More Gaming Amnesia
I wrote back in January 2018 about “gaming amnesia” and how if you step away from a game for a while, then often you can forget not only the basic control layout but the essential mechanics as well. Well I’ve had a couple of further instances of this recently and it got me thinking as to whether there’s a finite amount of game related data you can retain at one time. I suspect the answer is yes and that it all comes down to the old “use it or lose it” maxim. If you’re not playing a complex game regularly, then the knowledge gets superseded by information you have a more pressing need to access. Hence I do not think I’m experiencing the early signs of dementia of anything like that. Nonetheless, it can be quite frustrating and age is also a factor. Our reactions do slow as we get older and quickly recollecting information becomes more of a chore.
Learning How to Live Stream Part 2
It’s been a year since I wrote my last post about “learning to live stream”. I think that should give you a very clear indication of how well I’ve progressed. I mainly stopped streaming after a few experiments last March because of the time requirement involved. The only window of opportunity I had “go live” was from between 9:00PM and Midnight. That would have meant cutting into time I spend with Mrs P. Plus, due to health reasons, she often goes to bed before me. And as I use the spare bedroom as an office, my constant babble would have kept her awake. So this is yet another project that got shelved. However, a year later I find myself with a lot more time on my hands due to the current “global situation”. So today I fired up SLOBS once again and tried to get back on the horse. As with my previous experience, there’s a lot of fine tuning to be done if you want to live stream to any standard. So this latest outing was mainly a technical test to determine what needs to be changed in my current set up.
Completing the Minas Morgul Expansion
Despite taking a short break out of pure frustration, I decided to grit my teeth and try to finish the Minas Morgul expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online over the last few days. As I suspected, once you start questing in Minas Morgul itself, it all becomes very homogenous. The circles of the city are deliberately ponderous to navigate and the quests are padded out with generic filler content that requires you to kill multiple types of mobs. Furthermore, Minas Morgul itself is a “lagfest” and you can often find yourself instantly in combat with a mob lurking immediately outside the door of the Rangers camps. The density of the enemies means that you’re continuously pulling aggro when travelling form A to B. And you often find yourself rubberbanding and stuttering due to the poor build of the city. Completing all of the various tiers of the city is a grueling task and upon completion you’re immediately sent to Thuringwath which has many of the same problems. Although some of the quest stories are well conceived, the realities of completing much of the content in Minas Morgul make it very much an uphill struggle.
Waiting for the New Middle-earth MMO
In late 2018 it was announced that Amazon Game Studios and Leyou were collaborating on massively multiplayer online game for PC and consoles set in Middle-earth. Ongoing development is being handled by Athlon Games, a global developer and publisher of free-to-play console and PC games. The studio is a subsidiary of Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited. But beyond the fairly vague press releases that can be found on the Athlon Games website (the last was posted in July 2019), little detail has emerged about the project. There has been unsubstantiated rumours that the project may well tie-in with the forthcoming Amazon Prime TV show that is set in the Second Age of Middle Earth. However, there is little information at present in the public domain to fully substantiate this or any of the other ongoing speculation. Hence, the entire situation raises some interesting questions and I’m sure like me, you have probably pondered some of them. Here are just a few that have crossed my mind.
Old is New
If you keep up with news in the MMORPG community, you’ll be aware that there has been a recent resurgence in “rogue server” offering emulation services for titles that have officially closed. City of Heroes and Star Wars Galaxies continue to sustain a player base and the level of interest clearly indicates that this is not just due to mere nostalgia. Simply put these games maintain an audience because they are good. They’re well designed, engaging and rewarding to play. Similarly, remastered games are proving to be both popular and commercially successful. Resident Evil 2 which was released last year has sold over 5 million copies and received critical acclaim. It currently has a rating of 91% on Metacritic (for those who put stock in such things). Pundits are already predicting that the remake of Final Fantasy VII will enjoy similar success. Again when you analyse the reviews and critiques available online, you find that these remastered titles fare well due to their inherent quality. Is this something newer games are lacking?
Making Your Own Fun
I’ve yet to read a cogent definition of the term “emergent gameplay”, so it won’t feature in this post because I’m not sure if I fully grasp the concept. It seems to be a very elastic term. However, what I will say is that sometimes you run out of officially sanctioned tasks to do, when playing an MMO. You find yourself having completed all quests and missions, languishing at level cap with acceptable gear and kicking your virtual heels. It is at this point one of two things happens. You either find a means of keeping yourself engaged with the game, or you logout and find something else to play. Too often have I done the latter. At present, I’m currently at the “what should I do now” stage both in The Lord of the Rings Online and Star Trek Online. This time rather than just temporarily abandoning these games, I intend to set myself some new goals and effectively make my own fun. It may or may not work. But at the least it will make for a couple of blog posts.
A Month in Gaming
The problem I find with monthly gaming articles is that they tend to cover ground that I’ve already written about over the last 4 weeks in other blog posts, only in less detail. So here is the brief version of my gaming activities throughout February. I played through the entirety of the Star Trek Online 10th Anniversary event and received the new hybrid Tier 6 ship. I enjoyed the new 2 part feature episode and have managed to maintain a schedule of doing “odds and sods” to keep myself busy. STO is currently my primary game. I’ve ground to a halt in The Lord of the Rings Online, as soon as I start questing in Minas Morgul itself. It is simply too uninspiring and grindy an area. So I’ve focused on completing deeds for virtue experience and daily repeatable quests for Anfalas Scrolls of Empowerment. Due to constraints upon my schedule, I decided to temporarily stop my subscription to ESO Plus, as I simply do not have the time to invest in The Elder Scrolls Online at present. ESO is a good game and deserves attention when played. Committing to multiple MMOs at once is always a mistake.
Star Trek Online: The Admiralty System and Farming Dilithium
Dilithium is one of the major currencies that can be earned in the MMORPG Star Trek Online. It is given as a reward for playing through Story Missions, Task Force Operations (group PVE content), Duty Officer Assignments and other aspects of the game. Dilithium is initially awarded as ore. The player then has to refine it to be able to spend it. Furthermore, there is a cap of 8,000 Dilithium ore refined per day. Once refined, players can use Dilithium to purchase various items and services ranging from new ships, as well as space and ground equipment. Dilithium is also used in upgrading or re-engineering equipment. Another benefit of Dilithium is that it can be exchanged for Zen, STO’s premium currency. Although Zen is primarily bought with real money, Cryptic provides an in-game exchange service in which players can trade surplus Dilithium for Zen. The exchange rate can fluctuate and has steadily risen over the last ten years. Yet despite this, Dilithium continues to be a tangible and much desired resource.
“It’s Only a Game” and Other Perennial Arguments
Irrespective of one’s opinion (or lack thereof) of the “popular” streamer and gamer Ninja, one cannot deny that he has both influence and reach in certain quarters of the gaming community. Hence when he makes a statement such as the one he did recently on Twitter, it will inevitably become a talking point and cause ripples within the current gaming zeitgeist. “The phrase "it’s just a game" is such a weak mindset. You are okay with what happened, losing, imperfection of a craft. When you stop getting angry after losing, you’ve lost twice. There’s always something to learn, and always room for improvement, never settle”. For the sake of context, something that is sometimes lost due to the brevity of Twitter, Ninja is a Professional Gamer (among other things) so naturally this has a bearing upon his gaming worldview. However, even bearing this in mind, he hasn’t really said anything new. A robust rejection of the old “it’s only a game” statement is a hardy perennial argument in the gaming community. One that makes me roll my eyes and sigh heavily every time I see it, as it’s been addressed so many times.
Deathtrap Dungeon: The Interactive Adventure
I watched Welsh Troll stream Deathtrap Dungeon: The Interactive Adventure this morning and was instantly hooked by this bold new adaptation of a much beloved adventure gamebook. So I subsequently purchased the game via Steam for £7.99 which is a very reasonable price. Despite being in early access, this game’s old school appeal is instantly apparent. Based upon the 1984 book by Ian Livingstone, it perfectly captures the tone and spirit of source text. Rather than providing a visual depiction of navigating a dungeon as previous video game adaptations have done, the developers, Branching Narrative, have opted for a minimalist narrative interpretation. Hence we have actor Eddie Marsan sitting in a battered leather chair, telling the story of Baron Sukumvit's "Trial of Champions” and how those who undertake the challenge must traverse a dangerous subterranean labyrinth, from which none have ever returned. There are occasional illustrations to orientate the player but overall this is an intimate experience between the player and narrator, without an excess of visual distractions. It focuses on the power of imagination and storytelling.
We Need a New Video Games Lexicon
Some video game related subjects are “hardy perennials”, to coin a gardening term. As are the blog posts, forum thread and subreddits that explore them. I read an article over at Massively Overpowered that posed the question “How essential are hardcore gamers to an MMO’s health?”. It wasn’t the actual main premise that got me thinking, but a minor side dispute that arose about the definition of a specific term. And that term was “hardcore”. It’s a phrase that’s been associated with video game culture for over two decades. Yet there is no single, immutable dictionary definition as to what this term specifically means. Which is odd for a word that is extremely commonplace in video games parlance. Because of its elastic nature it leads a lot of scope for misinterpretation when used, be it deliberately or accidentally. So I made a self indulgent comment on the original post in which I paraphrased some dialogue from the 1986 movie, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
McCoy : How essential are “hardcore” gamers to an MMO’s health?
Spock : It is impossible to discuss the subject without a common frame-of-reference.
Gaming Ambassadors
Over four years ago, I wrote a blog post discussing the concept of “Digital Ambassadors” and how they can be an invaluable source of goodwill and promotion that compliments the traditional marketing departments and PR associated with leisure industries. A smart business sees the value of fans and the contribution they make in getting "the message" across. I recently sent in a question to the Massively OP Podcast which specifically raised this issue with regard to the the MMORPG community. There was a time when key bloggers and podcasters became integral to the promotion of specific games and that they became an unofficial form of community management. In my question I also suggested that this has waned due to the rise of Twitch TV and YouTube and that the personalities that arise from these platforms are free agents who tend to follow the latest trends. They are not so tied to one specific community. Justin and Bree kindly addressed my question on the show and it made for a very interesting discussion. Many of the points they raised had crossed my mind as well.
ESO: The Problem with Update 25
ZeniMax are allegedly addressing some major performance issues with the forthcoming Update 25 for The Elder Scrolls Online. If this latest patch improves loading times, the game’s overall performance and makes updating the client faster, then it will be well received by players. However, Update 25 requires players to reinstall the entire game client due to technical reasons. Furthermore, the patch is not going to be available prior to release on Monday February 24th, so player’s cannot download the necessary files in advance. Unfortunately, as soon as the patch server comes online, all players will have to reinstall the full ESO client and wait accordingly. Considering the disparity between internet connections in the US and Europe, player experience will vary greatly. Some will download the client in hours where others will have to simply leave their PC running and wait all day. Considering the popularity of ESO and the estimated size of its player base, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are queues or connectivity issues.
Star Trek Online: Keeping Busy
Although the 10th anniversary event is still ongoing in Star Trek Online, the overall excitement seems to be ebbing. I have played the new two part Feature Episode and it is indeed a thoroughly enjoyable fan service. Cryptic hit exactly the right tone with this story and it has re-invigorated my enthusiasm for the Star Trek franchise as a whole. I have managed to organise things so that I can complete the Omega Molecule Stabilisation anniversary event early each morning. This way I can complete this quick 15 minute task before I leave the house. I’m hoping to be able to claim the new ship early next week. However, overall I have little to do in the game at present. I did some housekeeping and deleted some unused alts, after asset stripping them of anything of note. I also cleaned up my personal bank and either “salvaged” or sold numerous items that weren’t currently being used. I have placed all my Tier 5U ships into Dry Dock and rationalised my active Tier 6 vessels. I am now setting myself some minor goals, as a means of keeping busy, until further new content is released.
The Problem with Raiding
The subject of raiding in MMOs raised its head once again over at Massively Overpowered. It would appear that ArenaNet have been looking into the current raiding content in Guild Wars 2 and found that it is only undertaken by a relatively small percentage of the playerbase. Hence they are currently looking at producing some sort of intermediary content to encourage “endgamers” who have completed all the PVE material, to work towards raiding. Whether they are successful remains to be seen but it does show once again that raiding is not a universal pastime in the MMO genre. I remember Turbine making a similar statement to this effect, back when they were developing The Lord of the Rings Online. But this post is not intended as a discussion about the validity of raiding or any of the traditional debates associated with it. I think raiding has a place in the genre. What I want to do is state the reasons why it is not something I actively do anymore. I suspect my experience is not unique.
A Month in Gaming
So much for the New Year. January has now been and gone and 2020 just seems to be barrelling along. As ever, due to my real world commitments, I’ve been pushed for time over the last thirty one days. Therefore, most of my gaming has been targeted “binge” sessions conducted late at night. However, I do find playing through episodic content over several hours to be a very productive means of making progress in MMOs. So overall January has been an enjoyable experience, game wise. Due to my circumstances, I have deferred starting any new single player games and have focused primarily on two titles; The Lord of the Rings Online and Star Trek Online. Sadly, The Elder Scrolls Online has been relegated to being played just once a week, usually on a Wednesday night when I meet up online with friends. My exploration of Vvardenfell will have to wait until later in the year, as I cannot sustain three MMOs to any great degree.
5 of My Favourite Quality-of-Life Mechanics in MMOs
Over the years I’ve played numerous MMOs (to varying degrees of success). As a genre there are certain game mechanics that are standard and common to most games. Initially during the “golden age” of the MMORPG, there was a focus on collaborative team player. This meant that successfully undertaking group content required a spectrum of players in specific roles. This particular mechanic has diminished over the years but the genre still has numerous common tropes. Quest hubs, reputation factions, gear grinds and vertical levelling are just some that spring to mind. However, many developers in this field attempt to polish and refine these “default” systems, often with interesting results. So I thought I’d cite some specific examples of what I call “quality-of-life mechanics”. Frequently these are bog standard facets common to the MMO genre, that have been polished and refined in a particular game. Small things that just make a game more manageable and provoke a positive reaction as well.
LOTRO: The Scarcity and Cost of Essential Items
I wrote recently about how I completely re-equipped my Lore-master using lootbox gear and purchasing new items using Ember of Enchantment. This did significantly boost my overall statistics and make an improvement in my combat performance. But something has still felt “off” and it was only a few days ago that I finally figured out exactly what it was. My Legendary Weapons are still wanting. I found myself standing next to another level 130 Lore-master while handing in a quest, so I decided to inspected their build. Luckily they hadn’t opted to remain “private” so I could examine exactly what gear they had and the statistics on their LI (Legendary Items). Although their armour and jewellery was broadly comparable to mine, their LIs were far superior. And it all came down to “Legacies” and what tier they were. Mine are currently level 69 and 70 on my First Age Staff. And on my First Age Lore-master Book, they are level 65 and 66. At present, until I unlock further legacy tiers, my LIs are not earning any XP and that is irksome.
LOTRO: Solving a Gear “Problem” with Money
Before I crack on, I would like to point out that I’ve put the word “problem” in quotes, to reference the fact that this is an opinion and not a universal fact that confronts all players of the MMORPG, The Lord of the Rings Online. Now that’s out of the way, let me start by saying that the way in which game developers think you should play their products can at times be at odds with how the players like to do things themselves. LOTRO is a classic MMORPG in so far as the player is expected to level their characters playing a variety of PVE content, then play repeatables to obtain intermediate gear, then pursue endgame content such as raiding. Simply put, it means you get the best gear once you’ve arrived at level cap and not while you’re levelling. Usually PVE content is not too problematic if you maintain a relevant build and gear according to level. However, LOTRO does have several zones and expansions that are “wild cards. For example Mounted Combat in Rohan is a nuisance for melee classes. And then there’s the gear check and increase in mob difficulty that occurs in both Mordor and Minas Morgul expansions.
Thoughts on the Minas Morgul Expansion
I was afforded some free time this weekend, so I logged in to The Lord of the Rings Online and blitzed through about half of the Minas Morgul expansion and managed to reach the new level cap of 130 ( I was level 128 when I started). I finished the first two new chapters of The Black Book of Mordor and completed Mordor Besieged; the section of the new expansion that is set in the Second Age on the plateau of Gorgoroth. It’s a curious and initially engaging part of the game. In the past LOTRO aficionados have only been able to briefly access iconic events of the past through session play where they get to be someone else, via a short story driven instance. Mordor Besieged offers a revised area of the existing Mordor map; namely Dor Armath. All though a desolate place in the Second Age, this region is not the wasteland we see in the Third Age. The landscape has several active fortresses held by both sides and The Nazgul roam freely. But there is little of real substance to do here (a point I shall return to) and after a while it gets somewhat repetitive.