A Year in Gaming
Life is often cyclical, if you don’t believe me go watch The Lion King. I started 2018 playing The Lord of the Rings Online and by writing a post about how gamers collectively seem to repeat the same mistakes. And as the year and indeed the decade ends, I find myself once again playing the Yule Festival in LOTRO and reflecting upon how some games that garnered criticism over their egregious business models, have ended up as huge hits. It would appear that gamers are their own worst enemy. I shall leave the psychological analysis of paradox to others. From my perspective, irrespective of the iniquities of the video game industry and certain quarters of the gaming community, it has been a good year, gaming wise. I have enjoyed my time playing MMOs such as Star Trek Online, The Elder Scrolls Online and the aforementioned LOTRO. These and other titles have entertained me, provided me with an opportunity to unwind as well as affording me some much-needed social interaction. I particularly enjoy Wednesday evenings when I log into my Discord server and then chat and play collaboratively with longstanding gaming friends.
Life is often cyclical, if you don’t believe me go watch The Lion King. I started 2018 playing The Lord of the Rings Online and by writing a post about how gamers collectively seem to repeat the same mistakes. And as the year and indeed the decade ends, I find myself once again playing the Yule Festival in LOTRO and reflecting upon how some games that garnered criticism over their egregious business models, have ended up as huge hits. It would appear that gamers are their own worst enemy. I shall leave the psychological analysis of paradox to others. From my perspective, irrespective of the iniquities of the video game industry and certain quarters of the gaming community, it has been a good year, gaming wise. I have enjoyed my time playing MMOs such as Star Trek Online, The Elder Scrolls Online and the aforementioned LOTRO. These and other titles have entertained me, provided me with an opportunity to unwind as well as affording me some much-needed social interaction. I particularly enjoy Wednesday evenings when I log into my Discord server and then chat and play collaboratively with longstanding gaming friends.
In many ways, 2019 was just the same as any other year. If I may quote myself, I wrote on January 1st "it does not seem unreasonable to expect more shitty video games and questionable business practises in 2019” and broadly that has proven true. The video game industry shovelled out yet more substandard products such as Mario Kart Tour, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint and NBA 2K20. All of which are essentially the bare bones games with further content gated behind paywalls and microtransaction. Yet despite the inherent dishonesty of the “pay to start” business model, these titles sold and sold well, thus reminding us that people are the fundamental problem and as a result we get the gaming industry that we deserve. And as for the video game industry itself, it hardly covered itself in glory (again). The latest “trick” seems to be to release a game, get it reviewed and rated and then add an in-game store at a later date. Thus you can avoid any negative publicity during the initial launch window. And then of course there was the Blizzard debacle which raised the inherent dilemma in doing business with an authoritarian country such as China. Oh and “crunch” culture, institutionalised misogyny and general male centric douche baggery still seems to prevail in the industry.
However, 2019 wasn’t all doom and gloom. There are always good titles to be found if you look hard enough. The Untitled Goose Game was an utter joy and certainly seemed to touch a cultural never but in a good way. The Outer Worlds found popular acclaim and seemed to compensate for Fallout 76 as a spiritual successor to that franchise. I personally was very pleased by the arrival of Red Dead Redemption 2 on the PC. Yes, the launch was somewhat farcical and I had to downgrade my PC’s BIOS to play the damn thing but the game certainly lived up to my expectations, with its complex and nuanced narrative. And not all video game developers are corporate monstrosities. Compare 2K or EA to Rebellion Developments and the contrast is obvious. The latter is a company that I don’t feel the need to take a shower after buying one of their games. Plus, 2019 proved that there are still plenty of game bloggers, streamers and podcasters who are interested in producing content in a thoughtful, constructive and engaging manner. Too many subreddits are insular, angry communities that “shit in their own watering hole”. Who needs that when you can find honest and genuine content from gamers who enjoy what they play, rather than recriminate over how they think the community and industry should be?
For me video games continue to provide an entertaining, social and economic leisure activity. They certainly dove tail neatly into my lifestyle and real-world commitments. And so as I await the arrival of 2020, I shall enter the new decade (when framed in such terms it sounds somewhat depressing) pretty much doing the same as I did twelve months ago. I see no reason to stop playing the three MMOs that have been the mainstay of my gaming activities for so long. They are functional and provide both long and short gameplay sessions as well as clear goals. As all these games are relatively healthy from a business perspective, there is regular new content throughout the year. No doubt I will try several single player games in 2020; some of which will be planned purchases where others will be bought on a whim. I may even investigate some of the free titles I’ve acquired from the Epic Store or some of the obscure games I’ve collected in discount bundles over the years. I’m certainly no expecting myself or the video game industry to have any sort of epiphany over the next twelve months. I shall just anticipate more of the same, which after all is life’s default position.
LOTRO: Levelling via the Yule Festival
As I haven’t yet bought the recently released Minas Morgul expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online, I am presently faced with the problem of looking for alternative ways to gain ten levels, now that the cap has been increased to 130. The most obvious answer is to play the various skirmishes that exist within the game, however I noticed that at level 120 I’m somewhat under geared and not doing as much DPS as I would like. Consequently, skirmishes have ceased for the present to be a cake walk and are more of a strategic undertaking, requiring attention to one’s skills rotation and a generally cautious strategy. I could also just return to the Vales of Anduin and clear some of the outstanding story quests but due to the time of year, I prefer shorter play sessions, rather than get bogged down in lengthy narrative chains. Hence, the current Yule Festival presents the most practical solution to my needs.
As I haven’t yet bought the recently released Minas Morgul expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online, I am presently faced with the problem of looking for alternative ways to gain ten levels, now that the cap has been increased to 130. The most obvious answer is to play the various skirmishes that exist within the game, however I noticed that at level 120 I’m somewhat under geared and not doing as much DPS as I would like. Consequently, skirmishes have ceased for the present to be a cake walk and are more of a strategic undertaking, requiring attention to one’s skills rotation and a generally cautious strategy. I could also just return to the Vales of Anduin and clear some of the outstanding story quests but due to the time of year, I prefer shorter play sessions, rather than get bogged down in lengthy narrative chains. Hence, the current Yule Festival presents the most practical solution to my needs.
Frostbluff, where the LOTRO Yule Festival takes place, is an atmospheric, self-contained zone with a selection of repeatable quests. If you take the time and give the matter some thought, you can come up with an optimal rotation of quests that allows you to undertake them in the most efficient manner. I try to deal with all those based in the town first, then head West to collect the wood via the Wood-trolls, then East to deal with the Frost Grims and cheer the Snowbeasts. Finally I pick the mushrooms and head back into Frostbluff for the various hand ins. All of these quests can be completed within twenty minutes of so. If you choose a time of day when there are less players about, then you’ll not have to worry about queuing for NPCs to respawn and can possibly finish all these tasks in half the time. Furthermore, you soon learn where all the various items you need are and the entire process becomes second nature.
If you use XP boosters or take advantage of rested XP and other perks, you can receive a healthy amount of XP per quest. If you then undertake 10 repeatable quests each day, then the experience points soon racks up. I’m hoping that by the end of the Yule Festival on Thursday 9th January to have gained three to four levels and be somewhere around 124. I think I’ll then return to the Wolf-denes and finish all of the last update before finally considering buying and starting Minas Morgul. And then it will be back on the gear grind once again and unlocking further tiers on the Legacies of Legendary Weapon. I think my days of being at the cutting edge of LOTRO are now behind me as over for the last few years I’ve found myself playing catch up with most content. However, this is through my own choice. LOTRO is a known quantity and the gaming equivalent of a comfortable pair of shoes. It serves a purpose by scratching a very specific itch but I doubt if its going to reinvent itself in 2020.
Login Incentives in MMORPGS
A major challenge for any MMO is to keep players logging in to the game. Obviously, regularly adding content and ensuring that there are sufficient quests, activities and tasks for players to undertake is essential. However, experience has shown that no matter how much content developers add to an MMORPG, players will always veraciously consume it and want more. Hence you need an additional “carrot on a stick”. Something that get’s player sufficiently interested to log into a game, even when they don’t have anything especially compelling to do. Login incentives are designed to do exactly that. They offer of some bauble or trinket that motivates you to log into a game once a day. Hopefully once you login, you may then find something to occupy yourself, either on your own or with fellow guild members. And of course the player who is actively playing may well even purchase something from the in-game store. At the very least, a successful login incentive contributes towards active player statistics. If those figures are presented in the right fashion on paper, they can bolster a declining population.
A major challenge for any MMO is to keep players logging in to the game. Obviously, regularly adding content and ensuring that there are sufficient quests, activities and tasks for players to undertake is essential. However, experience has shown that no matter how much content developers add to an MMORPG, players will always veraciously consume it and want more. Hence you need an additional “carrot on a stick”. Something that get’s player sufficiently interested to log into a game, even when they don’t have anything especially compelling to do. Login incentives are designed to do exactly that. They offer of some bauble or trinket that motivates you to log into a game once a day. Hopefully once you login, you may then find something to occupy yourself, either on your own or with fellow guild members. And of course the player who is actively playing may well even purchase something from the in-game store. At the very least, a successful login incentive contributes towards active player statistics. If those figures are presented in the right fashion on paper, they can bolster a declining population.
Hobbit Presents were added to The Lords of the Rings Online as part of Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand in May of 2013. Like any other login incentives, they do guarantee that players actively play the game but they provide another reason for LOTRO players to at least login and collect their “reward”. Broadly speaking these rewards are adequate. Silver presents are available daily and gold rewards once every seven days. Upon clicking on the Hobbit Presents interface, players receive a random in-game item. This can range from food, potions, XP, reputation and slayer deed buffs all the way to high-end armour and jewellery. All rewards are account bound so boxes containing level appropriate items can be transferred among players various alts. More often than not, most of the regards are trivial especially for level cap characters. However, they can be sold to vendors, so at the very least they can provide a small stream of revenue on a daily basis. Sometimes items such as the Universal Toolkit can be very beneficial.
Similarly, Daily Rewards were added to The Elder Scrolls Online with Update 18 in May 2018. At the start of each month, a calendar displaying rewards for each day becomes available and items can be claimed in chronological order. Again most of the items tend to be food and other consumables that provide a buff. There are also XP scrolls and modest stipends of the games various currencies. However, non-combat cosmetic pets are also included and there are usually free samples of the latest Crown Crates. These contain a broad spectrum of rewards and on several occasions, I have obtained a new mount just by using these free samples. The gold stipends are also a welcome top up to one’s overall in-game currency reserves. Like other MMOS these free rewards are not character bound so can be swapped between alts or they go into an account shared currency wallet. The Daily Rewards, like Hobbit Presents, can only be claimed by one alt a day.
The question remains, are these login incentives genuinely sufficient to get an indifferent player to log into a game? If you have become burnt out on a particular MMORPG, then I’d say no. I think you have to have some sort of ongoing commitment to a game to begin with. Then such incentives can be enough to give you a little nudge and sign into a game. Of the two systems I have mentioned, I personally prefer that found in ESO. I prefer to know in advance what rewards are available for the entire month. At present the December schedule shows that there are some free Crown Crates available on December 21st. I must therefore not skip too many days of logging in, or else I’ll find that the reward is inaccessible. If you fail to login each day, a reward is deducted from the end of the monthly schedule. The random nature of Hobbit Presents in LOTRO is less compelling system. The allocation of rewards is a lottery. However, there is potential to win something of note, so there is still a degree of motivation to login. Yet regardless of the quality of login incentives, they are still no substitute for having tangible activities to do in a game and should never bee seen as anything more than what they are.
A Solution to the Single Games Launcher Conundrum
Back in April I wrote about the proliferation of video game launchers and how more and more companies are offering their own. The dream of Steam being a one stop platform for gaming has long gone and gamers now have to install multiple clients to access their various game libraries. As I indicated in that post, I’m personally not that outraged or inconvenienced by having to use different game launchers. There are far bigger problems facing the video games industry at present, such as aggressive monetisation, the decline of game ownership in the traditional sense and growth of “live services” and the associated bullshit that goes with such business models. Having to use separate launchers (I have 10 installed at the last count) is therefore lower on the list of transgressions and sins. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m averse to a solution if one presents itself and it looks like one may have just done so.
Back in April I wrote about the proliferation of video game launchers and how more and more companies are offering their own. The dream of Steam being a one stop platform for gaming has long gone and gamers now have to install multiple clients to access their various game libraries. As I indicated in that post, I’m personally not that outraged or inconvenienced by having to use different game launchers. There are far bigger problems facing the video games industry at present, such as aggressive monetisation, the decline of game ownership in the traditional sense and growth of “live services” and the associated bullshit that goes with such business models. Having to use separate launchers (I have 10 installed at the last count) is therefore lower on the list of transgressions and sins. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m averse to a solution if one presents itself and it looks like one may have just done so.
One of the game launchers and online stores I already have installed is GOG Galaxy. Good Old Games is part of CD Projekt and as this Polish developer has produced some good titles (the Witcher franchise) and broadly acts in an ethical fashion, I am reasonably well disposed towards them as a consumer. They are currently developing GOG Galaxy 2.0 which is being beta tested at present. I was recently invited to try this product and was impressed to see that it has a facility to link accounts from other game launchers. Alternatively you can manually add a game to your library that is installed outside of GOG Galaxy 2.0. Now I’m sure some of you will be thinking “doesn’t Steam do that already?” and the answer is indeed “yes”. However, the Epic Store blocks Steam from doing this with any of its titles, so you cannot use Steam as a “one stop solution”. GOG Galaxy 2.0 effectively allows you to access all your games from a single platform, be they installed via Origins, UPlay, Steam or even the Epic Store. Furthermore, there is ongoing support for 3rd party addons that can facilitate linking to smaller and more bespoke platforms.
Now the solution that GOG Galaxy 2.0 is seeking to offer does not eliminate all the inconveniences that stem from having to install and run multiple game launchers. For example it cannot unify friends lists and custom social groups. And often all GOG Galaxy 2.0 can do is start another launcher that allows you to access the game you wish to play. But it is at least it is a start and offers the most functionality compared to its rivals. If you wish to try and manage as much as you can from a single app, then GOG Galaxy 2.0 seems to be the best option around at present. It should also be noted that at present, the beta test is by invite only. But if you have version 1.0 of GOG Galaxy installed and have expressed an interest in the next version, an email should be forthcoming with download instructions. It will be interesting to see how well GOG Galaxy 2.0 fares in an increasingly protectionist video games market. Will the current functionality of the beta build make it into the final release or will market forces end up blocking cross platform access? Time will tell.
The Esoteric Nature of Crafting in MMORPGs
I was initially going to call this post “crafting can fuck right off” but I felt that was a somewhat bellicose opening gambit and a little hyperbolic. So I’ve toned it down to “the esoteric nature of crafting in MMORPGS”. Now to begin with, I tend not to craft when playing MMORPGs. The effort to reward ratio is often insufficient and I have yet to find a crafting system that is engaging and fun. However, for me the biggest sin that crafting can commit is being deliberately arcane and obtuse “with malice of forethought”, if I may invoke legal analogy. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with game systems and mechanics being complicated. Intricacy can be both intriguing and rewarding if presented correctly. However, all too often game developers cross over the line, stepping from “complexity” to “fucking annoying”. For example some card games such as Poker can have complex rules but mastering them transforms the proceedings from random chance into a game of skill. But at the other end of the spectrum there’s Fizzbin, which was invented purely to be frustrating due to its arcane nature. I frequently find that crafting in MMOs is just like Fizzbin. Except they’re not amusing or ironic, just tedious and irritating.
I was initially going to call this post “crafting can fuck right off” but I felt that was a somewhat bellicose opening gambit and a little hyperbolic. So I’ve toned it down to “the esoteric nature of crafting in MMORPGS”. Now to begin with, I tend not to craft when playing MMORPGs. The effort to reward ratio is often insufficient and I have yet to find a crafting system that is engaging and fun. However, for me the biggest sin that crafting can commit is being deliberately arcane and obtuse “with malice of forethought”, if I may invoke legal analogy. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with game systems and mechanics being complicated. Intricacy can be both intriguing and rewarding if presented correctly. However, all too often game developers cross over the line, stepping from “complexity” to “fucking annoying”. For example some card games such as Poker can have complex rules but mastering them transforms the proceedings from random chance into a game of skill. But at the other end of the spectrum there’s Fizzbin, which was invented purely to be frustrating due to its arcane nature. I frequently find that crafting in MMOs is just like Fizzbin. Except they’re not amusing or ironic, just tedious and irritating.
I tried crafting in The Lord of the Rings Online fairly recently after playing for 11 years. Initially it was simply a case of gathering raw material, refining them and gaining XP in the appropriate skill. But after a while additional resources were needed to progress and advancement became ponderous. Hence, I quickly abandoned this aspect of the game. Sadly, I did not learn my lesson. While recently playing The Elder Scrolls Online, I discovered several Crafting Motif Books that allow you to cosmetically augment your gear. However, my hopes and dreams of looking dapper and stylish in-game were quickly dashed. The use of these books are dependent upon having certain crafting skills at a specific level. For example, Crafting Motif 13: Primal Style “Requires Rank 6 or greater of any one of the Metalworking, Tailoring or Woodworking passives”. Now at first glance I thought this meant that the I had to have any one of those three skills at level 6. Turns out that is not the case. Ranking is not equivalent to level. There are 50 levels and 10 ranks. Rank 6 is level 25. Now some of you may be asking at this point, “what’s the problem here”? Well, how about the fact that none of this information regarding skill levels and rankings is immediately available in the game? Turns out if you wish to comprehensively learn about crafting in ESO, you have to do so outside of the game.
“I am no one to be trifled with”
Now call me old fashioned but I have always thought that if a game makes you tab out while you’re actively playing, to find something out via a third-party website, then it is doing itself a major disservice. And that is putting it mildly. It is an abject failure by the game developers. It is also fucking annoying. So far, my experience with crafting in ESO can be filled under such. However, I am no one to be trifled with so I have doggedly worked on increasing my Blacksmithing skill. I am currently bankrupting myself in-game by buying purple heavy armour and two-handed weapons and deconstructing them. The XP gained has so far got me to level 15 but it has also cost about 25,000 gold. It may be financially more practical to farm Dolmen and deconstruct the various weapons drops, although this may well take longer as loot is random and not always of the type required. But I intend to use my Crafting Motifs, come hell or high water. And ZeniMax Online Studios can go piss up a rope, as can crafting per se in the MMO genre. I will not be prevented from looking fabulous in this or any other game due to the whims and caprices of those who don’t know the subtle difference between complex and esoteric.
One Potential PC Fix for Red Dead Redemption 2
I wrote yesterday about how the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 had gotten off to a shaky start, with the game failing to run on some systems. Rockstar Games released a substantial 2.98 GB patch late last night UK time but it made no difference whatsoever to my situation. I and many other players were still unable to start the game from the launcher and were still getting the ubiquitous “The Rockstar Games Launcher exited unexpectedly” error message. This morning I checked on the official support website to see if any new advice had been added. Sadly, the troubleshooting guidance remained arbitrary to say the least (and still does even now). Update Windows 1O, upgrade your graphics drivers, run the RDR2.exe file as an Administrator etc. None of these “solutions” have worked for me so far.
I wrote yesterday about how the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 had gotten off to a shaky start, with the game failing to run on some systems. Rockstar Games released a substantial 2.98 GB patch late last night UK time but it made no difference whatsoever to my situation. I and many other players were still unable to start the game from the launcher and were still getting the ubiquitous “The Rockstar Games Launcher exited unexpectedly” error message. This morning I checked on the official support website to see if any new advice had been added. Sadly, the troubleshooting guidance remained arbitrary to say the least (and still does even now). Update Windows 1O, upgrade your graphics drivers, run the RDR2.exe file as an Administrator etc. None of these “solutions” have worked for me so far.
So I decided to see what the players themselves had to say and headed over to the Rockstar Games Community forums. I picked a thread that had a dozen or so comments and quite by chance struck upon some interesting advice. Some players with AMD processors had managed to get RDR2 to run when they downgraded the BIOS on their motherboard. This piqued my interest as I have an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Six Core Processor, running via a Gigabyte B450 motherboard. A cursory check showing that my PC was currently running BIOS F42h. This includes update AGESA 1.0.0.3 ABBA which apparently improve Destiny 2 gaming compatibility, according to Gigabyte. Now the intricacies of AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture (AGESA) are certainly not my province. However, the consensus on the Rockstar Games Community forums was that if you downgraded the BIOS to version F40 which includes AGESA 1.0.0.2 support, then it will allow RDR2 to run.
I therefore decided to give this a go and headed over to the Gigabyte website to downloaded BIOS F40 which was released in May. I did a little research first to see if it would significantly impact upon any other aspect of my motherboard but it would seem it simply downgrades AGESA support only. I then used the @Bios program that is part of the suite of tools that came on the motherboard driver CD, to install the new BIOS. It took about five minutes to overwrite the previous version. After rebooting the PC, Red Dead Redemption 2 now runs from the Rockstar Games Launcher as intended. I have no idea how well the game will perform in the long term or whether I will suffer the various graphical glitches reported by other players. However, I can at least now launch the game, alter the various settings and start to make progress through the story. As ever, I’m thoroughly impressed by the player community and disappointed with the official support channels as they really seem to have dragged their feet over this issue. There has been a distinct lack of communication. Plus saying “sorry” goes a long way.
Now I want to make it very clear, messing with the BIOS on your PC comes with risks and so if you do not feel confident about doing this, then don’t. If you make a mistake then you could “brick” your PC. Also this solution is obviously specific to AMD processors and AGESA support. It sadly won’t help those with Intel processors who cannot play RDR2. If you want to proceed with the process that I’ve described, be aware you do so at your own risk. At the time of writing this has not been endorsed by Rockstar Games. I shall continue to collate details of any major issues I encounter playing Red Dead Redemption 2, as I have a suspicion that although I can now play the game, I’m not out of the proverbial “woods” yet. I suspect this title was released to market too earlier and may well need several further patches before it is truly optimised and fit for purpose. Good luck to all other gamers who like me, bought this game in good faith and got sold a technical problem instead.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Has a Problematic Launch on PC
As of May this year, Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold 25 million copies collectively on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Considering that is just six months on from the games initial release in late October 2018, that's an impressive figure. What will it be by the end of the year? Time will tell whether the western game can beat the milestone set by Rockstar Games previous hit, Grand Theft Auto V. Since its release in 2013 GTA V has sold over 110 million copies on console and PC. The popularity of its multiplayer component, GTA Online, being the primary reason driving sales. However, Rockstar Games have been enthusiastic about the launch of the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. A year on from the console release, an enhanced version of the game has been developed for the PC market. Furthermore, Rockstar Games have joined a host of other developers and created their own launcher. This along with the yesterday’s PC launch of Red Dead Redemption 2 was intended to renew interest in the game and hopefully boost sales across all platforms. But “there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip” as the old proverb goes.
As of May this year, Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold 25 million copies collectively on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Considering that is just six months on from the games initial release in late October 2018, that's an impressive figure. What will it be by the end of the year? Time will tell whether the western game can beat the milestone set by Rockstar Games previous hit, Grand Theft Auto V. Since its release in 2013 GTA V has sold over 110 million copies on console and PC. The popularity of its multiplayer component, GTA Online, being the primary reason driving sales. However, Rockstar Games have been enthusiastic about the launch of the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. A year on from the console release, an enhanced version of the game has been developed for the PC market. Furthermore, Rockstar Games have joined a host of other developers and created their own launcher. This along with the yesterday’s PC launch of Red Dead Redemption 2 was intended to renew interest in the game and hopefully boost sales across all platforms. But “there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip” as the old proverb goes.
For a substantial number of PC gamers (myself included), Red Dead Redemption 2 simply doesn’t run. And when I say doesn’t run, I mean just that. The game doesn’t start in any shape or form when you click “play” on the launcher. Those who are lucky enough to actually get the game to run have been plagued by a litany of performances issues. To put it bluntly this is a dog’s dinner of a game launch. At present Reddit is doing an infinitely better job that the developers when it comes to collating potential solutions and offering advice. Rockstar Games themselves have only offered the most arbitrary advice, none of which seems to make any tangible difference. I have updated my graphics drivers, patched Windows 10 and even upgraded my PC’s bios but the game resolutely refuses to launch. Furthermore, Rockstar Games are hardly doing an adequate job of social media. Instead of getting ahead of the problem, adopting a suitable conciliatory tone, they’re basically staying quiet and leaving irate gamers to stew in their own juice; a policy that is always a recipe for disaster.
As a man of a certain age, although I am annoyed by the fact that I cannot play this game, I have refrained from writing a strongly worded letter to The Times, or throwing my toothbrush at the cat (you get extra points if you know this literary reference). I have other games to play, gin to drink and snacks to consume. However, my calm demeanour doesn’t mean that Rockstar Games have got off the hook. This is a game developer that basks in the glory of having created a “billion-dollar game”. There’s even a documentary with that name about the development of GTA V. So the launch on PC of a title like Red Dead Redemption 2, isn’t just a belated release on an ancillary platform. This is the equivalent of a Hollywood studio tentpole film movie. Bearing this in mind, imagine if Avengers: Endgame had failed to be released on time and when it was, half of all movie theatres showing it had major projection issues. This is a bad game launch by any standard and it doesn’t make Rockstar Games look good. Also their handling of the situation is compounding matters. I hope for their sake they sort this shit out soon.
A Month in Gaming
October has been and gone. And as ever the MMORPG genre has been the mainstay of my gaming activities over the last thirty days. Furthermore, it has been a productive month. I managed to complete the Daggerfall Covenant narrative arc, along with the main story on my Dragonknight in The Elder Scrolls Online. I find that completing Coldharbour is the biggest obstacle in progressing. It’s an atmospheric zone but once you’ve experienced it, it doesn’t really lend itself to repeat playing. But having done all this my Dragonknight hit level cap. I had taken the precaution of buying appropriate gear ahead of this achievement, so I managed to acquire some decent armour and jewellery that provide robust set bonuses. Despite focusing mainly on ESO, I did manage to progress further in The Lord of the Rings Online. I got as far as the Wolf Denes in the Vales of Anduin update. I also took the time to visit the LOTRO test server and checked out the Minas Morgul expansion preview. As for Star Trek Online my daily visits have been focused upon completing Task Force Operations and grinding for a free ship (again).
October has been and gone. And as ever the MMORPG genre has been the mainstay of my gaming activities over the last thirty days. Furthermore, it has been a productive month. I managed to complete the Daggerfall Covenant narrative arc, along with the main story on my Dragonknight in The Elder Scrolls Online. I find that completing Coldharbour is the biggest obstacle in progressing. It’s an atmospheric zone but once you’ve experienced it, it doesn’t really lend itself to repeat playing. But having done all this my Dragonknight hit level cap. I had taken the precaution of buying appropriate gear ahead of this achievement, so I managed to acquire some decent armour and jewellery that provide robust set bonuses. Despite focusing mainly on ESO, I did manage to progress further in The Lord of the Rings Online. I got as far as the Wolf Denes in the Vales of Anduin update. I also took the time to visit the LOTRO test server and checked out the Minas Morgul expansion preview. As for Star Trek Online my daily visits have been focused upon completing Task Force Operations and grinding for a free ship (again).
While I’ve been enjoying myself over the last month playing through the aforementioned MMOs, the wider video games industry has continued to suffer a multitude of public relations disasters and persisted with their default business strategy known as “foot in mouth” syndrome. Bethesda continues to flog the dead horse that is Fallout 76 and made yet another faux pas with the launch of its premium “Fallout 1st” subscription service. And then there was the entire debacle of Blizzard capitulating to the political needs of the Chinese Government. Their recent “non” apology at BlizzCon was utterly predictable and again shows exactly what their priorities are as a business. Yet despite all these controversies and subsequent gamer outrage, the video games industry has still managed to make record amounts of money. This sad paradox is morbidly fascinating. It seems to be part of broader cultural shift in our society in which the more outrageously you behave, the better you seem to fare. Any damage to your reputation seems to have no real consequence.
Earlier this year, I experimented to see if live streaming on Twitch, could be a suitable replacement for podcasting. Logistically, I have everything I required to stream and I even had the time last month to broadcast several of my gaming sessions. But I just couldn’t see the point. The two mediums are not the same and if you are streaming on Twitch, then you really have to focus on the game that you’re playing, rather than rambling on about other gaming issues. I know that Twitch can be used purely as a “talk show” platform but I feel if you’re doing that, then you may as well do the same via the medium of a podcast with all the benefits that format has to offer, such as editing. I really miss producing the Contains Moderate Peril Podcast and the reach that the show had. Streaming requires your audience to be available at the time of broadcast, where as podcasting allows the listener to consume the show at their leisure. Streaming takes a lot longer to build an audience, where as podcasting can tap into existing brand recognition. It would be interesting to see if a new “season” of the podcast would attract back previous listeners.
November is always an interesting month for video games, as it’s the month that many of us get to play the various new releases from October. I’m really looking forward to Red Dead Redemption 2 which I have pre-ordered. I don’t tend to buy in advance anymore but this game strikes me as a something “different” so I’ve decided to take a punt. Plus I love the “Western” genre. However, I shall be deferring my purchase of the Minas Morgul expansion for LOTRO. There is currently a controversy over level cap gear and the proliferation of loot boxes in the game; something that happened with the previous Mordor expansion. I shall therefore wait for this matter to blow over and resolve itself. I shall probably be able to advance towards the new level cap, just by completing the Vales of Anduin content. Overall, I cannot commit to too many games at once, especially at a time of year which has more social activities than other months. Therefore it is wise not to set unachievable gaming goals for November.
The Five Games Challenge
Naithin over at Time to Loot set an interesting thought experiment. In a nutshell, if you could only pick five games to play in one year, what would they be. There are some minor caveats regarding choice. The games can be across multiple platforms. Any game chosen also includes all available DLC as well as mods. However, if you pick multiple games from a franchise, they each count as an individual choice. But beyond these minor rules, you’re free to choose what you want. So theoretically you can pick a classic game on the SNES such as Donkey Kong Country, as well as something newly released on the PC such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Judging from Naithin’s post, he feels the idea of being limited to just five games is quite restrictive. I, however, don’t really have an issue with this, as I tend not to play too many games concurrently to begin with. I’ll expand upon this point later. Firstly here are the five games I would play. I have chosen games I have previously or currently play and not included forthcoming titles, as I cannot say with any certainty whether they would prove a hit with me.
Naithin over at Time to Loot set an interesting thought experiment. In a nutshell, if you could only pick five games to play in one year, what would they be. There are some minor caveats regarding choice. The games can be across multiple platforms. Any game chosen also includes all available DLC as well as mods. However, if you pick multiple games from a franchise, they each count as an individual choice. But beyond these minor rules, you’re free to choose what you want. So theoretically you can pick a classic game on the SNES such as Donkey Kong Country, as well as something newly released on the PC such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Judging from Naithin’s post, he feels the idea of being limited to just five games is quite restrictive. I, however, don’t really have an issue with this, as I tend not to play too many games concurrently to begin with. I’ll expand upon this point later. Firstly here are the five games I would play. I have chosen games I have previously or currently play and not included forthcoming titles, as I cannot say with any certainty whether they would prove a hit with me.
The Lord of the Rings Online
The Elder Scrolls Online
Star Trek Online
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Sniper Elite 4
The MMO genre is a mainstay of my gaming activities. I currently play three. Furthermore, if one has new content available then that will be the one that gets the most attention. So for the purpose of this scenario, I would continue to play The Lord of the Rings Online, The Elder Scrolls Online and Star Trek Online. There is plenty of content in ESO that I still haven’t seen or experienced, so that guarantee’s that this MMO will get the most priority. And LOTRO has an expansion coming which offers fresh material. I also have an alt in the game that needs levelling and fine tuning. STO is a great game for short bursts of play, especially with its Task Force Operations and new event system. There are daily missions and rewards to progress towards, so again it’s a game that has plenty of content. MMOs are very versatile in this respect. Plus if you get a little fatigued doing purely PVE quests, they can offer group play with a wealth of instances and dungeons to run. I’ve spent a lot of time this year playing these MMOs, so I definitely think that if I really was limited to five games, these three would continue to not disappoint.
I spent over six hundred hours playing through Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its DLC when they were originally released. I would happily do so again and try to follow a different path this time. I would vary my build and try an alternative approach with my stats, this time round. From a narrative point of view there are multiple story options and decisions. Again I would try to see if I could take a different route through the various stories. I’d also see if I could master the game of Gwent this time round, as I always fared badly during my previous play through. And if I got tired of the fantasy vibe that runs through three of the game’s that I’ve chosen, I would take a break by playing Sniper Elite 4. In my younger days, I loved the FPS genre but over the years I’ve slowed down both physically and mentally. I can no longer cope with games based primarily upon reaction skills. What I enjoy about Sniper Elite 4 is that you can do things at your own pace. You can spend as much time as you like setting up a shot then relocating elsewhere. It is a real antidote to the breakneck speed of modern gameplay. Plus the game also features co-operative and player versus player modes so again offers a lot of variety.
For several years now, I have limited myself to playing about four or five games at a time. One of the main reasons I do this is the confusion of trying to remember multiple control schemes. I returned to LOTRO recently after focusing mainly on ESO and found myself continuously and pressing the H key to mount my horse, even though LOTRO is not by default configured that way. Another reason I keep myself focused on a handful of games, is that I tend to achieve more. I often listen to the Massively OP podcast and hear Justin Olivetti talk about his game’s rotation and schedule. As a writer he has to cover a lot of ground but it does seem sometimes that he’s spreading himself a little thin. Plus I am a man with a moderate income, so I don’t buy as many titles as I use to. My Steam and Epic Store libraries have more than enough content, should I ever need anything new. So for me, Naithin’s five games challenge is not so much a Hobson’s choice but more of a case of business as usual.
ESO: The Imperial City Storyline
I raised the question in a previous post as to what’s the best way to follow the various stories in The Elder Scrolls Online in an orderly, coherent fashion. After some further research, it would appear that the most practical solution is to play through all the games DLC and chapters in release order. Hence, after finishing the main and faction storylines (in my case the Daggerfall Covenant), the next place to go is The Imperial City. Now I was under the impression that Cyrodiil was just a pure PVP zone but it would appear that there are 8 PVE quests that have a narrative arc. I was most pleased to learn this as I don’t like to miss out on content, especially if it sheds light on the lore and advances existing plot and themes. However, the problem with this series of quests is that despite being PVE content that requires you to kill Daedra mobs, you are still operating within an PVP zone. So you’re at risk of getting picked off by other players of differing factions while undertaking these quests.
I raised the question in a previous post as to what’s the best way to follow the various stories in The Elder Scrolls Online in an orderly, coherent fashion. After some further research, it would appear that the most practical solution is to play through all the games DLC and chapters in release order. Hence, after finishing the main and faction storylines (in my case the Daggerfall Covenant), the next place to go is The Imperial City. Now I was under the impression that Cyrodiil was just a pure PVP zone but it would appear that there are 8 PVE quests that have a narrative arc. I was most pleased to learn this as I don’t like to miss out on content, especially if it sheds light on the lore and advances existing plot and themes. However, the problem with this series of quests is that despite being PVE content that requires you to kill Daedra mobs, you are still operating within an PVP zone. So you’re at risk of getting picked off by other players of differing factions while undertaking these quests.
I discovered this the hard way. I was attempting the second quest in the series, The Imperial Standard, which takes place in the Nobles District of the Imperial City. At the time, the map indicated that the Daggerfall Covenant was broadly in control of this area. I had to defend three doors of a Garrison base from waves of Daedra. This in itself was quite challenging and would have been far easier in a group. However, a passing zerg from the Aldmeri Dominion put pay to my plans and I was summarily defeated. I made a second attempt to return to the area but by then the balance of power had shifted. It then became very apparent that successfully navigating the Imperial City and following this storyline was dependent on first being part of a competent group and secondly, on whether the various areas you have to visit are free from players from rival factions. I therefore withdrew from the PVP zone and returned to the Glenumbra. I have subsequently decided to play through the Orsinium DLC next.
Now I’m not a fan of the use of gated narrative of this kind and find these sorts of decisions by the developer’s to be very frustrating. There is a self-contained storyline set within The Imperial City DLC that makes for an enjoyable semi-sequel to the main story. I won’t spoil the plot but let it suffice to say that Molag Bol has a “plan B”. Not all MMO players are motivated by storylines and I’m sure many ESO players will not care that there is a narrative thread that they may miss out on. But equally there are plenty of players who are heavily invested in the “plot” of ESO. It would be nice if ZeniMax scould provide some sort of separate instanced mode where you could play through this content without ongoing PVP around you. If they wanted to strip out the rewards such as the Tel Var Stones (the premium currency that is bespoke to this PVP zone) then I would be fine with that. At the very least could they not provide an NPC elsewhere in the storyline, that gave a detailed summary of what happened in this part of the plot, if you have to miss it?
However I did find an interim solution to this problem. One which at least allowed me to follow the story. I did some digging around on YouTube and found a play through of the entire questline I missed. The video had all the dialogue options, sans the combat. It was also captured via a PS4, so it was interesting to see someone play just using the default UI, without any addons. I was fascinated by how haphazard navigating the map was with an addon mini map. Story wise, it was also nice to see the rogue Daedra Lyranth feature in the plot once again. One of the things the ESO writers do well it integrate characters into multiple story arcs. It makes perfect narrative sense that your path will cross the same people as you progress through the DLC etc. If like me, you don’t like to miss out on plot detail, here is the YouTube video of The Imperial City playthrough. I cranked the speed up to 1.5 and could still keep up with the dialogue. It also reduces the running time of the video accordingly.
LOTRO: The Calm Before the Storm
I have been absent from The Lord of the Rings Online for several month, only checking in intermittently. When I do, I still tend to focus on levelling my High Elf Guardian who is currently tentatively progressing through the dour and grindy Mordor expansion. Since July my primary character, a level cap Lore-master, has been standing outside Beorninghús idly staring at Grimbeorn with only a few quests in the Vale of Anduin completed. However, because The Elder Scrolls Online was down for emergency maintenance today, I decided to return to LOTRO and see if I could make inroads into this outstanding update in preparation for the release of the Minas Morgul expansion on November 5th. As a zone, the vales of the Anduin and is the polar opposite of the grim, rocky environment of the Grey Mountains. It is verdant, spacious and often has clear blue skies. Yes there are fog banks and areas of shaded woodlands but it is far from a brooding and oppressive region.
I have been absent from The Lord of the Rings Online for several month, only checking in intermittently. When I do, I still tend to focus on levelling my High Elf Guardian who is currently tentatively progressing through the dour and grindy Mordor expansion. Since July my primary character, a level cap Lore-master, has been standing outside Beorninghús idly staring at Grimbeorn with only a few quests in the Vale of Anduin completed. However, because The Elder Scrolls Online was down for emergency maintenance today, I decided to return to LOTRO and see if I could make inroads into this outstanding update in preparation for the release of the Minas Morgul expansion on November 5th. As a zone, the vales of the Anduin and is the polar opposite of the grim, rocky environment of the Grey Mountains. It is verdant, spacious and often has clear blue skies. Yes there are fog banks and areas of shaded woodlands but it is far from a brooding and oppressive region.
However, when returning to LOTRO from another game, it is very noticeable how the quest system is a product of its time, built upon the prevailing MMO systems and concepts of 2007. The first half dozen activities I was offered around Beorninghús were just the usual fetch and kill quests. Although these take place in a pleasant area and the ambient soundtrack by Bill Champagne is exceeding atmospheric, there is a distinctly old school vibe to these sorts of activities. If the quest narratives aren’t sufficiently compelling in justifying such undertakings then it can all feel somewhat arbitrary. However, and there always tends to be a however with LOTRO, the wrap up at the end of this quest chain is very satisfying. You enjoy a feast in Grimbeorn’s lodge and recount tales of valour. It serves as a great way of reminding the player who some of the NPCs are. LOTRO often brings back characters that you’ve previously met but after 12 years of content, it can be hard to keep track of who’s who. The quest also reflects a great deal of narrative continuity with Gandalf still having to “manage” diplomatic relations between The Beornings and the other factions.
Moving on to the Wolf-denes, I’ve started to notice that there is gradual increase in mob difficulty. Purple quality gear that is being given as quest rewards have a noticeable increase in stats compared to the Teal items that I earned from the previous Where Dragons Dwell update. I find the perfunctory nature of level cap increases a little frustrating and we are looking at one with the Minas Morgul expansion. That means all the gear that I worked hard to earn will be redundant and furthermore, makes all that I’m currently obtaining in the Anduin region, equally as superfluous and transient. Whenever you are “late to the party” and have content to catch up with in LOTRO, so much becomes unnecessary. Why grind out Beorning rep as the gear it will reward will serve me no purpose moving forward? In fact, it may be wiser for me to play another alt at present and wait for the expansion to be launched. Because once it has, playing through prior zones such as Vales of Anduin will earn me XP, where at present it does not. Hence, I’ll reach the Morgul Vale in a more robust state somewhere around level 125, rather than starting at 120. I like to be as robust as possible when doing new content.
Having spent some time on the test server inspecting the next expansion, it may be prudent to enjoy the aesthetic and atmospheric benefits of the regions between Mirkwood and the Misty Mountains, while one can. The Morgul Vale and Minas Morgul itself are singularly oppressive. I fully understand that this is narratively justified but questing and navigating such an environment can be taxing. Due to the lighting in LOTRO, I often struggle to physically see what is happening in darker areas. Despite altering some of the video settings I often have to pull the curtains in my office so no external light source interferes with the onscreen visuals. It’s not a problem I have with other MMOs. Also, as I’m not exactly excited by the forthcoming expansion, I doubt if I’ll be playing it at launch. Standing Stone Games have picked the same day to launch Minas Morgul as the release of the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. I always enjoy LOTRO but it really can’t compete with a western themed RPG. I suspect I shall visit the Tower of Sorcery in late December in the post-Christmas lull.
Taking What You Don’t Need
Every couple of weeks, I log into the Epic Store to see what free games they are giving away. As they’re really trying to secure their share of the market and establish themselves as a clear alternative to Steam, there are plenty of exclusives games and freebies to be found. The ethics of this business approach is a separate issue and not one that I shall address in this post. Let it suffice to say that the concept of the “Loss Leader” is a long standing business tactic. When I logged in today, I saw that both Alan Wake’s American Nightmare and Observer were available for free. The latter interested me because it features voice acting by the late Rutger Hauer. So I duly added them to my game library. The same game library that currently consists of 30 games but only one of which I have paid for. A library that despite its size and wide variety of genres, I’ve only played two of the titles therein. Furthermore, there’s a similar story to tell with regard to Twitch Prime. I log in and check to see what freebies are of on offer, so I can also add them to another redundant library.
Another free game courtesy of the Epic Store
Every couple of weeks, I log into the Epic Store to see what free games they are giving away. As they’re really trying to secure their share of the market and establish themselves as a clear alternative to Steam, there are plenty of exclusives games and freebies to be found. The ethics of this business approach is a separate issue and not one that I shall address in this post. Let it suffice to say that the concept of the “Loss Leader” is a long standing business tactic. When I logged in today, I saw that both Alan Wake’s American Nightmare and Observer were available for free. The latter interested me because it features voice acting by the late Rutger Hauer. So I duly added them to my game library. The same game library that currently consists of 30 games but only one of which I have paid for. A library that despite its size and wide variety of genres, I’ve only played two of the titles therein. Furthermore, there’s a similar story to tell with regard to Twitch Prime. I log in and check to see what freebies are of on offer, so I can also add them to another redundant library.
I’ve been playing video games since the eighties when I used to spend too much time playing the arcade version of Asteroids at the local swimming baths. I made the transition to PC gaming in the early nineties. Back then this meant buying a boxed copy of a game from a retail outlet, such as WH Smiths. The pricing at the time and in relation to how much I was earning, meant that I didn’t buy multiple games at once. I’d read reviews meticulously, weigh up the pros and cons for each game and then make a decision based upon what would be the most entertaining experience and offer some degree of longevity. Making purchases within such a framework made the acquisition of a new video game a very exciting process. Video games were from my perspective a luxury. Hence it took a while to build a library of games and due to the size of hard drives at this time, it’s not as if you had every game you owned installed at once. PC gaming was a hobby that required management both financially and logistically. Perhaps that was one of the aspects that made it special.
I was bought Starfleet Academy in 1997 as apart of a leaving present from a job
Twenty years on and the video game market has gone digital. Furthermore that market is now saturated and the premium price model, along with the short lifecycle of games, means that there’s only a limited window of time before prices are slashed. The ubiquity of video games, along with the fact that you can buy them on a whim, has substantially changed our relationship with them. You can purchase a game that you want, download it and play it at any time of day. You don’t have to wait for the store to open to get your hands on it. A new game is no longer a luxury; something to be saved for, then sought out and installed via multiple CD-ROMS. I may even go so far as to say I no longer imbue a new game with any great sense of value. They are transient pleasures, some of which can be bought for pocket change and then dispensed without regret, if they fail to entertain. Effectively some PC games remind me of those items you find on display at your local supermarket, as you queue for the checkout. Indulgence items such as snacks, designed to get you to spend a few extras pounds on something superfluous.
We currently live in the century of “me”, in the midst of a most decadent consumer society. Everyday we’re actively told that buying something will fill the gaping, empty void in our lives and assuage those feelings of loneliness, fear and utter despair. We are culturally conditioned to “like a bargain” regardless of its practicality. “Look what I got. A great deal on this alabaster dog kennel inlaid with depleted uranium”. The fact that you don’t have a dog is irrelevant it would seem, because you got a “deal”. Furthermore, I’m not saying all this from some position of moral superiority. Because I’m also logging on to the Epic Store and claiming all this needless free stuff, just like everyone else. But to be utterly candid, I really don’t need any of this stuff and I really should stop doing this. It reminds me of the “buy one, get one free” culture that leads to terrible food wastage. Something I didn’t realise was so damaging and problematic until recently. I suspect that the ubiquity of games and giving them away for free in this fashion, does more harm than good in the long run.
Progressing in an Orderly Fashion in ESO
Whenever I start a new MMO I tend to research the various classes and make an informed decision about which one to choose as my primary character. This policy has worked out well over the years and therefore compared to other players, I don’t have multiple alts across numerous games. That’s not to say that I’m averse to creating a new character, I simply need a good reason to do so. When I do, its usually because there’s an option to experience a different story. Hence, I currently have three alts in The Elder Scrolls Online. Last night I reached the current level cap of 50 with my Imperial Dragonknight, having recently completed the Daggerfall Covenant storyline. I have now experienced all three faction stories (which I have enjoyed) and more importantly, have learned what is the best way for me to progress through the game. ESO offers players the chance to play the MMO in a manner that suits them. If you want to simply travel Tamriel and do things as you go along, then you may. It’s a very flexible in this respect. But if you want to play in a more structured way, it can be a little confusing navigating a linear path. So here are a few tips I’ve learned the hard way.
Whenever I start a new MMO I tend to research the various classes and make an informed decision about which one to choose as my primary character. This policy has worked out well over the years and therefore compared to other players, I don’t have multiple alts across numerous games. That’s not to say that I’m averse to creating a new character, I simply need a good reason to do so. When I do, its usually because there’s an option to experience a different story. Hence, I currently have three alts in The Elder Scrolls Online. Last night I reached the current level cap of 50 with my Imperial Dragonknight, having recently completed the Daggerfall Covenant storyline. I have now experienced all three faction stories (which I have enjoyed) and more importantly, have learned what is the best way for me to progress through the game. ESO offers players the chance to play the MMO in a manner that suits them. If you want to simply travel Tamriel and do things as you go along, then you may. It’s a very flexible in this respect. But if you want to play in a more structured way, it can be a little confusing navigating a linear path. So here are a few tips I’ve learned the hard way.
When you create a new character, if it is your first, then you will be obliged to play through your respective class tutorial. It’s not particularly complex and doesn’t last too long. It’s designed to provide an overview of basic combat and your skills. All subsequent alts can skip the tutorial. Which zone you start in comes down to which version of ESO you have purchased. If you’ve bought the base edition of the game, which now includes the Morrowind chapter (formerly called an expansion), you’ll find yourself here. If you’ve bought all subsequent chapters, you’ll start the game in Elsweyr. Now I understand from a business perspective why developer’s ZeniMax want new players to start in the latest zone but if you enjoy the MMO genre for narrative reasons, it can be confusing to begin the story here. So I would suggest starting the main story which sets up the lore and gives you an overview into the social and political situation in Tamriel.
To do this your new alt to the nearest major city in the zone you are currently in and you’ll be approached by a hooded figure who bestows Soul Shriven in Coldharbour quest. This will set you on the main story path. Not only does it establish the lore but it also rewards the player with some decent gear as well as skill and attribute points. There are 13 parts to the main story, however I would not recommend burning right through them all at once. Although content scales in ESO, some of these quests can be quite taxing, so you may want to attempt them when you have more skills and attribute points as well as robust gear. Therefore spread the main story quests out as you progress. There is also a questline that is specific to your faction. After you’ve completed the Soul Shriven in Coldharbour quest you will be ported to the first zone of either Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant or the Ebonheart Pact. This will start you on your faction storyline. Playing through this will further inform you about events in Tamriel and provide narrative continuity. You can also do simple regional quests in parallel to these as they are often linked.
If you are not interested in the story in ESO then you can simply do what you like with no consequences. However, a structured approach to content based upon the unfolding plot does have advantages. Clearing a zone using the in-game guide which lists all content, means that you’ll earn Skyshards (which provide additional skills points) and unlock achievements which give further rewards. However, it is beneficial to note the following while levelling. The main story, along with the stories for the Fighters and Mages Guilds reward players with some robust weapons upon completion. Therefore, you may want to hold off finishing the final quests associated with all of these stories until you are level 50. You will then be rewarded with purple quality level cap items that are appropriate for end game. If you receive these weapons while below 50, you will quickly out level them, rendering them useless.
ESO does at times feel like a game to two halves. Although levelling is fun and the quests are very engaging, all your armour and assorted gear feels very ephemeral. It’s not until you reach cap that you start to focus more upon the minutiae of your build. Unlike other MMOs, ESO doesn’t offer you a selection of quest rewards where you pick what’s appropriate for you class. So you can at times find yourself in a situation where you’re gear score is low because you haven’t received items that are suitable for your class. Now it can be argued that if you venture into a few public dungeons or do Undaunted daily quests you may obtain better armour and jewellery. Another solution is to craft what you want or to simply buy base level items from vendors and add Glyphs to append their stats. But not everyone wants to craft of do group content. My solution to this problem is to farm Dolmen in the Alik’r Desert. It won’t suit everyone but it’s a practical means to gain XP (especially if you use an Experience Scroll), earn gold and obtain relatively good gear. It is also a good way of levelling various skill lines and experimenting with different weapons.
How you play ESO is very much up to you. My approach works for me and the foibles of my personality but I’m sure it won’t suit everyone. Because I’m not in a major raiding guild and my gameplay is mainly PVE content and a few public dungeons, I’m not heavily invested in creating a really specific and bespoke build. I just want to be able to survive and do reasonable damage. Hence, I have followed generic builds that I’ve found online, equipped skills that are relevant to how I play and put my Champion points into practical resources. Also, there is no need for the average player to buy and equip themselves entirely with gold quality gear. Purple is fine for armour and jewellery, just ensure your weapon is gold and you’ll be adequately prepared. Just make sure that you put some thought into the stats and buffs that certain sets offer. So if you like to progress in an orderly fashion when playing MMOs, then it will be down to you to impose some structure upon ESO. You don’t need to keep notes and maintain a spreadsheet but it does help to have some idea of what you want to do, rather than just flying by the seat of your pants.
We Are Our Own Worst Enemy
Over the last five years, there has been an ever-increasing degree of monetisation in mainstream video games. The situation has sparked debate not only among gamers but also in the mainstream press. Loot boxes and the entire business model of “pay to start” has finally reached the scrutiny of several national governments. Furthermore, the triple A video games industry has been held to account and pressed to justify such practises. Yet despite the public attention and a degree of pushback from some gamers, the situation doesn’t in anyway look like it’s going to be resolved. In fact sales data seems to show that despite some negative coverage both in the video games media and the traditional press, games with egregious business models are far from being rejected by customers. Quite the opposite. Ironically two of the worst offenders that have recently been held up as games that exploit gamers financially, have just achieved record sales. Both Mario Kart Tour and NBA 2K20 have proven to be massive hits.
Over the last five years, there has been an ever-increasing degree of monetisation in mainstream video games. The situation has sparked debate not only among gamers but also in the mainstream press. Loot boxes and the entire business model of “pay to start” has finally reached the scrutiny of several national governments. Furthermore, the triple A video games industry has been held to account and pressed to justify such practises. Yet despite the public attention and a degree of pushback from some gamers, the situation doesn’t in anyway look like it’s going to be resolved. In fact sales data seems to show that despite some negative coverage both in the video games media and the traditional press, games with egregious business models are far from being rejected by customers. Quite the opposite. Ironically two of the worst offenders that have recently been held up as games that exploit gamers financially, have just achieved record sales. Both Mario Kart Tour and NBA 2K20 have proven to be massive hits.
For those gamers who are looking for change, this is a sad situation. Most reasonable and measured individuals recognise that the video games industry is a commercial endeavour and that developers and publishers needs to make money. The bone of contention is that excessive monetisation is actually spoiling games by impeding gameplay and progression. A game built around monetisation has different priorities to a game primarily designed just to be played. Ultimately there is a contradiction between a game in the traditional sense and a “live service”. Is it therefore unreasonable to try and seek the middle ground where a company can make a healthy profit, without compromising the game or the experience of playing it? We’ll it would appear that the answer is “yes, it is unreasonable” and sadly, the point of failure and source of blame is ultimately not actually the video games industry but gamers themselves. We are our own worst enemy.
It is naïve to expect big corporations to act ethically and sensibly when it comes to accruing wealth. If you want a companies such as Activision Blizzard, 2K Games or Ubisoft to moderate their financial strategy when it comes to video games, you must compel them to do so by law. As for any concerted effort by gamers to “school” these publishers through the old cliché of “voting with your wallet”, it is doomed to failure. Because gamers are not a homogeneous group. For every gamer that thinks that monetisation of gaming has gone too far, there is one who thinks the opposite and yet another who simply doesn’t care. Also, cognitive dissonance seems to be the default setting for most people when it comes to social issues these days. We all too often notionally agree with an ethical principle up to the point where acting upon it requires us to make a sacrifice or go without. Another factor that also impacts upon one’s attitude towards microtransactions, season passes and lootboxes is the generational difference in our attitudes towards money.
Naturally there are gamers with large disposable incomes who don’t concern themselves with the reality of game related monetisation. Any obstacle to enjoyment can be overcome by the application of money. However, in my lifetime there has been major changes in the regulation of consumer borrowing. Simply put, credit is easily accessible (despite the financial crash of 2008) and consumers are encouraged to spend. To put this in perspective, UK credit card debt was at £72.5 billion at the end of July 2019. So when video gamer publishers talk about “whales”, who exactly are they talking about? Those who can genuinely afford too throw money around or those who feel obliged to do so, with money they don’t really have? Over the course of my life, I’ve learned the esoteric and unfashionable act of living within my financial means. I would say that this is a social norm more pertinent to the over fifties. But for many people half my age, they have grown up in a world where ownership has been supplanted by paying for a service and the entire point of credit is to use it to try and live the lifestyle, you think you deserve.
So regardless of the “selective gamer pushback” and a degree of negative PR that is mainly driven by a moral imperative, the video game industry has had its monetisation policies 100% validated by recent sales figures. Hence it is highly unlikely that we shall see any major change in business practises in the immediate future. As a result, I shall continue to avoid many major triple A titles such as Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint (a franchise I had previously enjoyed) and will continue my blanket boycott of mobile games. But the rather unpalatable reality is that future games development is going to be determined by those who are currently enabling the monetisation practises of the video games industry. However there’s a chance that even the most ambivalent gamer may eventually be inconvenienced by some future iniquity of the video games industry. Yet I suspect that even if this tipping point is achieved, many gamers would refuse to acknowledge their involvement in creating the problem in the first place and their respective blame.
Minas Morgul Preview
I spent several hours today on the Bullroarer test server, checking out the preview of the forthcoming Minas Morgul expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online. From a lore perspective this is a great zone and it neatly fills the geographical gap between Morgul Vale in North Ithilien and Gorgoroth in Mordor. As ever the visual style and sense of continuity is very good and Standing Stone Games have gone all in on atmosphere and ambience. The new area is often dimly lit, filled with fog and Minas Morgul itself has an eerie supernatural phosphorescence. Once again, I simply contented myself with just exploring the area and did not attempt any quests (apart from one to access a new instanced area). Let us not forget that this is a preview and therefore there is always potential for change. The new areas at present appear to be relatively clear of mobs and other sundry threats, so initially navigation between stables was relatively straight forward. However, the main fortresses of Minas Morgul and Bar Nirnaeth are densely populated with robust mobs.
I spent several hours today on the Bullroarer test server, checking out the preview of the forthcoming Minas Morgul expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online. From a lore perspective this is a great zone and it neatly fills the geographical gap between Morgul Vale in North Ithilien and Gorgoroth in Mordor. As ever the visual style and sense of continuity is very good and Standing Stone Games have gone all in on atmosphere and ambience. The new area is often dimly lit, filled with fog and Minas Morgul itself has an eerie supernatural phosphorescence. Once again, I simply contented myself with just exploring the area and did not attempt any quests (apart from one to access a new instanced area). Let us not forget that this is a preview and therefore there is always potential for change. The new areas at present appear to be relatively clear of mobs and other sundry threats, so initially navigation between stables was relatively straight forward. However, the main fortresses of Minas Morgul and Bar Nirnaeth are densely populated with robust mobs.
Yet despite the commendably brooding feel to the region, it is quite small and compact. Due to the fact that this zone is set in the Ephel Duath (Mountains of Shadow) many of the roads and trails twist and turn around the cliff face. Subsequently the Straight Stair and the Winding Stair, North of Minas Morgul, live up to their name. Torech Ungol (Shelob’s Lair) has several branching passages but the main path leads to an instance entrance. I wasn’t able to go right through the tunnel and didn’t have time to try and approach it from the Gorgoroth etrance. Minas Mogul itself, is a multi-tiered city, similar to Minas Tirith. Mercifully there are only four “circles”, each with a different supernatural theme. At the top is the Tower of the Crescent Moon, which will more than likely be home to a major instance or raid. It should also be noted that part of the new expansion, is set in the Second Age. “Mordor Besieged” takes place during the original siege of Barad-dûr by the Last Alliance. This is contained within a variation of the existing Dor Amarth map in Mordor. Accessing this area requires a quest from Gandalf and speaking with the shade of Isildur in the Gladden Fields.
I suspect that for many LOTRO players, their respective enjoyment of the pending Minas Morgul expansion will depend very much upon how they felt about Mordor. Minas Morgul looks like being an atmospheric but tough zone. Because of its canonical nature it will probably be demonstrably harder than the recent Vales of Anduin. The dour ambience may also determine people’s opinion, after the lush and verdant nature of the previous update. There’s also the issue of the cost of the new expansion. As stated earlier, the new zone seems small and “Mordor Besieged” is just a variation of a region we’ve already experienced. Although the Stout-Axe race is bundled with all of the three versions of the expansion, I think that the most expensive version doesn’t seem particularly good value for money. Let’s hope that the story line is sufficiently engaging. Mordor had numerous questionable points but its robust narrative did much to redress the balance.
In fairness, considering the lore-based confines of setting an expansion in and around Minas Morgul, one cannot expect a massive amount of ecological diversity in the new zone. We effectively have fortresses, mountain paths, web covered tunnels and foggy woodland. I also think a lot of the relative value of this expansion will lie in the instances and raids. But if you are a casual, solo PVE player then you may not experience any of this. So as I write this post, the Siege of Mirkwood expansion comes to mind, which upon its release, also felt somewhat low key in scope when compared to its predecessor, the Mines of Moria. Naturally, LOTRO players are very loyal to their MMO of choice, so I suspect this expansion will sell well. But how well it’s received is another issue altogether. I shall definitely only buy the base version of the game and I don’t think this expansion will be my first priority over November and December. I do hope that my suspicions are unfounded and Minas Morgul doesn’t turn out to be a chore similar to Mordor.
Skills Rotation
While conducting some general housekeeping in The Lord of the Rings Online, I decided upon streamlining my “quickslots” as developers Standing Stone Games refers to them. Being an MMORPG from well over a decade ago, the game has a multitude of skills. By the time your character reaches level cap of 120, it is entirely possible to have filled all 72 of the available slots. If you have a combat pet, then you’ll receive another 11 buttons to “mash”. Now this situation got me thinking. I recollect a conversation I had about a year ago, when I was doing some group content in LOTRO. It wasn’t going especially well so there was a discussion about tactics and what specific skills to use. To cut a long story short, it became apparent that many players (including myself) did not know the exact name of all the skills that adorned their quickslots. Furthermore not everyone was au fait with the nature and purpose of each skill and how one could trigger another. Similarly not all were aware that some skills could be augmented by the use of another.
While conducting some general housekeeping in The Lord of the Rings Online, I decided upon streamlining my “quickslots” as developers Standing Stone Games refers to them. Being an MMORPG from well over a decade ago, the game has a multitude of skills. By the time your character reaches level cap of 120, it is entirely possible to have filled all 72 of the available slots. If you have a combat pet, then you’ll receive another 11 buttons to “mash”. Now this situation got me thinking. I recollect a conversation I had about a year ago, when I was doing some group content in LOTRO. It wasn’t going especially well so there was a discussion about tactics and what specific skills to use. To cut a long story short, it became apparent that many players (including myself) did not know the exact name of all the skills that adorned their quickslots. Furthermore not everyone was au fait with the nature and purpose of each skill and how one could trigger another. Similarly not all were aware that some skills could be augmented by the use of another.
Naturally there will be high end players who will read this and scoff “well I know what every skill is and what it does”, to which I say, “good for you”. But putting aside the moral judgement that always seems to go hand in hand with these sorts of discussions, I suspect that there are many players, not only in LOTRO but many other MMORPGs, who do not use their skills in an optimal fashion. They simply select what works for them. I also think its safe to assume that some player have the skills on their quickslots in the order that they were acquired. When they play, the simply work through them from left to right. In more contemporary MMOs such as The Elder Scrolls Online, you get to pick what skills are on you hotbar and the number is restricted to six (5 regular and 1 ultimate) which makes things easier to manage compared to the skills bloat that you find in LOTRO. But I suspect that many ESO players still do not pay as much to attention to the specific details of their skills as the developer’s would like.
When the average player (and that in itself is a hotly debated term) starts a new MMO, they are faced with finding a suitable path between learning the game’s mechanics and progressing as well as having fun. At lower levels, skills in many MMOs are simple and straightforward to understand. But as you progress skills can become more complex and interconnected. In ESO there is the extra dimension of morphing skills and choosing between two subtle variations. It is often round about here that players may start skipping over such information. For everyone that loves number crunching, understanding the maths behind each skill and min-maxing, there are two other players that don’t want their leisure activity to become a job or a school lecture. I have at times been guilty of this, although now I am very aware that the wrong choice can mean that I gimp myself. But this mindset exists and manifests itself in many curious ways. I know players who will never use food or potions because it just “over complicates things”. Such systems means you have to carry more stuff in you bags and worry about when not use them.
I recently did some research regarding ESO because I was finding melee combat difficult with a my Dragonknight. Turns out my choice of skill wasn’t the issue and that I just needed to be more mobile in combat. Having cut my teeth playing older MMOs such as LOTRO, I still find myself at times remaining static when in combat, instead of moving around the target. I have also discovered the importance of a lot of the passive skills and how they can boost stats and augment combat. Again, I’m sure I’m not alone in being nominally oblivious to the depths of the games systems. Yet despite these gaps I both my and other players knowledge, it doesn’t seem to be as much an impediment to our enjoyment of the game as some would think. Although we may not be killing mobs as efficiently as we can, we’re having fun doing things our way and on our terms. If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it. Until we reach a point in the game when we can’t beat a boss due to our poor grasp of the game mechanics and our own skills. Then it will be everyone else’s fault.
Dragon Farming, Black Dots and Continuity
I logged into The Elder Scrolls Online today to do some Dragon farming. The Dragon Rise event includes both an XP and gold acquisition boost throughout Northern Elsweyr. Broadly, speaking this is a similar activity to Dolmen farming in the Alik’r Desert, although it is time sensitive as the event ends on Monday October 14th. There are three locations around the zone where Dragons regularly spawn and attack. Although it is possible to travel between these locations using the Star Haven, The Stitches and Scar’s End Wayshrines, it is not easy to do so. You need a fast mount and to be well acquainted with the topographical foibles of the region. I prefer to stay at one location and remain part of the loitering zerg. The Dragons arrive at approximately ten-minute intervals and if there are more than twenty or so players, dies very quickly. If there is less of you, then it can be quite tricky. Situational awareness is the key to success. Keep an eye on the Dragon and where you’re standing. It’s certainly safer if you used ranged attacks.
I logged into The Elder Scrolls Online today to do some Dragon farming. The Dragon Rise event includes both an XP and gold acquisition boost throughout Northern Elsweyr. Broadly, speaking this is a similar activity to Dolmen farming in the Alik’r Desert, although it is time sensitive as the event ends on Monday October 14th. There are three locations around the zone where Dragons regularly spawn and attack. Although it is possible to travel between these locations using the Star Haven, The Stitches and Scar’s End Wayshrines, it is not easy to do so. You need a fast mount and to be well acquainted with the topographical foibles of the region. I prefer to stay at one location and remain part of the loitering zerg. The Dragons arrive at approximately ten-minute intervals and if there are more than twenty or so players, dies very quickly. If there is less of you, then it can be quite tricky. Situational awareness is the key to success. Keep an eye on the Dragon and where you’re standing. It’s certainly safer if you used ranged attacks.
It was while I was waiting and chatting to a friend on Discord, that I noticed what initially looked like a dead pixel in the top left-hand corner of my screen. However, a cursory check showed that the problem did not persist, when I tabbed outside of the game. The offending pixel vanished when I checked my desktop or launched any other application. Furthermore, if I placed my mouse cursor over the black dot, it couldn’t be seen. Now anyone who knows me, will tell you that I hate conundrums like this. So I quit the game (because I couldn’t concentrate on anything else) and set about troubleshooting the problem. Through the application of “Occam's razor” it became apparent that this had to be an addon related issue. A Google search subsequently indicated that I was not the first ESO player to have this problem. It turned out to be a bug associated with the Wykkyd Achievement Tracker. When inactive and minimised it leaves a single black dot on the screen. The solution was simply to disable the addon which I did.
The offending “black dot”
In other ESO news, I decided to play through the new Dragonhold prologue quests. I got wind of the fact that it ended in a solo Dragon fight, so I thought it best to use my primary character, a Magicka DPS Sorcerer with 200 plus champion points. It proved to be a wise decision because the final battle is quite tough. I ended up having to fight the offending beastie at close quarters to avoid the constant barrage of “Dragon shouts”. However, it was great fun and I liked the grappling bow as a means of traversing the multi-level tombs. As ever there were several puzzles but to successfully solve them all you got to do is read the quest text, although this seems like an anathema to some. The thing I was most curious about in this quest was the return Sai Sahan. In the main story of ESO, there reaches a point where you have to sacrifice one of the remaining Five Companions for complicated narrative reasons. I chose to sacrifice Sai Sahan when playing through with my Sorcerer, so I was interested to see what complicated reason the writers had used to justify his return. I laughed out loud at the vagueness of the explanation, although I’m sure it will be elaborated upon later on.
The Cost of Doing Business with China
In the last few days, a great deal has been written about Activision Blizzard and their subsequent banning of a Hearthstone player who expressed support for the Hong Kong protestors during a competition live stream. The US-based game developer and publisher has also chosen to withhold the prize money he would have earned from competing in the tournament. As a result of this media coverage, I do not feel obliged to address the rectitude of Blizzard’s decision. It was never going to be anything different than what it was. They made their choice regarding ethics and morality the moment they decided to expand their business operations in mainland China. Because once you decided to enter into a business partnership with a totalitarian regime that actively runs “re-education camps”, you’ve pretty much nailed your colours to the mast and chosen a side. It’s not just business, despite what apologists may tell you. Judge a man or a business by the company they keep.
The moment Chung “blitzchung” Ng Wai made his protest
In the last few days, a great deal has been written about Activision Blizzard and their subsequent banning of a Hearthstone player who expressed support for the Hong Kong protestors during a competition live stream. The US-based game developer and publisher has also chosen to withhold the prize money he would have earned from competing in the tournament. As a result of this media coverage, I do not feel obliged to address the rectitude of Blizzard’s decision. It was never going to be anything different than what it was. They made their choice regarding ethics and morality the moment they decided to expand their business operations in mainland China. Because once you decided to enter into a business partnership with a totalitarian regime that actively runs “re-education camps”, you’ve pretty much nailed your colours to the mast and chosen a side. It’s not just business, despite what apologists may tell you. Judge a man or a business by the company they keep.
However, there are two wider issues that have arisen from this situation that perhaps can be seen as broadly positive. Firstly, parts of the gaming community have finally had the scales lifted from their eyes regarding the true nature of the video games industry. Secondly, people are now becoming more aware of the extent of Chinese business influence both in the US and other countries and to what extent Western business is happy to appease them. Let us take a moment to consider the first of these. I have been banging on for years about how so many gamers erroneously think that the companies that make their favourite games are somehow their friend. In many ways Blizzard has been the embodiment of this fallacious and specious notion. Although there are some developers or community managers who are genuinely reasonable and measured individuals, these are not the people driving the company. Corporate policy is decided at a much higher level by people such as Bobby Kotick. And like a lot of other modern CEOs, ethics, morality and generally being a decent human being are not top priorities. In fact they’re a major hindrance. Do some research of your own on Mr Kotick (or ask Jim Sterling) and decide for yourself what sort of man he is.
Bobby Kotick. Personally worth about $1 Billion plus
So a lot of gamers have suddenly got wise to the fact that the company they used to think was cool because staff don’t wear suits to work and can unicycle around the office, is in fact just another corporate behemoth striving to make as much money as possible, irrespective of the consequences. Blizzard is tainted and now some gamers are worried about guilt by association. It’s an odd situation to be honest. Some gamers are obviously staggeringly naïve but there again, that’s hardly surprising as people are surprisingly politically illiterate these days. I don’t mean this is a pejorative sense, it’s just a simple truth. A lot of people are not in any way credibly informed about domestic politics, let alone the complexities of international relationships. And then there’s another element to this. The gamer who suspects that there’s an unethical wider picture to the video games industry but chooses to not “know about it”. I heard similar arguments regarding eating meat, which go something like this. “I choose to remain wilfully ignorant of the iniquities of the meat industry. I suspect that livestock are treated appallingly but if I choose not to know, I can enjoy eating meat without any moral burden and maintain my claim that I’m a good person”. Yep, gamers have their own version of this, too.
Moving on to the second potentially positive point that’s come out of this whole sorry affair; people have now realised that it is not just Activision Blizzard who are happy to self-censor and generally side with China whenever there’s a conflict of interest between West and East. Over the last few days, several websites and subreddits have compiled substantial lists of companies towing the political line to appease China and keep the revenue flowing. Furthermore, because China is such a big market for mainstream Hollywood movies these days, it’s come to light that a lot of screenplays are being tailormade for its specific “political and social” requirements. And irrespective of the need to “accommodate” China for “business reasons”, people are now beginning to become aware of the scope and reach of Chinese business in the West per se. This isn’t really the place for an in-depth dissection of what they do and do not own but if you do some research, you’ll find China is involved with key US and UK industries such as farming, logistics and utilities. And then there’s the issue of land banking. All of which can be used for political leverage if required.
You get the idea?
Now as a result of this debacle, there has been a plethora of tediously predictable kneejerk reactions. As usual some gamers have been calling for a boycott of Blizzard products. There’s also been the “restless lynch mob” mentality on social media and moral outrage has been turned up to 11. Such hastily contrived bandwagons often fizzle out and can do more harm than good. However, a measured campaign of publicly questioning the cognitive dissonance inherent in being an American business that consorts with a dictatorship, may yield results in the long term. Raising questions via your political representative can take time but the wheels do turn. Now it has been pointed out by the “usual suspects”, that it’s a bit rich getting all “high and mighty” about the ethics of this one issue, when our consumer lives are rife with Chinese products. But I refute the intellectual bankruptcy of this faux argument that seems to think that one can only have an ethical position of worth, if you are 100% morally pure. Bullshit. Yes, we are all to a degree complicit in bolstering China by our consumer choices but that doesn’t mitigate the worth or rectitude of beginning to make a stand. It takes time to inform people and then get them to change their views and habits.
And as for those people who think that this whole situation is just business doing what business does, please stop assuming that your lack of morals and empathy is also the default position of society. It isn’t. People do actually expect a degree of ethical behaviour from corporations. Now that may be foolish but it remains a valid view. And as big business has shown time and time again that it doesn’t have a shred of human decency, the only way we are going to get companies to act in a vaguely appropriate fashion is to legally compel them to do so and sanction them when they do not. Doing business with China is not the same as doing business with any other democratic country. It is a Faustian arrangement which comes with caveats. Caveats that may put a company at odds with the inherent principles of their own country. There is a price to pay for such an arrangement and that is your “corporate reputation”. I still find it odd that people and business that act appallingly try to cultivate an image of “be nice”. I have far more respect for the “bastard” that’s content to be one.
The fate of Tank Man remains unknown to this day
For those who still remain unconvinced that the censoring and sanctioning of Chung “blitzchung” Ng Wai by Blizzard is anything to worry about, let me remind you of what China’s top broadcaster, government-run CCTV, stated recently about the concept of freedom of speech. That it should not be extended to points of view counter to the ruling Communist Party’s. “No comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression”. Reflect upon that. Blizzard and many other companies are in a business relationship with a regime that is at odds with Western values. Furthermore, these international companies choose to actively collude with a government in its acts of oppression, because of the financial opportunities available. At the very least that is immoral. At the worst they are benefitting from blood money. If you thinks that’s hyperbolic please remember the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests when China mobilised 300,000 troops on the streets of Beijing and fired upon student protesters. A historical event that is still supressed in China itself. And considering the current events in Hong Kong, one that may be soon repeated? Blizzard and many other companies need to reflect upon this, although I suspect they won’t. I’m not sure if they are capable.
Two Worlds II: The Game That Keeps on Giving?
I’m suffering from a distinct sense of déjà vu as I write this post, as feel I’ve written something very similar before. Actually, I know perfectly well that I have and here’s the previous blog post. So, once again let’s recapitulate what was previously discussed. Back in 2014, I was searching for another RPG to fill that post Skyrim vacuum. I ended up buying Two Worlds II and its expansion, Pirates of the Flying Fortress. There was an exceptionally well-priced bundle available at the time. Furthermore, a little research showed that this game by German developers Reality Pump Studios, had quite a following. So I invested about 90 hours of my time into this franchise and enjoyed it far more than I expected. The game visually has a lot of rough edges. There are weird character models and a rather ponderous propensity of using faux "Olde English" in all dialogue. But the games core systems are great. Crafting and spells have a great deal of depth. There’s a wide variety of weapons and armour. Plus there’s sailing. I really dig this aspect of the game.
I’m suffering from a distinct sense of déjà vu as I write this post, as feel I’ve written something very similar before. Actually, I know perfectly well that I have and here’s the previous blog post. So, once again let’s recapitulate what was previously discussed. Back in 2014, I was searching for another RPG to fill that post Skyrim vacuum. I ended up buying Two Worlds II and its expansion, Pirates of the Flying Fortress. There was an exceptionally well-priced bundle available at the time. Furthermore, a little research showed that this game by German developers Reality Pump Studios, had quite a following. So I invested about 90 hours of my time into this franchise and enjoyed it far more than I expected. The game visually has a lot of rough edges. There are weird character models and a rather ponderous propensity of using faux "Olde English" in all dialogue. But the games core systems are great. Crafting and spells have a great deal of depth. There’s a wide variety of weapons and armour. Plus there’s sailing. I really dig this aspect of the game.
Circa June 2017, I and many other gamers were surprised to learn that there was further DLC coming to Two Worlds II. As well as some additional multiplayer maps, a standalone story Call of the Tenebrae was to be released in Q2 and another, Shattered Embrace, was to become available in Q3. Because I had fond memories of the game, I bought a season pass and dutifully installed the first of the new DLC. However, due to the fluid nature of “life”, I never made much progress with Call of the Tenebrae. Eventually, when I had more leisure time available, other games took priority and so I forgot about Two Worlds II. Until today. To cut along story short I was looking for a discount key for a specific game and I found myself perusing the TopWare Interactive online store. And there, as bold as brass, was a banner for Shattered Embrace. Turns out it wasn’t released back in 2017 due to “reasons” and is scheduled to come out this November. As I have a season pass, I should get this free of charge, so I duly re-installed all of Two Worlds II. It didn’t take long for the games niche market charms to come flooding back.
If you like open world RPGs and are prepared to try a flawed but interesting game, then why not give Two Worlds II a try. If you shop around you can get the base edition for an absolute song on numerous key seller sites. The GUI and combat mechanics are intuitive and fairly simple to master. The tutorial is integrated into the prologue quests which helps a lot. The dialogue is frequently droll and self-referential and it curiously mitigates some of the game’s rough edges. Some of the human character models are a bit weak and look quite awkward, where others such as the various beats and monsters are quite pleasing. The lighting is especially good and helps make the open world more atmospheric. The game is very good at servicing the players immediate needs, presenting them with many key RPG tropes and systems. The story itself is not anything special and is merely a narrative MacGuffin, rather than a major selling point. But not every game can be as well written as the Dragon Age franchise.
One of the most appealing aspects of Two Worlds 2 is the fact that you're not tied to a specific class. You can switch between melee, ranged and sorcery on the fly and the spell customisation process is based upon cards. It's very flexible and allows for a very diverse set of skills. The multiplayer element of the game supports co-operative play through specifically designed content; a sort of MMO-lite mode. I have never got around to exploring this aspect of the game but it would seem that the developers, Reality Pump Studios, are at least trying. There are numerous collaborative modes and it’s not just generic death matches. If you want a more in-depth analysis, then here’s a link to an episode of the Angry Joe Show in which he casts a critical eye over the game. In the meantime, I intend to slowly replay the game or at the least catch up with Call of the Tenebrae before the release of the final DLC Shattered Embrace next month. In an age when the lifecycle of a game can be comparatively short, it’s nice to see a developer still producing content nine years after the original release.
A Month in Gaming
September saw The Elder Scrolls Online becoming my primary gaming focus. No real surprises there as I’ve been having so much fun of late with this MMORPG. I managed to get my Argonian Necromancer to level cap and then had the fun task of trying to equip them suitably. I don’t quite know why this aspect of gaming appeals to me so much but I just get a real kick out of trawling around looking for appropriate gear. I tend to enjoy it in all the MMOs I play. There’s just something inherently satisfying about equipping a new piece of armour or jewellery and seeing your stats noticeably increase. This process is even more enjoyable in ESO as there isn’t any server wide auction house, so you have to travel around from region to region, individually checking each guild trader you find. It really is virtual shopping. Once I managed to find the right gear for this character, I promptly created a new Imperial Dragon Knight and started playing through the Daggerfall Covenant storyline as it the one faction I haven’t yet completed. Oh and in ESO cosmetic pet news, the ghost chicken (official name Spectral Chicken) is outstanding.
September saw The Elder Scrolls Online becoming my primary gaming focus. No real surprises there as I’ve been having so much fun of late with this MMORPG. I managed to get my Argonian Necromancer to level cap and then had the fun task of trying to equip them suitably. I don’t quite know why this aspect of gaming appeals to me so much but I just get a real kick out of trawling around looking for appropriate gear. I tend to enjoy it in all the MMOs I play. There’s just something inherently satisfying about equipping a new piece of armour or jewellery and seeing your stats noticeably increase. This process is even more enjoyable in ESO as there isn’t any server wide auction house, so you have to travel around from region to region, individually checking each guild trader you find. It really is virtual shopping. Once I managed to find the right gear for this character, I promptly created a new Imperial Dragon Knight and started playing through the Daggerfall Covenant storyline as it the one faction I haven’t yet completed. Oh and in ESO cosmetic pet news, the ghost chicken (official name Spectral Chicken) is outstanding.
I decided to buy a single player game on a whim and ended up purchasing the Untitled Goose Game. As I’ve already written a more specific post about that title, I won’t bang on about it too much here but it is a delightful diversion. It provides not only plenty of mirth and merriment but it also reminded me that not all game developers and publishers are complete bastards who will happily steal your eye and comeback for the socket. Furthermore, the games success may now lead to some DLC being developed which is fine by me. The game has topped the download charts on the Nintendo Switch console in the UK and Australia. It has even beaten one of Nintendo's own highly anticipated games, the Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.
There’s an ongoing event in Star Trek Online which pays out a Tier 6 Elachi ship with a complete set of crescent beam weapons. So I’ve been dutifully logging in an running a dedicated TFO and 2 easy patrols to earn the necessary XP. And while I’ve been doing this, I’ve decided that I might as well complete the daily “endeavours”. Gaining resources and building up account wide perks always pays off in the long run. And as I’m on the subject of Cryptic games, I reinstalled Neverwinter as I predicted last month. Bearing in mind I last tried this game during the beta test in 2013, I was very surprised to still find my original character. Naturally, I have no recollection as to how to play this game but I shall find the time to give it a second go. It certainly has plenty of content available.
I also gave Guild Wars 2 another try but it didn’t take long to remind me that all the issues with the Heart of Thorns expansion are still present in the game. Plus I’ve never found any particular aspect of this MMO to get especially invested in. I find the lore unfathomable and I’m never quite sure about the intricacies of the major stories. It is very playable and easy to jump in and out of but for me at least, the game lacks a lasting hook of some kind to keep me engaged. I tried the retail version of Mario Kart Tour and the Ghost Recon Breakpoint beta. Both failed to impress and I’ve written a separate post about how unbelievably shitty their respective business models are. Unfortunately I didn’t get around to trying the Modern Warfare reboot beta. There’s not enough hours in the day to keep up with half the things we’d like to, especially when it comes to gaming.
I genuinely tried to make some progress in LOTRO but I’m still floundering just outside Mordor with my High Elf Guardian. Once I commit to the battle on the slag hills outside the Black Gate, then it’s straight onto Mordor and I’m just not ready to grind through there again, even if I’m over levelled. I also failed to take my Lore-master any further through Vales of Anduin. The region is appealing but I always seems to have something inherently more interesting to do in another game. I did try the new Stout-Axe Dwarf race on the Bullroarer test server and enjoyed the creative way that SSG have crowbarred them into the existing Epic Story. I think I’ll buy the new Minas Morgul expansion a little closer to launch. After reviewing the various options, I’ll probably just purchase the base edition as I don’t require any of the additional consumables.
So that’s the summary of what I’ve been up to over the last 30 odd days. I’ll be back in early November with a further breakdown of this month. I haven’t made any firm plans as of yet and will likely just see where my fancy takes me. I have quite a lot on in real life at present and it needs to take priority. So any gaming time is a bonus at the moment, so it’s best not to try and aspire to potentially unrealistic goals and targets. Due to this time of year being a popular release period, I may well make another game purchase on a whim.