and consumers of all forms of engaging entertainment, gamers are passionate and dedicated with their time. Having captivated gamers for more than four decades, more than 2 billion people around the world enjoy video games. The World Health Organisation knows that common sense and objective research prove video games are not addictive. And, putting that official label on them recklessly trivialises real mental health issues like depression and social anxiety disorder, which deserve treatment and the full attention of the medical community. We strongly encourage the WHO to reverse direction on its proposed action."
It is clear that the video game industry is concerned about regulation and the potential impact the public perception of gaming addiction may have on sales. The problem lies in how to reconcile the positions of both WHO and bodies such as ESA. Both groups have genuine concerns. However, self-regulation and consumer concerns can often conflict with corporate interests and we have seen in the past several industries that do have harmful side effects fight tooth and nail to refute such claims. There is also the issue of once a universal definition for gaming addiction has been established, exactly what needs to be done to address the matter. So far, the most practical ideas are based around labelling and providing health warnings both on physical media, its packaging, as well as via digital platforms. Automated messages based upon time spent in-game as well as FAQs on logon screens are other possible avenues. Raising public awareness through labelling and media campaigns has proven beneficial with other health issues such as diet and alcohol consumption.
Another concern regarding gaming addiction is the creation of yet another “label” that can be either misdiagnosed, appropriated incorrectly or used pejoratively by the tabloid press. The symptoms of gaming addiction according to the WHO as they currently stand, could be ascribed to many children. Yet there are those who would argue such behaviour may be down to poor parenting which is theoretically a lot easier to correct. Using handheld devices and consoles as surrogate babysitters is no different from using the TV thirty years ago. There is also the possibility that gaming addiction could become the new “darling” of compensation culture and personal accident claims. I don’t think it is outside the realm of possibility that we could see a substantial class action against a game major publisher at some point. Then of course there is a risk that the average gamer could find themselves tarnished by fear and prejudice associated with gaming addiction, regardless of whether they personally are or not. Many gamers already do not include gaming as a hobby or pastime of their CV, for exactly that reason. It isn’t too much of a stretch to imagine certain quarters of the press trying to label all gamers as potential addicts and an employment risk.
Irrespective of whether you personally agree with the definition of gaming addiction as stated by WHO, I believe that the very fact that they’ve tried to address the issue is a positive thing and that there will now be a lot more research into the condition. In the fullness of time, we may finally arrive at an agreed and succinct set of criteria or we may find the complete opposite is true. That gaming addiction ultimately stems from an addictive personality per se, and that playing games is merely a conduit. Under such circumstance, addiction may occur via any leisure activity, thus exonerating gaming. Either way it is important that such matters are properly understood so appropriate treatments can be established. Also, fully understanding the situation means that the industry can work to accommodate addiction, rather than ignore it or exploit it directly. We may see some governments implement impractical knee-jerk rules and regulations, but we may also see the matter tackled in a mature and measured way by more progressive administrations.
A Month in Gaming
Last month panned out pretty much as I expected. Blaugust and writing daily blog posts took up a fair amount of my leisure time. And then I lost a few days due real-life social activities. What gaming time I had was focused mainly on The Elder Scrolls Online. I’m sorry to say that I’ve ground to a halt in The Lord of the Rings Online. My level 113 Guardian remains at the Black Gates and for the present I simply do not feel disposed towards working my way through Mordor again, which I did just a year ago on my primary character. I have undertaken a few quests with my level cap Lore-master and will endeavour in the weeks ahead to at least complete the Vales of Anduin region. LOTRO at present doesn’t have much of a hold on me, although I may well become more enthusiastic once the next expansion is formerly announced.
Last month panned out pretty much as I expected. Blaugust and writing daily blog posts took up a fair amount of my leisure time. And then I lost a few days due real-life social activities. What gaming time I had was focused mainly on The Elder Scrolls Online. I’m sorry to say that I’ve ground to a halt in The Lord of the Rings Online. My level 113 Guardian remains at the Black Gates and for the present I simply do not feel disposed towards working my way through Mordor again, which I did just a year ago on my primary character. I have undertaken a few quests with my level cap Lore-master and will endeavour in the weeks ahead to at least complete the Vales of Anduin region. LOTRO at present doesn’t have much of a hold on me, although I may well become more enthusiastic once the next expansion is formerly announced.
At present ESO is more than keeping me busy. I’m enjoying the Ebonheart Pact main story and have also experimented with my Necromancers skills. I currently have a Magicka build that gets things done and I’m rather pleased that I figured it out for myself. The game is filled with content, engaging zones along with plenty of other players. Furthermore, unlike other MMOs, ESO has accessible group content. I tend to group with two friends and we can tackle delves and even group bosses that can be found in each zone. Then of course there are the Dolmen. ESO is the only MMO that I play where doing something collectively is not an uphill struggle. You form your group, travel to where the action is and get on with it. There are no complexities involved, be they cutscenes or copious amounts of bestowal dialogue. I even got a free mount and non-combat pet for being a Twitch prime customer!
Looking ahead to this month, I have high expectations for the new story mission, Awakening, coming to Star Trek Online on Tuesday 10th of September. I have been critical of late of the way Cryptic seems to be taking a somewhat scattershot approach to modernising the game but new narrative content is new narrative content. The question remains will the new story along with patrols, events and sundry system changes be enough to keep me regularly engaged with STO? I’m not so sure. I must admit I’ve be considering dusting off an old game such as Starfleet Academy or even give the mobile game Star Trek: Fleet Command a try. Although the former is more likely as I bought this classic recently from Good Old Games for a ridiculously cheap rice. Although Star Trek: Fleet Command looks intriguing, I’ve already been burned by the other mobile game Star Trek Timelines. I really enjoyed the concept and the way the missions panned out after you selected your away team. But is had a typical mobile game business model and eventually you hit a brick wall and have to start spending money to progress.
I may also trawl though my back catalogue of games on Steam, the Epic Store, Origins and Uplay and see if there’s anything that immediately takes my fancy. I recently managed to fit in the single player game Mafia. Therefore, I see no reason why I can’t do that again. I certainly feel it will provide some variety to this column which fast seems to be becoming “MMO corner”. Someone mentioned point and click games recently on the Blaugust Discord Server and I’ve suddenly become very nostalgic for the genre. I have keys for the Syberia trilogy somewhere among my game collection. This franchise has quite a following and the games are critically acclaimed. Perhaps I should give them a go. Or maybe I’ll dust off one of the earlier Sherlock Holmes games from Frogwares. Either way both would be interesting experiments as well as providing something to write about.
Video Game Avatars and Our Relationship with Them
Blaugust founder Belghast tweeted the following question last night along. “There is a discussion happening elsewhere so I'm curious. For me all of my game characters are just cosmetic shells for the digital "me". Getting the impression I am deeply in the minority here”. Obviously, he’d had encountered at interesting debate about our relationship with the characters we create and utilise to play video games and wanted to explore it further. So I and several others tweeted back our thoughts on the matter, which made for interesting reading. However, even as I was doing so, it became apparent that such a subject needed a blog post for an adequate response. It’s a big subject. Fellow bloggers Rakuno and Shadowz have already posted their take on this weighty topic. I suspect that this will be a very popular subject to explore because it is very personal and subjective.
Blaugust founder Belghast tweeted the following question last night along. “There is a discussion happening elsewhere so I'm curious. For me all of my game characters are just cosmetic shells for the digital "me". Getting the impression I am deeply in the minority here”. Obviously, he’d had encountered at interesting debate about our relationship with the characters we create and utilise to play video games and wanted to explore it further. So I and several others tweeted back our thoughts on the matter, which made for interesting reading. However, even as I was doing so, it became apparent that such a subject needed a blog post for an adequate response. It’s a big subject. Fellow bloggers Rakuno and Shadowz have already posted their take on this weighty topic. I suspect that this will be a very popular subject to explore because it is very personal and subjective.
I mainly play games from the RPG and MMORPG genre for their narratives. I like lore rich stories, especially those that are linked to licensed intellectual properties. What games such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, The Lord of the Rings Online and The Elder Scrolls online offer me is the opportunity to experience a story and have a degree of influence over the outcome. The games are an enhanced form of reading. Instead of visualising realms and characters in my mind, I get to see them first-hand and move freely among them. They speak to me and react to my choices (within the confines of the game). My avatar is the means through which I navigate this environment. Although I may spend time creating a character, giving thought to their appearance and their name, ultimately, they are merely a conduit. A means to experience the story. I do not see them as an extension of myself or imbued with elements of my personality. They have no true agency. Games are not sufficiently sophisticated enough at present, that we can supply our own responses to questions and the NPCs act on them.
Now I’m sure for gamers who embrace roleplay, their relationship with their MMO character is much more complex. Your avatar becomes more than just a three-dimensional, mobile interface with the story. It becomes a part that needs to be acted. A separate dramatic entity. It may be similar to yourself with regard to ethics and morality. But roleplay also offers the scope to explore personalities that are contrary to your own. Then there are those players who like to create a backstory for their character. They may reflect traits that the player does not have themselves. Their avatar may also be radically different from the player. There is the option to play as a different ethnicity or gender. Thus the character can provide both a sense of change as well as empowerment. I can certainly see the appeal of this and how it enhances the escapism that games can offer. However, I am not a trained psychologist so I won’t speculate too much in matters that I’m not qualified to do so. I will leave it to others to discuss projection and such concepts as the “imago”.
Although character creation in an MMO is restricted by the parameters of the game, it is still an act of creation, subject to our personal preferences. We further stamp our likes and dislikes upon it by giving it a name. Names are an intrinsic aspect of identity. Yet the real deciding factor is how we relate to our avatars. Is it merely a functional tool to experience the game or is it a facet of our self? When you play an RPG or MMO are you merely passively observing the narrative or do you see yourself as a protagonist in a play? A method actor who reacts to NPC interactions as if they were as tangible as a real-world experience? I think this is the core of the distinction. Naturally, those who approach gaming with the latter in mind are going to have a far more complex relationship with their avatar. Where gamers who favour the former approach will see things in more practical terms. Like a “bicycle that you are fond of” as Rakuno stated. The emotional connection comes from the fact it facilitated such enjoyable experiences.
I suspect as video games advance and MMOs incorporate ever better AI technology, we may well find ourselves playing games with more complex forms of communication and interaction. At that point your character may well cease to be just a factotum and become something more nuanced. Imagine an MMO where if you behaved poorly, wantonly destroying things and attacking NPCs, the game adapted to your virtual personality. What if it wasn’t just your actions in game that determined this but the way you spoke and the manner in which your character conducted themselves. I suspect such player/character relationships would be far more complex and an absolute field day for “Shrinks”. But for the present, my Argonian Necromancer, Jubal the Questionable, in The Elder Scrolls Online is simply an avatar in the traditional gaming sense. There’s not that much of me there, apart from my love of words and writing which accounts for the dramatic name. Plus I don’t have a tail or a penchant for staying moist.
Further Changes Coming to Star Trek Online
A decade ago the MMO genre tended to favour quite complex game systems. It is what the playerbase expected and allegedly preferred. But tastes and prevailing trends change over time. Plus game developers often see a change in staff and alterations in their creative visions. Hence over time, game systems can become unwieldy, esoteric and frankly annoying. So when a decision is made to refine, rationalise and improve these systems, it can be a complex task to undertake. Furthermore not only are there the practical and logistical realities of having to tackle ageing code, there is also the choppy waters of community relations to navigate. Because regardless whatever you seek to change, there will always be those who will oppose it and consider it an outrage perpetrated upon them, comparable to the Peterloo Massacre.
A decade ago the MMO genre tended to favour quite complex game systems. It is what the playerbase expected and allegedly preferred. But tastes and prevailing trends change over time. Plus game developers often see a change in staff and alterations in their creative visions. Hence over time, game systems can become unwieldy, esoteric and frankly annoying. So when a decision is made to refine, rationalise and improve these systems, it can be a complex task to undertake. Furthermore not only are there the practical and logistical realities of having to tackle ageing code, there is also the choppy waters of community relations to navigate. Because regardless whatever you seek to change, there will always be those who will oppose it and consider it an outrage perpetrated upon them, comparable to the Peterloo Massacre.
For years a common facet of the MMO genre has been factions. A new player made a choice when creating their character to affiliate to a specific faction which would permanently separate them from those who were aligned differently. It makes narrative sense in some respects and certainly suited the prevailing genre attitudes of twenty years ago. But thing change and although some people really dislike that fact, nowadays such dogmatic attitudes towards factions have softened. The One Tamriel update did away with the faction driven regional boundaries in The Elder Scrolls Online in October 2016 and the game is arguably better for it. However, one of the biggest obstacles facing the removal of factions in other games is often lore. And that lore becomes even more immutable when it derives from a third party, licensed intellectual property. Which brings us to the case in question, namely Star Trek Online.
When Star Trek Online launched in 2010, you could play as Federation officers and once you hit level 20, it unlocked the option to play as a Klingon. However, that Klingon alt was by default at level 20. It took a while before this changed so that players could level a Klingon allied character and play though a unique backstory. Over the years other factions have been added to the game including the Romulan Republic. Although there has been a degree of sharing assets and resources, lines of demarcation have remained. Romulan ships can only be used by Romulan characters. The same policy has been maintained for the Klingon Empire. However, Cryptic have decided to remove this restriction from the Romulan faction, as part of their ongoing updating and modernising the game. Cryptic are also overhauling the events service within the game, which up until now has been part of the wider reputation system. The UI is to be amended and event progress is to be tracked as a subset of the mission journal. Instead of working like reputation projects which require daily input, the new interface will display an experience bar. Progress will also be account wide for those players with multiple alts.
Both of these changes seem very reasonable at first glance. The first question most people have asked is whether this restriction will also happen with Klingon ships? Sadly, it would appear that rights holders CBS, have some very particular caveats in their license arrangement, so the answer is “no” for the present. However, being able to fly a Romulan ship on my Federation character, is an interesting proposition, as they have some stout vessels with good stats. From a financial point of view (some would argue Cryptic’s default position) it opens up a whole new range of ships to buy. This change is also a shot in the arm to the Admiralty system, as I can now add more Romulan vessels to my deck. But some players would argue this change comes at the expense of class identity and the relevance of factions per se. STO was initially created around the traditional trinity of DPS, Tank and Healer with its Tactical, Engineering and Science classes. But this has long been abandoned in any meaningful sense. The additions of factions in recent years has also been half hearted. None are truly independent and at some point in levelling, have to ally with either Starfleet or The Empire.
You can argue that there’s a lot to put right in STO. The game still has a lot of bugs, many of which have persisted for years. Cryptic seem to be tackling matters in a somewhat erratic fashion. The current streamlining of the game has seen the loss of The Foundry, older missions “temporarily” removed from the game for updating and Tier 6 ships level scaling so they can be used immediately. Some of these things work, other do not or are a loss to the game. I have never felt that there has been adequate promotion of the Romulan, Klingon or other faction storylines in STO. The game is very much focused on the Starfleet perspective. Cryptic has stated that the numbers show that most players are overwhelmingly Federation orientated but if more effort had been made to promote and maintain the other faction’s storylines and resources, would things have been better? I’d argue that the Romulan Republic story arc is the best in the game from a narrative and lore perspective.
I cannot help but feel that Cryptic have pursued whatever can be added to the game, at the expense of what is already present. The Kelvin Timeline is not exactly popular with core Trek fans yet it was dovetailed into the game. And no sooner had they released the superb Deep Space Nine themed expansion, Victory is Life, it was dismissed and they went hell for leather with the integration of Star Tre: Discovery related content into the narrative. I suspect that they may have a rabbit to pull out of the hat regarding Star Trek: Picard. But that doesn’t bode well for the return of classic missions like City on the Edge of Never and others, which are awaiting a makeover. I applaud Cryptic for trying to bring STO up to the standards of modern MMOs but I’m not sure about the route they’re taking and whether they be able to achieve their goals with their “tinkering”. I also would like to see more narrative content delivered more regularly. As ever, time will tell. Unhappy players vote with their feet sooner or later.
Player Representation and Video Games
There was a time when you bought a game, played it, possibly completed it and then that was the end of the matter. Along the way you determined whether you were enjoying it. Often that conclusion dictated how much time you spent playing. Gaming at this point in time, was a relatively straightforward business transaction. If your experience was broadly positive, you’d remember the publisher and look favourably upon their future products. As for the actual business dynamics, it was simple. You paid for the game up front and then later decided the respective value of that financial transaction. How things have changed and not necessarily for the better. We now live in the age of “live services”, microtransactions and games where your expected to forever put your hand in your pocket if you want to keep playing. Games are no longer one-off purchases. Games are an ongoing symbiotic relationship. Or if you want a bleaker analogy, games are a form interactive, quasi-legal, addiction.
There was a time when you bought a game, played it, possibly completed it and then that was the end of the matter. Along the way you determined whether you were enjoying it. Often that conclusion dictated how much time you spent playing. Gaming at this point in time, was a relatively straightforward business transaction. If your experience was broadly positive, you’d remember the publisher and look favourably upon their future products. As for the actual business dynamics, it was simple. You paid for the game up front and then later decided the respective value of that financial transaction. How things have changed and not necessarily for the better. We now live in the age of “live services”, microtransactions and games where your expected to forever put your hand in your pocket if you want to keep playing. Games are no longer one-off purchases. Games are an ongoing symbiotic relationship between player and vendor. Or if you want a bleaker analogy, games are a form of interactive, quasi-legal, managed addiction.
As a publisher, if you are selling a continuous smörgåsbord of content to a player base that you want to keep paying, there comes a point where you have to interact with that community and maintain the pretence that your interested in them beyond their ability to keep paying. Hence in some game communities, particularly in the MMO genre, you sometimes get some form of player representation. The most immediate one that comes to mind is The Council of Stellar Management in EVE Online. It’s a player advocacy group consisting of 10 members democratically elected by the players to advise and assist developer’s CCP in the evolution of the game. Back in 2013 Turbine created a player council for The Lord of the Rings Online. An exercise that lasted until 2016. More recently I discovered that there was even a player senate for Star Wars Galaxies Legends. Yes, a game that is officially defunct but has a grey emulation server, has player representation. And many other games, although lacking such councils, have community managers, preferred influencers and high-profile players who are happy to act as a go between.
But does any of this representation work? Is it a genuine conduit between developer, publisher and consumer? Or is it just an PR exercise, that attracts the wrong sort of people, ending in acrimony, rancour and dissent, rather than inclusion, cordial relationships and glasnost. We’ll here’s a quote from Massively Overpowered editor, Bree Royce about the recent SWGL player senate elections. "It did occur to me along the way that in thumbing through the candidates’ platforms, I’ve already spent more time considering the election in an emu for a dead video game than most people spend on actual elections that affect their real lives. That’s… depressing". Yes, it is indeed. Plus I’m sure that electioneering within any game’s community is going to be rife with the same duplicitous, mealy mouthed, spurious bullshit that is endemic with real world canvassing. Politics uses the illusion of inclusion to advance the interest of specific groups, often at the expense of others. Why should that be any different in a game community than in the real world?
From my own perspective, I’m not aware of the LOTRO player council ever having achieved anything of any note. If they did it certainly wasn’t overtly publicised. Having checked though archived blog posts I wrote at the time; it seems that the whole enterprise was nothing but a source of problems. All of which can be distilled into one simple point. Gamers are not a uniform group. They are motivated for a multitude of different reasons and unlike Belinda Carlisle, don’t dream the same dream, nor want the same thing. Hence player councils of these type are seldom truly representative. And just like forums and subreddits, it’s the most vocal that seek to be elected so they can lobby for what they want. Furthermore, for such an enterprise to work, it also requires goodwill and genuine intent from the developer or publisher side. Considering the growing iniquities of the so-called “Triple A” video game industry, the likelihood or there being any to begin with is risible.
I am reminded how during the #gamergate debacle, by the time the main stream press had actually got wind of the matter, there was a debate as to whether there needed to be a “face of gaming” to go on TV chat shows and put the gamers side of things. This was another truly ludicrous idea, based upon the erroneous assumption that gamers are a cohesive social group with a common agenda and set of values. Mercifully it quickly withered on the vine. Overall, there is no quick, easy and accurate way to compartmentalise gamers and represent them. Frankly, old school market research and surveys, with all its flaws and baggage, is potentially a more suitable tool. Overall, I still think it’s a mistake for players to perceive video games as anything else other than a commercial product and themselves as consumers. Yet this myth that the MMORPG genre is some how more than the sum of its part and due to its social component, some sort of autonomous collective, still persists. Considering how often things have ended in tears, you’d think some gamers would have learned by now. But there are none so blind as those who will not see.
Do MMOs Have a Specific Window of Opportunity?
World of Warcraft was the MMO that broke the mould. The reasons for its success are too numerous and complex for this blog post, so let it suffice to say that it rode a perfect storm of factors and has maintained a strong presence for fifteen years. And as a result, subsequent developers have often sought to duplicate its success. Yet frequently the opposite has happened. In fact several MMOs have launched and experienced a brief time “in the sun” only for things to come crashing down thereafter. Perhaps the most well-known example of this was SWTOR which experienced a triumphant launch in December 2011, yet within three months the majority of players had left for pastures new. It took the game going F2P and a lot of hard work by BioWare to claw back the playerbase. It has also been argued that many MMOs have grown too big for their own good? It is true that a new player starting a game such as LOTRO today has a long slog ahead of them and some may simply find that too daunting.
World of Warcraft was the MMO that broke the mould. The reasons for its success are too numerous and complex for this blog post, so let it suffice to say that it rode a perfect storm of factors and has maintained a strong presence for fifteen years. And as a result, subsequent developers have often sought to duplicate its success. Yet frequently the opposite has happened. In fact several MMOs have launched and experienced a brief time “in the sun” only for things to come crashing down thereafter. Perhaps the most well-known example of this was SWTOR which experienced a triumphant launch in December 2011, yet within three months the majority of players had left for pastures new. It took the game going F2P and a lot of hard work by BioWare to claw back the playerbase. It has also been argued that many MMOs have grown too big for their own good? It is true that a new player starting a game such as LOTRO today has a long slog ahead of them and some may simply find that too daunting.
The reason I mention these two points is because I think they are linked and reflect a shift in mindset towards MMOs. Many of the older MMOs were originally based around group content and the formation of guilds. As a result many titles have a sizeable community of players that have reached level cap with multiple alts. Players such as this have played through pretty much all the content that the game has to offer. They play within guilds that have lasted years and have strong social bounds. Now consider a new player that has just started playing LOTRO for example. They have a prodigious amount of content to play through before they reach level cap. Furthermore because many players now prefer to play solo, they have an even more arduous task ahead of them.
Now I know some will argue that it's not about racing to level cap but the journey itself. This is a fair point if you are a player who is content to work through content in this fashion. However many games developers are still focused on the so-called endgame and creating new content for those at level cap. If you start playing LOTRO today, the only way you can reach Western Gondor or The Grey Mountains is if another player summons you there. It's a shame that so many of the older titles are hindered by such a linear approach to landmass and content but that's the way these titles were created. I personally would like to see more of an open world approach like The Elder Scrolls Online where content scaled according to your level and you are broadly free to go where you want.
So considering these points, I am beginning to think that for many MMOs there is an initial window of opportunity as to when it is most favourable to start playing the game. I started playing LOTRO in late 2008, just after The Mines of Moria expansion launched. As I was playing through The Shire, Bree and The Lonelands, senior members of my guild were levelling from fifty to sixty in Moria. However because I was very invested in the game at the time (it was my first MMO) I managed to catch up within nine months. I am now part of the group of players permanently at level cap and I can therefore immediately enjoy whatever new content Standing Stone Games develops for the game.
The Elder Scrolls Online and Guild Wars 2 are both relatively new titles, so I think one could start playing these games and still be participating during the optimum window of opportunity. Plus they do not have such a difficult levelling curve or level cap that is extremely high. Is this the same case with EVE Online, Final Fantasy XIV or Black Dessert Online? I'm not so sure. These are games where the key to success is the investment of time. Some MMOs have mechanics or store items that will allow you to level quickly but does that really solve the issue? There is an inherent contradiction in selling an item to boost your level, hence paying money to bypass playable content. But levelling through intermediate level content can be a lonely process sometimes. Zones can be devoid of other players. At least in Guild Wars 2 the game downscales players to the zones specific level thus providing an incentive for the veteran player to return. Sadly many other titles do nothing to encourage players at cap to revisit lower level areas.
I also think this window of opportunity may be tied to wider factors, other than the games progression system. Many MMOs experience a period when the fan base thrives and produces a wealth of content. This can be blogs, guides, podcasts, You Tube videos or livestreams. However this tends to be cyclical. Due to the rise of the casual player and their migratory nature, this if often more pronounced. I remember sites like the LOTRO Combo Blog that used to aggregate fan related blogs. It has long since gone. Another example you can see is the way your Twitter timeline may be awash with content regarding a new title and then over time it simply fades away. Twitch TV is also another interesting litmus test. A look at the homepage will quickly tell you what is popular and what is not. Is the window of opportunity for MMOs therefore not only verifiable but also clearly getting shorter?
There are other genres and franchises that experience similar optimum windows of opportunity. Harry Potter and Friday the 13th are two examples from the movie industry. There was a clear period in time when both were immensely successful franchises. However, their transition from silver screen to multiplayer game took a lot longer and perhaps the proverbial boat was missed. The Wizarding World eventually found a home in the mobile gaming market and not as an MMO. Friday the 13th fared slightly better as a multiplayer game and captured a nostalgia wave. Yet it was ultimately hamstrung by legal issues surrounding the rights to the franchise. MMOs take a lot of time to develop and the market trends can change during that time. Amazon Game Studio appears to have halted the development of New World. Is this game now going to be repurposed to tie in with their Middle-earth themed TV show. If that is the case the game may launch during the optimum window of interest.
Finally there is an odd codicil to this question. We have seen recently a trend towards “Classic” servers which strive to serve up a broadly comparable experience to that of launch and the first year of an MMO. Is nostalgia the key to successfully creating a second window of opportunity for a game. Is it sustainable? Or is it going to have an even shorter arc? So far, the LOTRO Legendary Servers seem to be ticking over and I have not at present seen any data pointing to a decline in population. Perhaps the launch of World of Warcraft Classic on the 27th August will provide a greater insight into the longevity of nostalgia. In the meantime there is much to reflect upon, as the points raised here have barely scratched the surface of the matter. Because when we talk of a window of opportunity for an MMO, there is the player perspective and then there’s the business perspective. For all the market research and data analysis, I suspect that there are also some other factors that are much harder to quantify.
Gas and Meat
Over the last few weeks, Bree has mentioned on the Massively OP Podcast how she’s been farming both gas and meat in Star Wars Galaxies (played via an emulator. No pedantry please). Co-host Justin has naturally ribbed her and raised the question as to whether this is a valid and more importantly, fun use of her time while gaming. This is some of the light-hearted banter that makes this particular show so enjoyable. But there’s an old adage that states “many a true word spoken in jest”. Most people who have played any MMO, even in the most casual fashion, have at some point found themselves farming specific commodities for crafting or sale. Or they may spend time repeating a task as a means of gaining experience points. Perhaps they’ve gone so far as to undertake some extensive project for something as arbitrary as a title or a reward that simply amuses them. The bottom line is at some point we have all done the “gas and meat” thing.
Over the last few weeks, Bree has mentioned on the Massively OP Podcast how she’s been farming both gas and meat in Star Wars Galaxies (played via an emulator. No pedantry please). Co-host Justin has naturally ribbed her and raised the question as to whether this is a valid and more importantly, fun use of her time while gaming. This is some of the light-hearted banter that makes this particular show so enjoyable. But there’s an old adage that states “many a true word spoken in jest”. Most people who have played any MMO, even in the most casual fashion, have at some point found themselves farming specific commodities for crafting or sale. Or they may spend time repeating a task as a means of gaining experience points. Perhaps they’ve gone so far as to undertake some extensive project for something as arbitrary as a title or a reward that simply amuses them. The bottom line is at some point we have all done the “gas and meat” thing.
There was a time in The Lord of the Rings Online, when there was a healthy trade in ore on the auction house. People wanted to craft but didn’t necessarily have the time or inclination to do it themselves. Hence, I would spend hours collecting Dwarf-iron and Platinum ore in Western Evendim, circulating through the zone in an orderly fashion to ensure the various nodes had time to respawn. Often, I’d have music playing or I’d listen to a podcast while carrying out this somewhat ponderous task. Yet the results were tangible. The ore would sell and the gold would come rolling in, allowing me to then buy gear to improve my build. I would even go so far as to suggest that this task (and those similar in other MMOs), if approached in the right fashion, can be quite relaxing. In the same manner as a clicker game.
I suspect that “gas and meat” syndrome (as I shall now dub it) probably serves several other purposes and may indeed say something about the gamer who pursues it. It becomes very clear after reading gaming blogs, written by grassroots level players, that MMOs often serve as more than just a game. They can act as a means of therapy and de-stressing. Repetitive acts that yield results provide a clear sense of purpose. They are also something that you can control and manage. They may even serve in a symbolic fashion, as a way of imposing order upon a chaotic world. Games offer us a degree of control and stability that is not always found in our real lives. So we grind out Task Force Operation in Star Trek Online. Or we farm Dolmen in The Elder Scrolls Online. All of which can provide a sense of accomplishment and offer a brief Dopamine hit.
Finally, I recently discovered the UK TV comedy, Dead Pixels. It follows the lives and experiences of a group of friends that play an MMO called “Kingdom Scrolls”. It’s surprisingly well observed and is clearly written by people who have played MMOs, rather than being a non-gamers perception of MMO players. Here’s a clip in which Nicky (Will Merrick) is depressed after his favourite Kingdom Scrolls streamer has died and decides to “pick up every leaf in the game” as way to keep himself busy. There is a ring of familiarity to this “act” and what happens next is also very relatable. Bear all of this and the above in mind, next time you decide its time to go farm some “gas and meat” or whatever your equivalent is, in your favourite MMO. And if you see someone in-game doing something like this, give them a /cheer to show your solidarity.
Quest Bestowal in MMOs
When playing a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, such as The Lord of the Rings Online, acquiring quests is a very straightforward process. Key locations such as towns, villages or anywhere with a stable are usually quest hubs. Non-playable characters denote that they have quest(s) available by having a glowing ring icon above their heads. It’s not subtle but you’d have to have a bag over your head to miss such an obvious clue. Most MMOs have some version of this bestowal system. A clearly visible means to show that an NPC or object is the starting point for a quest. It’s a rather unsophisticated system but it gets the job done. Hence it has been around for quite a while in the genre (silence, dissenting old school gamers, blathering on about how in the good old days, MMOs didn’t have quests).
When playing a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, such as The Lord of the Rings Online, acquiring quests is a very straightforward process. Key locations such as towns, villages or anywhere with a stable are usually quest hubs. Non-playable characters denote that they have quest(s) available by having a glowing ring icon above their heads. It’s not subtle but you’d have to have a bag over your head to miss such an obvious clue. Most MMOs have some version of this bestowal system. A clearly visible means to show that an NPC or object is the starting point for a quest. It’s a rather unsophisticated system but it gets the job done. Hence it has been around for quite a while in the genre (silence, dissenting old school gamers, blathering on about how in the good old days, MMOs didn’t have quests).
Now this functional process has limitations. Quest giving NPCs tend to be static for practical reasons. You don’t want them perambulating around the town, making you have to search them out. So while those not bestowing quests can have all sorts of fancy animations to try and bring the illusion of life to area, quest giving NPCs just stand around, breaking the immersion that other aspects of the game have worked so hard to build. Plus in LOTRO, there is seldom any voice acting beyond the first line of the quest bestowal text. Therefore, it’s a somewhat dull process. In the MMO Star Trek Online, NPCs will sometime hail you while you’re in-sector space, as a means to imparting a mission. It certainly seems more natural and is totally in the correct idiom of the intellectual property. Plus, as a gamer, if you find this process intrusive, you can turn it off. Hence, different developers have tried to polish this quest giving system and make it more dynamic and feel more natural. ZeniMax have certainly tried a different approach with The Elder Scrolls Online. But it comes with its own consequences.
Even if you own just the base version of ESO, you notice that not all quest bestowals come via the traditional NPC, lounging around and lollygagging in the various towns and ports of Tamriel (although the game certainly has these). You may be riding past a farm, only for an NPC to come running out and declare that “Brother Numpsie* has been kidnapped by the foul Myrmidons” or some such standard fantasy-based reason. This mixture of proactive solicitation, along with voice acting is initially quite compelling. You may find yourself diverging from your current course of action to rescue the imperilled individual. Certainly this approach to quest bestowals suits an open world where players my just want to go out and explore, rather than follow a clearly delineated plan. However, this process can become a nuisance. At present, whenever I enter the Mages Guild, I am greeted by Arch-Mage Shalidor who invites me to participate in the next part of a quest line. I am frequently pursued in most towns by an Orc courier named Stuga, who tells me how long she’s been looking for me. Nag, nag, nag.
Joking aside, this interactive game mechanic can get a little wearisome. If you accept some quests it will remedy the problem of the quest givers overt diligence. But on occasions this can lead to immediate instanced content, so you may not wish to accept them. I am currently looking into the various game’s settings in ESO to see if there is a way of disabling or at least controlling this process. I bet there’s an addon to address it, somewhere. Oddly enough, ESO has another alternative way of starting quests or at least the main storylines of all major DLC. Wrapper missions can be launched from the Collections tab in-game. You don’t have to be in a zone and seek out the NPC who starts things. However, it would seem that no game has yet managed to design a creative quest bestowal system that doesn’t have some sort of drawback, limitation or even nuisance factor. Again I can hear the true sandbox devotees shouting about the why there has to even be a requirement of quests per se? But I like narrative driven content and don’t want to put my faith in emergent content. So until the developers improve the situation, I’ll continue to ask Billy No-Mates in LOTRO if they have any quests, and get chased round Tamriel, Benny Hill style, by the Prophet and Abnur Tharn.
*There seems to be a conspicuous lack of consensus with regard to how you spell Numpsie.