Exclusivity: A Play in One Act

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Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: Hey you. Would you like to play an action-adventure video game based on the Marvel’s Avengers franchise?

Mildly Interested Gamer: Sure. Sound’s cool. What platform will it be available on?

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: All of them!

Mildly Interested Gamer: Great.

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: It gets better. After the launch, there'll be free DLC of additional playable characters. 

Mildly Interested Gamer: No way! 

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: Yes away. First up we got Hawkeye.

Mildly Interested Gamer: Oh okay…

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: And then we got Spider-Man

Mildly Interested Gamer: Outstanding. I’ll go pre-order my Xbox copy now and get me some of that Spider-Man action.

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: Oh, sorry. Spider-Man is a Playstation exclusive.

Mildly Interested Gamer: Say what?

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: Yeah. Spider-Man is only going to be available to owners of the Playstation version of the game.

Mildly Interested Gamer: Well that fucking sucks. How do you justify this shit?

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: It says here in my “Marketing Guide to Tough Questions” that the standard answer is “that’s capitalism, bitch”. Plus Sony owns the rights to Spider-Man and Marvel were happy to go along with this “arrangement”.

Mildly Interested Gamer: But that’s so unfair. It’s like you’re punishing gamers that didn’t buy a Playstation.

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: Not at all. We’re offering exclusivity and creating value. Admittedly we’re doing this by devaluing the product on competing platforms but we’re pretty sure we can get away with this. We’re even hoping that some gamers will buy a second console just so they can play as Spider-Man.

Mildly Interested Gamer: What makes you think that will happen?

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: Because gamers such as you have a track record of being what we call in the business “fucking gullible”. You buy into all our “promises”, give us your money upfront before we’ve even finished a game and then you happily keep paying for baubles and trinkets while we pretend to fix the problems we created. 

Mildly Interested Gamer: You sonofabitch…

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: And for all your posturing and complaining, you keep coming back like a Golden Retriever that’s desperate to please its owner after shitting on the carpet.

Mildly Interested Gamer: Fuck you. Not this time.

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: Oh you will. You always do. It never ceases to amaze us as we sit around at night in our volcano lair, counting all our money, that the only reason we get away with so much is because you let us. You pathetic fools.

Mildly Interested Gamer: That’s it, I’m done.I’m quitting games. I’m going to keep bees.

Unscrupulous Video Game Developer: Really? Would you like to pre-order a Marvel themed virtual hive? 

A Month in Gaming

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As I mentioned in the last instalment of “A Month in Gaming”, I was toying with the idea of buying Ghost Recon Breakpoint. However, I have decided against that. Yes the game may well be a third person, co-operative shooter but ultimately it’s yet more explosions and military hardware fetishism, which isn’t anything new. I have more than enough of that at present with Call of Duty Modern Warfare/Warzone. I also don’t feel disposed towards giving Ubisoft any of my money at the moment, until they get their house in order. I am so tired of continuously reading about how shitty the video game industry is to work in. It’s difficult to protest in a meaningful way but I guess for the present not buying a product is as good a way as any. So rather than purchasing any further games, I decided in July to play at least one of the many titles I’ve got in my existing library.

After perusing my existing catalogue of games, I decided to install The Sinking City. I’ve enjoyed Frogware’s Sherlock Holmes games and this title includes many of the systems and mechanics from that franchise. It’s a Lovecraftian themed investigation game, set in a semi-open world environment. The emphasis is on dialogue trees, finding clues and then making the correct deductions via the “Mind Palace” system. There is much to like about the game and the plot, visuals and general ambience is steeped in the Cthulhu Mythos. However, despite the city being large, a lot of assets are repeated, traversing the streets is difficult as many are submerged and you can only interact with about a quarter of the NPCs that you meet. Combat is also very clunky as you cannot rapidly fire any of the guns. Yet despite these issues, the game has a charm about it. The developers may have over reached in some respects but they totally nail the essence of Lovecraft’s work.

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Ironically, I decided to return to The Lord of the Rings Online in late July and catch up with some of the outstanding content I’ve yet to complete. I thought it best to try and get The Great Wedding out of the way, something I’m not especially interested in, so I could then continue with the Wells of Langflood. However, the server outage that plagued the game for nearly a fortnight put pay to that plan. It was a timely reminder of how Standing Stone Games seem to flounder when it comes to communication and customer relations. The situation also led to me visiting both the official and unofficial LOTRO forums for news. Despite me not being active on either of these platforms for several years, nothing appears to have really changed with either communities. Both seem to exhibit the exactly the same “problems” that they’ve always had with “overzealous” fans and fandom.

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As to my plans for August, I may catch up with some of the new Klingon themed content that has recently been added to Star Trek Online. The yearly summer festival starts shortly, offering a Risian Weather Control Vessel as the prize. It’s a Tier 6 Escort Class but I’ve reached the point in the game where I don’t really feel the need to grind for another ship. Season 5 of Call of Duty Warzone is also imminent and I still haven’t decided whether or not I shall buy the new Battle Pass. I’ve played the game constantly for 4 months and I’m not certain if I can sustain my interest. However, Infinity Ward are well versed at altering the game map, adding new play modes and weapons, so I may be able to stay engaged. I suspect that I may once again look towards my existing game library for further entertainment in the weeks ahead. I have so many titles that remain untouched.

Never the Twain Shall Meet?

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Video games can offer a great opportunity for personal growth. If you are the sort of player who likes to prove themselves and continuously test one’s mettle, then some titles can provide the challenge required to be the best of the best. Hence many games are competitive, have league tables and other formal structures for measuring success. It is one of the reasons why esports have become so popular. But this desire to excel and master a particular play style extends beyond competitive games. For some players part of a games allure is understanding the numbers and stats that drive the game mechanics. Because these are often the key to optimising your build and maximising DPS output. Hence you will find skilled and learned players in a variety of games across multiple genres. Although they are often motivated for different reasons, they all strive to be elite players.

I have been playing video games in some shape or form since the coin-op days of the eighties. But I have never been anything more than an average player. Plus I am motivated primarily by having fun and have never seen any game as some sort of personal trial or path to spiritual enlightenment. That’s not to say that I don’t try and attempt to improve. I just know that I won’t progress beyond a certain level of ability because the fun to work ratio will no longer be to my liking. And I’m not alone in this and have written before about how I believe the majority of gamers are “average” with regard to skill. Which brings me to my point. If you look at the skilled, top tier gamers and the average players in terms of a venn diagram, then there’s not a lot of overlap. Depending on the genre of game, I think that overlap reduces even further.

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I joined a kinship (guild) in The Lord of the Rings Online in 2009 and I’m still in it. It has some extremely knowledgeable players who are skilled at multiple classes. Occasionally we will do group content and these players will “coach” (or even carry) the less able players. They are often already familiar with the dungeon or raid in question because they’ve completed it numerous time’s with their skilled peers. They spend the majority of their time with players of comparable abilities. When they do help out with what I shall politely call “The B Team”, I often become acutely aware of the disparity in skill and DPS. Hence the Ralph Wiggum meme at the top of this post. And once the group content is done they politely withdraw and go back to “swimming at the deep end of the pool”. The social panel in LOTRO tells players where their friends and colleagues are and whether they’re in a group. These folk are always busy doing the “hard stuff”.

At least in the MMO genre, you may occasionally encounter top tier players. I find that in other genres such as FPS games, there is clear segregation based on skill. When I play Call of Duty Modern Warfare Multiplayer, I will frequently play game styles and specific maps that do much to level the playing field. The small confined space of the “Shipment” map means that there’s scope to get by on luck and sporting a loadout that allows you to fire from the hip. Although I do encounter good players who are well versed in tactics and have good reactions, there is a chance to counter them. But I find that the players I encounter in Battle Royale and Plunder mode are broadly comparable to myself. Let it suffice to say that the quality of players I see in the various YouTube clip shows that I watch, have never crossed my path. Not that I’m complaining. Players should be grouped with those of similar skill.

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Now I’m not advocating that this naturally occurring segregation of gamers based upon skill is a bad thing. Skilled players mainly prefer the company of their peers. Average players do not like being “target practise” and “cannon fodder” for the elite. And both groups are paying customers and as such should be afforded an experience that they enjoy. But it is curious how gaming is often spoken of as a shared experience and something that a wide variety of people have in common, when the reality is far more compartmentalised. Most MMO players have never participated in a raid. Many of those who enjoy the Battle Royale genre have yet to win a game. The reality is that a lot of video game content is never played, exotic weapons remain locked and achievements, accolades and deeds are left incomplete. Although we are united by the fact that we all play video games, that is where the common ground both starts and ends.

LOTRO: Over a Week of Downtime

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The MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online has been plagued by technical problems for over a week now, resulting in multiple servers being offline. The game’s official forums have also been intermittently affected by these ongoing issues, as has Standing Stone Games other MMO, Dungeon and Dragons Online. The problems initially started on Wednesday the 15th of July with severe lag, rubberbanding and random client disconnections. LOTRO has had ongoing issues with all of these problems in the past and developers SSG have attempted to address them numerous times. It was hoped that the release of a 64 bit client last summer would improve matters and initially there were indications of performance improvements. However, the specific poor server performance that was identified last week has allegedly “cascaded” throughout SSG’s infrastructure.

At present the specific nature of the “problem” remains unknown and somewhat nebulous. Furthermore it is likely to remain that way as SSG and prior to them Turbine, have never felt the need to provide details of technical outages. Now that is not exactly an unusual position to take as most companies do not feel the need to discuss infrastructure failings with their customer base. The matter may well be complicated by SLAs with 3rd party vendors etc. Businesses also have to deal with a great deal or internal politics and legal obligations. In this case SSG may well be constrained by policies set by their publishers (and pay masters) Daybreak Games. However, what is customary in such situations is for the “problem” to be handled by whatever internal departments handle communications and community management. Difficult situations like this become a “PR opportunity”.

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The “problem” has come back…

Sadly, community management, interacting with the player base and providing reassurance is not SSGs strong point. In the past nine days there have been a litany of Twitter and Facebook posts about servers going on and offline. There have also been a few short messages apologising for the inconvenience. This is certainly civil but it really does seem like the bare minimum. The LOTRO player community is both seasoned and loyal. They are also extremely forgiving of these sorts of technical issues because they endured them before on more than one occasion. To use an old British colloquialism SSG and Turbine before them, have “form”. But it is a mistake for the game’s developers to rely too heavily on players' good will. 2020 has not been a “good year” so far and gamers per se may not be as “affable” as they usually are. At this point a little more transparency and frankly credible customer relations would be useful. 

Are players asking for rash promises regarding technical solutions? No. Are they asking SSG to breach rules regarding disclosure and confidentiality? No. They’re looking for a simple, concise explanation as to the broad nature of the “problem”. They’re also looking for a reason to get behind the technical staff who I’m sure are working extremely hard under pressured circumstances. We appreciate that a bullet proof ETA on a solution is not practical. But regular, sincere updates on progress would be very reassuring. Everyone knows what’s at stake. We know that downtime means no one is playing and if no one is playing, then no one is paying. A drop in revenues is not good for any MMO. But SSG need to realise that the immense goodwill of their players that they have benefitted from for the last decade is not an infinite commodity. They need to communicate and keep everyone onboard, rather than push players away due to perceived indifference.

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I have often reiterated the point that the LOTRO community should not overlook that they are consumers, as well as ardent fans. They may not immediately see both DDO and LOTRO as services but ultimately they are, the same as gas, electricity or your cell phone. So its is reasonable to have consumer expectations. Another point to consider is that good will needs to be maintained on both sides. A loss of revenue seldom pleases those who control the purse strings but if community relations are good, then the bean counters may well feel positive about the community returning and spending. If community relations sour, then a gap in the balance sheet and concerns over players not investing in the game, could contribute to more detrimental decisions being made. I therefore hope that SSG improves its PR and that LOTRO players keep their heads. The downtime is a frustration for all. I wish SSG staff well with the “problem”. But sometimes it’s not just about solving a problem but also how you handle it.

Busy Doing Nothing

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If you’ve figured out this tenuous movie reference then give yourself a pat on the back

As I mentioned recently in my monthly gaming roundup, I’ve currently stopped playing the three MMORPGs that are my usual gaming mainstay. Namely The Lord of the Rings Online, The Elder Scrolls Online and Star Trek Online. It’s something that I do from time to time when I’m tired of the repetition this genre offers. At present none of these titles has anything on offer that motivates me to play them enthusiastically. Especially LOTRO. I find weddings tedious and self indulgent in real life, so I’m hardly going to get “excited” about a virtual one set in Middle-earth. However, that’s not to say that I’ve lost interest in the MMO genre. I’m merely temporarily burned out at present. I find that after a few months or so, either new content is released that lures me back to these games or I tire of what I’ve been playing in their stead. It’s a cyclical process that I go through from time to time and nothing to worry about. 

However, despite the fact I’m not actively playing these games, it’s surprising how they still manage to keep me busy. How do they keep me busy, I hear you ask? Have I not deleted them from my hard drive? Of course not, that’s crazy talk. Before I move on to the various tasks involved in not playing a game, let me first address this ludicrous assumption that if you’re not playing a game you can delete it from your hard drive and reinstall it later. Because we all have fast internet connections nowadays? Well for starters let me list the current installation size of these three MMOs. LOTRO 30.1GB, ESO 71.7GB and STO 35.5GB respectively. Those are not “small beer” and irrespective of your internet connection speed, if you wish to install these games from scratch you’re at the mercy of three separate game clients and three sets of patching servers. All of which are painfully slow and temperamental. So unless you desperately need to reclaim the space on your SSD or HDD, never delete a game just co’s you’re not playing it at present. Don’t even get me started on customisations and addons.

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Moving on, these unplayed MMOs need constant tending. There’s constant patching, especially for ESO who seem to release new content based on two criteria; when it’s raining and when it’s not. Rather than be inconvenienced when I finally decide to return to these games by finding a ton of updates to download, it’s best to keep the client current just in case. And then there’s the login presents and rewards. Both LOTRO and ESO giveaway daily incentives or “free shit” as it’s called in marketing parlance, to encourage consumer loyalty. I may not be playing at present but FOMO is a real thing. I’d hate to pass up on a one off opportunity to claim the “Sword of Kagnazax” or a cosmetic Humboldt Squid pet. I’m also a member of at least one guild that regularly kicks players if they don’t log into the game after a set period of time. So I have to show a face, so to speak, at least once a week or I’ll be given my “marching orders”.

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Blogging about these games also adds to the every growing list of chores. Just because I’m not actively playing through current content doesn’t mean that I have nothing to say on the state of any of these three titles or regarding any breaking story or development associated with them. Which leads me to my next point, I often find myself without a suitable screen capture that I can use to illustrate a post. So I have to quickly log into the game in question and grab a few images. And of course you don’t get to just “log on and then log off”. There’s invariably someone online who spots you and decides to engage you in lengthy conversation regarding your health, what you’ve been up to and that wretched bird on Mrs Coltart’s roof (yet again). So as you can see, it can be quite exhausting not playing games. Talk about busy doing nothing. It’s amazing I find time for the games I actually am engaged with at present.

OK Gesture Removed From Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone have a wealth of customisation and cosmetics  options. One of which is the ability to assign hand gestures to your character. These can be used as a means of giving instructions when playing in a squad but more often they’re just used for fun or humorously. Players will use them after a kill or sometimes make them part of a trick shot, such as making a gesture with the left hand while firing from the hip with the right. I’ve not noticed a lot of use of gestures while playing nor do I use them myself. It takes all my concentration to stay alive. However, they do seem to feature in the various CoD clip shows I watch on YouTube, so they’re more of an affectation used by “top tier” players. Recently, developers’ Infinity Ward removed the OK gesture from the game. This minor change was not mentioned in the patch notes and the gesture was replaced with a new one called "crush". 

Neither the developer Infinity Ward, or the publisher Activision have publicly commented on this minor change but it’s more than likely to do with this gesture’s appropriation as a “hate symbol”. In late 2019, the Anti-Defamation League added the OK gesture to its list of hate symbols after they identified its use by various white supremacist groups. Allegedly this gesture’s use in this context stems from the 4Chan “community”. Members of the site apparently propagated a bogus rumour that the OK sign had racist connotations as a means of baiting the media. Ironically, the OK sign was adopted by the “far-right” and hence some institutions now feel that it’s meaning within certain contexts has been usurped. It should be noted that Brenton Tarrant, the perpetrator of the 2019 Christchurch mass shooting in New Zealand, used this gesture during his first court appearance.

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Now whenever something is changed in a popular game, there is inevitably some “push back” from certain players, irrespective of whether the change is justified or not. Also, anything that is vaguely motivated by socio political reasons will always cause a ruckus from certain quarters. Hence if you read a lot of the comments on gaming websites that have covered this story, you’ll find a lot of spurious arguments, bogus claims of censorship and spittleflect ire. “So divers can’t signal to each other anymore because it’s racist?” is one example of the incessant whataboutery I’ve seen bandied about. Naturally the answer is “divers can do what they want because their recreational pursuits doesn’t fall under the auspices of Activision Blizzard or take part exclusively in a space that they own and control”. But I seldom see any sense of arguing with idiots. “They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience” as the great George Carlin said.

As far as I’m concerned the removal of this gesture has simply eliminated something that could be used for trolling and causing “unrest” within an online community. There’s more than enough of that sort of culture associated with PVP and the FPS genre already. Do we really need something that can potentially contribute more? As ever, the “debate” that has arisen around this nominal change is nothing more than standard bloviations from career malcontents. It’s a shame that these gamers do not put the same sort of effort into reflection upon the real problems associated with the video games industry. But I suspect that many of the gamers who feel the need to be perpetually outraged, are cut from the same cloth as the problem staff that are often at the centre of the majority of gaming “controversies”.

The Social Etiquette of Quitting a Multiplayer Game

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I was watching a YouTube video recently of someone trying the new Fennec SMG in Call of Duty Modern Warfare Multiplayer. It was a 5 versus 5 game and the player who made the video was clearly quite skilled. After quickly racking up multiple kills, 3 of the enemy team left mid game. He laughed and pointed out that they had “rage quit”, although that is just conjecture. They may have left the game for a multitude of reasons (a point I shall return to later). As ever this video began a train of thought which I would now like to explore. Multiplayer games often go hand in hand with a lot of informal social etiquette. Much of which stems from the original MMOs from two decades ago. However, these conventions are not in any way mandatory or enshrined in any games terms of service. Yet quitting in the middle of a multiplayer game is still frowned upon in certain quarters, often being seen as an act of selfishness and childish anger. However, like everything in life, I think it’s not as simple as that.

Firstly, let’s consider the rectitude of quitting a multiplayer game halfway through. If the game you are playing has a fail state that is dependent on a full team, or requires players of a certain class to be successfully completed, then leaving will definitely inconvenience others. Raids, dungeons and other complex group content often require planning and a degree of organisation. If you have committed to such an undertaking then it is not unreasonable to be expected to honour it. If the group content is not going to plan then the “problem” should be discussed within the group. However, if genuine external factors mean that you must leave the group, then it is best to inform your colleagues and then depart at the most appropriate juncture. Simply quitting because things are not going well or because something potentially more entertaining presents itself, does strike as inconsiderate. The Healer or Tank leaving a group will often make specific tasks impossible. 

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However, as previously mentioned, group situations are frequently nuanced. If you are taking part in a multiplayer game and subject to abuse of any kind, then leaving is most certainly an option. Events and activities organised via friends or a guild hopefully reduce the risk of such behaviour but many games now include auto grouping tools. “Pick Up Groups” are potentially far more problematic due to their random nature. I personally will not tolerate any sort of prejudicial abuse and will leave if I encounter such. Unless it is essential to talk, I mute voice chat with strangers and communicate via preset ingame commands. More often than not I find that people leave PUGS if the task in hand is not being completed in an optimal fashion. Another issue is joining a full group but finding that several players have deliberately gone AFK. This is usually done so that an achievement or reward can be gained. Some games will detect such activities and sanction the player by kicking them from the group or applying a time penalty preventing further auto grouping.

But not all group situations come with the same stakes. In the FPS genre auto grouping is a common practise used to assemble players quickly and conveniently. Furthermore, players are not always interdependent upon each other. Irrespective of whether your team wins or loses a Deathmatch you’ll still be rewarded XP and weapons will unlock. Due to the popularity of certain genres, there are a wealth of players to draw upon when forming groups. Hence if players leave in the middle of a multiplayer game, they are seamlessly replaced. And players do leave often. Circling back to the original anecdotes about the players leaving the  5 versus 5 game on CoD MW, this is frequently due to the inadequacy of the “Skill Based Matchmaking”. It is beneficial to all concerned if players are grouped with others of a broadly comparable ability. Nothing kills your enjoyment quicker in these sorts of games than one or several players dominating events. Hence players will simply remove themselves from a situation that is not conducive to their enjoyment.

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The MMO genre is still predominantly a social one, filled with guilds that run on player interaction and association. People build up relationships overtime and as such social rules and cultural norms often come into play when undertaking group content. Activities that are arranged and managed directly by multiple people logically require a different level of social commitment from those participating. The more impersonal game mechanic of autogrouping for content with less complex fail states (and therefore fewer consequences), requires a lower social dynamic. And let us not forget that paying to play a game can considerably alter one's relationship with it. The moment money is involved players often adopt a more transactional mentality. Anything that impedes enjoyment or progression is seen as a failure of service delivery and not necessarily in terms of the capricious nature of gaming.

Therefore, quitting a multiplayer game halfway through is not a binary issue (I wish I had £1 every time I’ve written that over the years). It is very much a contextual matter. I do not see an auto grouped undertaking in a FPS or similar game as commensurate with a pre-planned raid in an MMO with people I know. Leaving halfway through has different consequences in both scenarios and should be treated accordingly. Raiding and similar events in the MMO genre are a far more logistically and socially complex endeavour than joining a PUG in a Team Deathmatch. If a raid isn’t working there may well be planning issues to address or social problems within the group. But these are human failings and not always attributable to the game content. Competing with players of greater skill is not something that an individual can so easily address, apart from the obvious solution of leaving. But cultural attitudes and societal baggage towards what are your “social obligations” vary among gamers. So there is no definitive answer beyond the one you fathom for yourself.

A Month in Gaming

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I stopped subscribing to The Lord of the Rings Online in June. I’ve always had a very cyclical relationship with this MMO and at present I feel I need a break from the games somewhat linear formula. Plus the new content scheduled for release centred around the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen doesn’t exactly sound enthralling. So I’ve left my primary character in Langflood and will return to the game later in the year when I feel the need to catch up with content. I have also abandoned the ongoing events in Star Trek Online as they’re getting too repetitive. I would like to see a new longterm story arc rather than just a continuous cycle of short term events and repeatable content. I don’t mind working towards a goal but it has to be something I want and the rewards offered in this MMO are getting a little too generic for my liking. I shall return to the game at some point as I’m a lifetime account holder and I’m curious to see how developer’s Cryptic overhauls the Klingon story arc.

I found a good deal on the latest expansion for The Elder Scrolls Online and so I purchased the Digital Upgrade Edition of Greymoor. I mainly wanted to see what the new Harrowstorms events were like and was pleasantly surprised by their difficulty. Dolmen become easier when more players are present but that is not necessarily the case with Harrowstorms. I have so far refrained from playing any of the story content in this new zone as I’m still committed to playing the narrative content in ESO in order. I like to keep the installation of ESO on my PC up to date as my twin granddaughters enjoy this game. They will often ask to see what the “lady with the burnt face and big boobies” is doing (their description, not mine) when they come round and visit. They also like the exotic cosmetic pets and the Khajit “cat people”. The recurring dragon events in Southern Elsweyr is also a source of entertainment for them.

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June also saw several games uninstalled from my PC, as I had either completed them or had reached a point where I wasn’t going to return to them any time soon. So I removed Red Dead Redemption 2 as it really is a title you need to apply yourself to. To get the best out of the game it helps if you play for several hours at a time and immerse yourself in the story. I haven’t done this for a while and so my connection to the narrative was lost. Another thing I’ve noticed when playing these densely plotted RPGs is that I sometimes spend too much time pondering over decisions. Games with branching narratives are interesting but I occasionally find myself worrying that I will somehow “hobble” myself at some point in the future, if I make a “bad” choice. It’s a curious paradox as these decision making mechanics are designed to provide a sense of immersion but the “worry” they can produce can sometimes have the opposite effect.

Overall, Call of Duty Modern Warfare is still keeping me engaged after two and a half months. I do find it frustrating the way various game modes come and go. I was just beginning to learn the layout and foibles of the “Trench” map in 5 versus 5 battles when this was taken out of the game menu. However, Plunder Mode has proven to be a good alternative to the standard Battle Royale Mode in Warzone. The object is to collect cash from various stashes around the main map and then airlift it out. There are several prime landing zones in the Downtown area that are always heavily contested. However, for the more cautious player, you can explore and accrue money in the outlying areas and bank it by regularly buying Cash Deposit Balloons from Buy Stations. Combat is not so frenetic in this permutation of the game, although you do still have to keep your eyes open for players doing exactly the same as you. Auto Grouping is also not so problematic in Plunder Mode either. Players seem to take a more casual attitude to proceedings so you can play collaboratively or do your own thing if you prefer. This mode also provides a lot of XP if you’re levelling through the Battle pass.

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I’ve been toying with the idea of buying Ghost Recon Breakpoint. I initially declined to do so due to the broken nature of the game upon its release and the conspicuous lack of AI teammates. They were present in Wildlands, the previous iteration of the franchise and were a boon for anyone who didn’t have a copiously populated friends list. However, Ubisoft is finally adding AI Squad functionality to Breakpoint this month so I may see if I can get a deal. A lot of the game’s problems have been fixed and there’s now over a year’s worth of content to be played through including a guest appearance by Sam Fisher from Splinter Cell. Furthermore he’s voiced once again by Michael Ironside. I may also see if there are any smaller games I can try in July to take my mind off the fact that the video game industry and associated culture just seems to be a continuous dumpster fire. It’s going to be a long uphill struggle to see these institutions evolve and adapt into something vaguely equitable and ethical.

Why Are So Many Gamers Assholes?

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A representation of an “asshole”

First off before we begin, I am not going to apologise for using the term “asshole”. Yes I could use more eloquent language but finding a non profane definition is complicated and potentially difficult to agree upon. Are we talking about antisocial gamers, the deliberately obtuse or those with specific prejudices and axes to grind? Is this all about tribalism, real world political affiliations or the whims and caprices of professional malcontents? Perhaps all these examples are correct and just different facets of the same problem? See, it’s easy to get bogged down just with the terminology. But most people know what is meant by the phrase “asshole”. Within the confines of gaming culture, we know exactly who and what they are. We also know where to find them and sadly they are not an endangered species.

Moving on to the main question, “why are so many gamers assholes”, there are numerous explanations to consider. Perhaps the all time classic answer is the old “anonymity of the internet” theory. The idea that because someone can hide their identity and thus avoid any repercussions, they will by default indulge in abhorrent behaviour. But this explanation is not as comprehensive as it first appears. I often have opportunities to indulge in consequence free behaviour, yet refrain from doing so. If none of us did then there wouldn’t be a gaming community per se, as it would just be a constant battleground. So like all social issues, the reality is more complicated and nuanced when scrutinised properly. Yes, the freedom that the internet affords is certainly a factor in the problem but not the defining one. So what are the other possible explanations?

Although gaming and sports are not identical in nature, there is certainly a lot of crossover in their social attributes. Both have a culture of fandom that is often based upon tribalism and competitiveness. The former is not something that can be reasoned with, leaning more towards blind loyalty. The latter can at times lapse into a “winning at any cost” mindset, which is hardly conducive for equitable community relationships. Stepping away from sport, public discourse in politics and the news agenda has become more partisan and bellicose in recent years. Traditional notions of data driven debate and facts underpinning an argument has given way to slogan driven rhetoric, gaslighting and appealing to “feelings”. All of which are incredibly flexible for those who don’t want to be restrained by reason or logic. 

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A bona fide “asshole”

Other factors to consider are levels of emotional and social literacy. There is data to suggest that certain quarters of society are not learning the social skills needed to navigate life. Then there has been decades of reinforcement of the old trope of resolving conflict through violence via TV, cinema, music and literature. But perhaps the biggest factor is one that has blighted not just leisure activities but most social communities. Gaming has for years been perceived, defined and marketed as a white male “space” and it is only in recent years there has been any attempt to challenge and change that. It should be noted that such efforts have always seen a reciprocal amount of pushback from those who see it as “their preserve”. As gaming has become more culturally “acceptable” and hence more commercially viable, it has reached wider audiences and demographics. Yet the industry has been slow to embrace representation as many of those who effectively run it are not cut from the cloth of inclusivity.

And at a grass roots level, a great deal of “assholery” goes unchallenged and unchecked due to there being little effective community based moderation or policing. Censorship and free speech are often invoked as a bogus defense but usually it just comes down to cost. The most effective moderation is done by experienced people and employing them comes with a cost. Plus imposing sanctions on “assholes” hits the bottom line, irrespective of their character traits. “Assholes” are paying customers. Sometimes they are whales. Hence we all too often see the pretense of caring and a lot of hollow press releases and mission statements that promise much but deliver little. Environments such as these, along with the wider social factors discussed are ideal for “assholes” and allow them to thrive.

Now there are some who think that the entire toxic gamer trope is blown out of all proportion and that the reality is different to the perception. Arguments often centre on “assholes” being just a disproportionately vocal minority and it all being a case of visibility bias. Then there are sound arguments to be had about nonverbal cues and how social media often masks intent etc. Are all of those who trot out inflammatory epithets really advocating them and the philosophy behind them or simply repeating something they’ve read in an attempt to get a rise? Is there genuine malice behind all incidents? I have also discussed with others whether the brevity and lack of nuance that is inherent in all text based chat systems makes it difficult for anyone not to appear as an “asshole” at some point. However, where I think many cases do fall into these categories, it doesn’t excuse or explain those gamers who exist in a perpetual state of malcontentment. You’ll find examples of these people on every game related forum and subreddit. They seem obligatory, like a copy of Queen’s Greatest Hits in your music collection.

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A man who sang about “assholes”

Finally, I would like to add another reason to explain the abundance of “assholes” in the gaming community. A somewhat depressing one that some folk may reject due to its implications. Maybe people collectively just aren’t as nice as we like to think. It has always been purported within western society that there are more good guys than bad. We tell our children to study and then work hard, play by the rules and that society and the establishment will treat you well. The myth that there is a sort of cultural social contract and quid pro quo. I suspect that the last decade may have proven that this is patently not true. Social conventions and lack of access to communication platforms masked this in the past but now the reality is clearer to see. A lot of people have a beef with life be it legitimate or imagined. Plus being nice takes effort. Being an “asshole” does not.

Yes there are good people who do the right thing, that believe in fairness, equality and treating people as they like to be treated themselves. There always will be. But then there’s an opposite constituent that is self centred and mortally afraid of difference. Anything perceived to threaten the status quo that enshines their world view and socioeconomic advantage is resisted. I think the big revelation of recent years is that the former group is not the majority as previously thought or claimed. In fact the split between the two is probably a lot more even. Hence there are more “assholes” than previously thought. As for the question of whether we can beat or contain the tide of “assholery”, the answer is the same as it always has been. You call out offenders, challenge the ideologies that drive them and lead by example. But it takes an unified effort from all and ultimately, you cannot elect to just sit it out. We tend to get the standard of communities that we allow, rather the ones we notionally aspire to. And that is why so many gamers are “assholes”. We let them.

ESO: Animation Cancelling and Weaving

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Whenever you use a skill on your hotbar in The Elder Scrolls Online, there is an associated animation as it is inducted and utilised. These animations may vary in length from one to several seconds depending upon their nature. Although these animations add to the ambience of the game, they do come with a direct consequence. The player has to wait for the animation of one skill to complete before they can use another. For those seeking to optimise their performance or DPS output, these delays are an impediment. However, they can be negated through animation cancelling and weaving. Animation cancelling is as it states the stopping of a skill related animated sequence by the use of a follow up action such as bash/tap block/dodgeroll. Weaving is slightly different, in so far as instead of stopping the inducted animation immediately, it allows for the process to be cut short as another animation is started. Typically this is done by using a light attack and then immediately using a skill.

There are 5 main types of weaving and animation cancelling that can be done in the ESO.

Light Attack Based Weaving:

Light Attack > Skill

Dodge Based Animation Cancelling:

Light Attack > Dodge

Skill > Dodge

Light Attack > Skill > Dodge

Block Based Animation Cancelling:

Light Attack > Block

Skill > Block

Light Attack > Skill > Block

Bash Based Animation Cancelling:

Light Attack > Bash

Skill > Bash

Light Attack > Skill > Bash

Weapon Swap Based Animation Cancelling:

Light Attack > Swap

Skill > Swap

Light Attack > Skill > Swap

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Like most explanations, this may seem straightforward in principle. However, to be able to effectively undertake these attack chains requires a great deal of practise. Players may also wish to reconsider the order in which some skills appear on their hotbar and remap some keyboard functions. If you’re in a Guild, then the best way to practise is to go to the Guild Hall and use the training dummies there. Advance players may wish to set up macros or use addons that show skill cooldown timers etc. Animation cancelling and weaving is essential in PVP and when playing advanced dungeons. But is it necessary for the casual player? No. You can play PVE content without using this technique. But it is certainly advantageous for new players to learn the most basic weaving skill of using a light attack immediately followed by a skill. It allows you to do damage more quickly and efficiently.

Star Trek Online: Beginners Guide Part 1 - The Cost of Playing

I’ve mentioned in the past that a lot of important information regarding the MMORPG Star Trek Online is centralised within the official subreddit. That’s fine if you enjoy using this platform but it’s not for everyone. I’ve always found Reddit somewhat esoteric and I don’t really like the way it visually displays information. I have to use a browser addon to make it more user friendly. Unlike other communities, STO does not seem to have that many fan produced blogs. However, I may be wrong regarding this, so feel free to correct me (and provide URLs). In the meantime, I thought it may be useful to write a series of simple guides, offering practical information for those who are new to STO. Nothing fancy or in any way definitive. Just a few basic tips that may help orientate the new player. This time we’re going to look at the business model for STO and the cost of playing the game.

Q: What is the business model for STO?

A: STO is a free to play game. Unlike some other MMOs there are no major impediments to new players. Story based content is not locked behind any sort of paywall. Once a player has completed the tutorial and reached level 10 (which is easy to do) they can play the latest material. Some content is scalable. STO has several earnable in-game currencies; Energy Credits, Dilithium and Lobi Crystals. You can also purchase Zen for real money. This currency is used to buy in-game store items such as ships, character slots and bank space etc. If you don’t want to spend any real money, you can grind Dilithium and exchange it for Zen, legitimately within the game.

Q: Is there a subscription?

A: STO used to have a subscription option but this was removed from the game in December 2018. If you play for free, you have Silver account status. This applies a degree of limitations upon the game, such as an Energy Credit cap of 15 million and your overall number of character slots, bank slots, Bridge Officer and ship slots. None of these are a deal breaker for new players. If you enjoy the game and wish to create multiple alts or feel that you need more space, you can purchase all these additional resources via the store. Gold account status used to be gained by subscribing but now it is only available by the purchase of a lifetime account.

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Q: Are there any essential items to purchase?

A: Although I wouldn’t define it as “essential” the Elite Services Starter Pack does offer a lot of benefits to a new player. It costs 1,000 Zen and can be found in the C-Store. It includes 36 bank slots and 36 inventory spaces, two Bridge Officer slots and three retrain tokens (for reallocating your skill points). If these items were bought separately it would cost the player 2,250 Zen. Hence, the Elite Services Starter Pack is a real bargain working out at less than $10. Again if you don’t want to buy any Zen with real money, you can grind Dilithium by playing game content and exchange it for Zen. It will take about one week to earn sufficient Zen for the Elite Services Starter Pack.

Q: Is the Lifetime subscription worth it ?

A: This very much depends on how often you play STO. I would not encourage new players to contemplate such a purchase until they have played STO for a while and determined how invested they are in the game. If it becomes your MMO of choice and you log on several times a week or more, then it does offer value for money. Upon purchase you immediately unlock Veteran Rewards which include unique ships, uniforms and other game rewards. But perhaps the biggest incentive is a monthly stipend of 500 Zen. A Lifetime subscription retails at $299 but there are often sales throughout the year when the price is dropped to $199.

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Q: Should I buy a ship straight away?

A: Unless you have your heart set on a specific ship and are happy to pay real money, once again I would advise those just starting out to not do so. The game provides the player with 5 free ships as they progress through the game. This occurs at levels 10, 20, 30, 40 and 61. The ships are level specific. If you follow the story, then a free shuttle is also available. STO holds several events throughout the year which also allow players to earn a Tier 6 ship. However, part of the appeal of STO is its expansive collection of iconic ships. Developer’s Cryptic rely on the sale of these for much of their revenue. They recently made many Tier 6 ships scalable, so they can be used by new players and will level with them. So it ultimately comes down to your personal choice and budget. However, a free player will not be penalised for not spending money. They simply have less choice. Again, if you’re prepared to invest the time then you can earn the appropriate currencies to obtain a Tier 6 ship at no financial cost.

MMO Tropes: Shipwrecked

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I have played more than “a few” MMORPGs over the years. It’s an enjoyable (and accessible) genre of video games. But like any other type of game, MMOs have a fairly standard formula based on a handful of game mechanics. There is levelling, gaining experience and the acquisition of skills and points. Gear such as armour, jewellery and weapons come and go as you progress through the game. Then there’s crafting, trading and gaining “gold”. Another key aspect is the social dynamic. Often there’s content specifically designed for groups to complete. But this homogeneity also extends beyond the systems that underpin the games. The MMO genre is rife with its own set of tropes; recurring themes and motifs that have become established and ubiquitous. All of which are ideal material for a hastily produced, lazily conceived, recurring blog post.

So where to begin? Ah yes,let us start with a commonly used trope that conveniently affords game developers with a means to orientate new players. Because it should never be assumed that a player is by default familiar with the basics of the game that they are playing. Hence many MMOs need a simple plot device at the start of a game that can justify or accommodate the need to explain everything. And one of the most common of these is the “shipwreck” trope. It covers all bases from a narrative perspective and is convenient. The new player finds themselves washed up on the beach, which is often a starter area and then has to go through some basic tasks that orientate them. These include movement via WASD keys, obtaining a weapon and combat, gaining XP, using consumables and interacting with NPCs. At first glance it’s a perfectly good idea and it achieves what it sets out to do. But if you encounter it too often it gets old very quickly.

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I first ran into this particular MMO trope when I played Age of Conan, circa 2009. The game had (and unless it has changed still does) a character creation process that starts on a ship in which you are a galley slave. As expected the ship sinks in a storm and your character is subsequently washed up on a beach on the island of Tortage. Cue the game tutorial. Then in 2013 when I played the Beta Test of Neverwinter, I encountered this trope for a second time. This time foul beasties destroy the ship you’re on and you wash up on the shore to again start a tutorial. If you play The Elder Scrolls Online, this plot device is used at the start of the Ebonheart Pact storyline. There is currently an ongoing Beta Test for another MMO (due to an NDA I cannot mention by name) that begins with yet another shipwreck and integrates it into the tutorial. This trope is also commonplace outside of the MMO genre and can be found in other games such as Monster Hunter: World and Risen and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

Some old adages are themselves cliches but I still consider that there is some truth in “familiarity breeds contempt”. While playing this new MMO that cannot be named (go on, guess, it’s hardly difficult) I was somewhat disappointed when this trope was trotted out, as it further reinforced my opinion that this particular title doesn’t offer anything new. However, it is important to remember new players and that this title may well attract a lot of people who haven’t played an MMO before. Considering the marketing clout of the company that owns the developers, this game when released on August 25th, may well gain some initial traction. Bearing that in mind, the “shipwrecked” trope that I find hackneyed may well be an innovative and useful plot device to those who have not experienced it before.

Call of Duty Warzone Season 4 and Battle.net Patch Servers

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Setting aside the debate regarding the rectitude of the Battle Pass system in Call of Duty Modern Warfare, I certainly enjoyed Season 3. I managed to find multiplayer games that suit my ability along with loadouts that allow me to hit something every once in a while. It was very much a learning process but from April 12th to June10th, I slowly improved my performance and re-acquainted myself with the fact that the FPS genre can be fun. I finally got to try a Battle Royale game and was pleasantly surprised by how accessible they are. However, (and there’s always a however) Activision Blizzard seem to be hell bent on losing the good will they seemed to have gained in recent months. Today’s release of Season 4 has been blighted by major performance issues with the patch servers. Furthermore, the developers still insist in removing certain maps and game modes to promote new ones. This “lottery” which results in a lack of choice for many players is especially galling when you’ve just bought the new Battle Pass.

Season 4 which was originally due to be released on June 3rd, was delayed for 8 days due to the ongoing protests regarding George Floyd and other issues currently monopolising the news cycle. The patch servers became available at 7:00 AM BST today and I started updating my installation of the game at about 9:00 AM. The patch is 45GB in size but a lot of the files are replacing existing ones. It quickly became apparent that there was an issue as the download rate soon dropped to 200 KB/s. Changing region within the Battle.bet launcher had no effect. Blizzard’s Twitter Customer Service account was conspicuously silent, despite the EU forums being rife with comments from frustrated gamers with similar issues. The unofficial solution was to install a VPN service and select a US or French server to ensure a faster download. I initially installed Proton VPN as they offer a week’s free trial and this did indeed help at first. But as other players did the same, the capacity of the free service that Proton offers dropped accordingly. I eventually had to renew my subscription to IPVanish at a cost of $10 to finish installing the patch. This fiasco took about 11 hours plus to resolve.

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It is very easy to say “gamers are their own worst enemies” and glibly advise us to vote with our wallets. I’m guilty of doing so myself on occasions. But living outside of the US, I am used to having access to decent customer services when things go wrong. If matters cannot be resolved via such channels I rely on EU consumer regulations and legislation to ensure I’m protected and not given the shitty end of the stick by sociopathic corporations. Hence I was angry that not one of the various social media accounts associated with CoD MW/WZ made any attempt at an apology for today’s shambolic update. I also resent, greatly, the arbitrary way the Infinity Ward removes on a whim, specific game modes leaving me with a greatly reduced choice. I wish to continue to play Clean Up on Aisle 9 and Shipment via 6 versus 6 players. There’s also a lot of balance issues that are not getting addressed. The new Warzone Rumble mode as well as the classic MW2 map Scrapyard, are great in principle but are effectively usurped by snipers. The ubiquity of these plays means that game play is constrained, with everyone camping and not pushing forward.

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I spent £16.49 on a Battle Pass Bundle today. My mistake was purchasing it before the game had finished patching, as I didn’t know in advance what changes had been made to the various game modes. It really does feel like Activision Blizzard don’t care about the playerbase beyond securing their payments. As a 52 year old man I don’t feel comfortable dealing in simplistic stereotypes regarding “greedy” companies and binary arguments about corporate culture. But when I look at the way that Activision Blizzard behaves, I struggle to see any justification for their actions other than the obvious. There have been thousands of forum and reddit posts regarding game balance, map rotations and play modes as well as bugs in the game that still persist months after launch. To just ignore such feedback because you simply have such an enormous customer base is lazy and cynical. If Call of Duty Modern Warfare/Warzone wants to sustain its current success, it would be wise to listen to it’s players and ensure at the very least, that choice is not limited. The majority of players are not high end achievers but distinctly average. You need to keep them engaged. And sort out your patch servers. Much smaller games manage to this process, why can’t you. If these problems persist into Season 5, then I’m done.

ESO: Harrowstorms

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I managed to find a very good deal on the Digital Upgrade version of Greymoor for The Elder Scrolls Online, so I bought it. The key included a pre-order bonus as well as a few other “trinkets and baubles” which clinched the deal. I wasn’t planning on returning to ESO this month plus I still have a bee in my bonnet about playing through the game in narrative order. However, after speaking to friends about the new expansion, I was curious about the new Harrowstorm events that occur in the new zone of Western Skyrim. So I logged into the game and after the obligatory “let’s spend 30 minutes fixing broken addons”, headed over to Solitude and waited for the next Harrowstorm to appear. As ever, Zone Chat is invaluable for determining what is happening and where, so it wasn’t long before I was riding headlong towards the Black Morass Ritual Site ready for my first Harrowstorm.

According to the official blurb, “Harrowstorms are giant supernatural confluxes which plague Western Skyrim. Much like Dark Anchors, Abyssal Geysers and Dragonscours, Harrowstorms function as group events, where a number of players must work together to shut the Harrowstorm ritual down. You must destroy the three Witch Pikes in the midst of the storm, which are drawing in Lost Souls”. And that is pretty much it. Harrowstorms are very much a case of “same meat, different gravy”. That’s not to say that they aren’t fun but they don’t offer a radically different experience from Abyssal Geysers and Dragonscours. If there are sufficient players present, they can be dealt with quite efficiently, although you need to maintain a lot of situation awareness as the summoned enemies use a lot of AoE and DOT attacks. As ever with PVE events of this kind, the players break down into three groups. The foolhardy, the experienced and the cautious. I fall into the latter category, preferring to skirt around the perimeter firing my bow.

Harrowstorm appear at the following locations. I’ve included details of which is the nearest wayshrine, although like in Northern Elsweyr, ZeniMax hasn’t exactly gone out of it’s way to make it easy to traverse the zone and reach these events.

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Western Skyrim:

Black Morass Ritual Site - West-northwest of Morthal (Nearest wayshrine Solitude Docks).

Chilblain Peak Ritual Site - Southwest of Dragon Bridge (Nearest wayshrine Dragon Bridge).

Giant's Coast Ritual Site - Northwest coast of Western Skyrim (Nearest wayshrine Mor Khazgur).

Hailstone Valley Ritual Site - East of Morthal in eastern part of Western Skyrim (Nearest wayshrine Morthal).

Northern Watch Ritual Site - Northeast coast of Western Skyrim (Nearest wayshrine Kilkreath Temple).

Old Karth Ritual Site - East of Karthwatch (Nearest wayshrine Southern Watch).

Blackreach:

Dwarf's Bane Ritual Site - Dusktown (Nearest wayshrine Dusktown).

Gloomforest Ritual Site - Lightless Hollow (Nearest wayshrine Lightless Hollow).

Miner's Lament Ritual Site - SouthEast Greymoor Cavern (Nearest wayshrine Dusktown).

Nightstone Ritual Site - Dark Moon Grotto (Nearest wayshrine Dark Moon Grotto). 

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So far I have not determined if Harrowstorms in Western Skyrim follow a particular rotation or whether they appear where the most players are located. Often you’ll find that the event is over by the time you reach it, due to the location of the nearest wayshrine and the nature of the surrounding terrain. So far, I’ve found waiting in the vicinity of the Hjaalmarch Great Lift allows you to get to the four nearest Ritual Sites (Black Morass, Hailstone Valley, Old Karth and Chilblain Peak). I haven’t yet found a similar solution for Blackreach. However, despite the somewhat over familiar nature of these events, they are still a great way to farm “fat loot” (and hence make a ton of in-game gold), complete dailies and achievements as well as get a quick fix of action.

More Iniquities of the Video Games Industry

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People often say that one of the reasons they play video games is to escape from the harsh realities of life. It’s a perfectly understandable aspiration; seeking to find a brief respite from the rigours, injustices and trauma of the real world in a potentially more tranquil environment. Yet it is ironic that the very industry that provides these virtual havens is steeped in all the failings and iniquities that stem from big business. Adding to the general shittiness of day to day life that so many wish to avoid. Which presents many gamers with an ethical dilemma, as they may well be supporting a company that indulges in morally abhorrent business practises. This isn’t the first time I’ve written about the iniquities of the video game industry and it certainly won’t be the last. Here are just some further examples of the sort of shenanigans that regularly occur among “Triple A” publishers.

An investment group representing some Activision Blizzard shareholders recently filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission an enquiry as to how CEO Bobby Kotick “finds multiple ways to unnecessarily enrich” himself. CtW Investment Group has stated in its mission statement that it functions to hold “directors accountable for irresponsible and unethical corporate behavior and excessive executive pay”. The group handles several union-sponsored pension funds that own “substantial” shares in Activision Blizzard. They’re concerned due to “multiple, overlapping award provisions” in Kotick’s employment agreement with Activision Blizzard, the CEO is allowed multiple bites at the apple. Kotick has received over $20 million in stock options every year for the last four years in addition to his base salary, as well as a bonus that is more than the total pay of his fellow CEOs in the games industry. The cumulative total of Kotick’s stock awards alone in the last four years is $96.5 million, which doesn’t include his salary. 

All of this has occurred over a period of time when Activision Blizzard employees are facing ongoing job insecurity, following layoffs of 800 employees in 2019. Staff typically earn less than 1/3 of 1% of the CEO’s earnings, with some employees, such as Junior Developers, making less than $40,000 a year while living in high-cost areas such as southern California. Activision defended Kotick’s bonuses in a statement to GameSpot, citing increases in the company’s “market capitalization” and share price performance during his tenure as the reason for these financial rewards. “He has delivered exceptional value for Activision Blizzard’s stockholders”, according to their PR department. But for many gamers, this is yet another example of the immorality of corporate culture, especially in light of the current economic situation where many workers are currently furloughed and more than likely facing unemployment in the not too distant future. All while their employers make record profits.

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And here’s another “fun” example of life in the video games industry. According to a report on Bloomberg, publisher Take-Two is alleged to have withdrawn Kerbal Space Program 2 development from studio Star Theory and then subsequently poached most of its staff, eventually leading to the company’s collapse and closure. Star Theory’s development staff apparently received an unsolicited LinkedIn message last December, in which a Take-Two revealed it was creating a new studio to complete the game Star Theory had been developing. Take-Two was seeking to hire all of Star Theory’s staff in order to “ease transition”. “This was an incredibly difficult decision for us to make, but it became necessary when we felt business circumstances might compromise the development, execution and integrity of the game”, Take-Two executive Michael Cook is alleged to have said. “To that end, we encourage you to apply for a position with us”. 

Star Theory founders Bob Berry and Jonathan appear to have been in discussions with Take-Two about selling their company but were dissatisfied with the terms. However, pleas to staff to stay at the company and secure a new project failed, as more than half of the development team eventually joined Take-Two’s new studio Intercept Games according to Bloomberg. Whether their terms and condition of employment are comparable, remains to be seen. Such business practises are often seen as standard procedure within the video games industry but for those working at the “coalface” this is just corporate asset stripping and playing with the livelihood of staff. Again as gamers, do we wish to be associated with such dubious activities? I am reminded of a quote by Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle. “If you get offended by any jokes, by the way, feel free to Tweet your outrage on a mobile phone made by a ten year old in China”.

LOTRO: Free Quest Packs

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At the beginning of March, Standing Stone Games very generously (and very wisely) decided to make all “quest, raid, and adventure area content” for The Lord of the Rings Online available for free. As a result, many players have returned to the MMO and all game servers have seen an increase in activity. Initially the offer was scheduled to end on April 31st but due to its success this has been extended to the end of August. Furthermore, SSG are now offering a coupon code that will permanently unlock all this content but players have to ensure that they use this by August 31st. This is a very generous offer which can save new and returning players a substantial amount of money. SSG have also promised a forthcoming sale on expansion quests (not a sale on entire expansions) and instance clusters. Effectively, a smart player will soon be able to own and access the majority of the game for under £10.

Promotions of this nature often favour new customers, as they are logically a potential source of new revenue. I often tire of seeing such adverts for great deals from service providers that I’m already a customer of. So it was nice to see that SSG have also decided to expand the benefits of the VIP program for LOTRO (VIPs being lifetime account holders and subscribers). According to today’s press release, the following rewards will soon be available. “VIPs will get access to a vendor that will grant them the following benefits once per day: 48-hours of town services items, a buff that negates item wear, and a buff that provides rapid crafting”. The buffs sound useful and I’m sure they’ll be well received. I’m hoping that this vendor will also be able to offer repair and the sale services, negating the need to return to major quest hubs so often.

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One minor point regarding SSG’s current generosity springs to mind. Back in December 2018, they offered for a limited time The LOTRO Legacy Bundle for $199. It was a very comprehensive deal including pretty much everything in the game up to that date (again it included expansion quest lines but not the bonus material included in the expansions themselves). As I had missed out on buying a lifetime account, I purchased this bundle and subsequently spent 10 months comprehensively playing through the content with a new alt. Since then I have also bought the Minas Morgul expansion. So all I gain from SSG’s current coupon code are two Quest Packs from updates 25 and 26; Vales of Anduin and Mists of Wilderland. But I don’t begrudge this situation. SSG are simply reacting to the current business situation. If that means that LOTRO continues to thrive then that is to all our benefit.

A Month in Gaming

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I see by the financial data that is currently available and being pawed over by industry pundits, that April was a very good month for the video games publishers. Quelle surprise. Who would have thought it? The increase in leisure time has certainly meant that even I have had a greater opportunity than usual to invest in playing video games. And as I predominantly play the MMORPG genre that has proven to be a boon. Or at least it was initially. After two month plus that is fast becoming a bane. MMOs are great when you have new content to play through, stories to discover, goals to achieve and systems and items to advance. But once you’ve done all these things and find yourself doing dailies just out of obligation and a way to kill time, then it may well be time to move on to something else.

Star Trek Online has not had any new story content added since the anniversary event. And that two part adventure “The Measure of Morality” wasn’t exactly what you would call a long term, episodic, story arc. Developers Cryptic seem to be focusing at present on short term events that are dependent on repeatable content which get very old quickly. I have abandoned the latest grind as it’s not fun and do I really need any more Tier 6 ships or another cosmetic pet? Similarly, I’m tired with the new gear treadmill that accompanies the addition of any new zone in The Lord of the Rings Online. I still need to level my Legendary Weapons but that is a ponderous and singularly uninspiring undertaking. As for returning to The Elder Scrolls Online, I must resist the allure of an expanded Skyrim as I still have so much older content to play through. Plus whenever these three MMOs add new material, it is always just a variation on a theme. They never do anything radical or innovative.

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So in recent weeks I’ve made a conscious effort to step away from MMOs and try other types of games. I finally experienced the Battle Royale genre and have had fun for the last month playing Call of Duty Warzone. It makes for a pleasant change to be able to enjoy a game where you do not have to worry about keeping up with a complex story or having the best gear. The matchmaking system has its foibles but finding a suitable game is not a problem. You can get your quick fix of “action” within minutes of logging in. I also bought Man of Medan on a whim, which is best described as an interactive drama survival horror video game. It is a curious beast but I must admit it has kept me engaged, with its multiple outcomes and endings. I also played through Deathtrap Dungeon for a second time and was once again impressed how “less is more”. I really hope that developers, Branching Narrative, produce more games like this.

I suspect that I will spend less time playing video games in June as I’m becoming a little jaded at present with this pastime. I have written recently of the need to find myself a new project of some kind to keep my “head straight” as the lockdown continues. Games are simply not providing that level of engagement at present, especially the MMO genre which is my traditional mainstay. I’ll probably keep playing Call of Duty Warzone for a little longer as it provides sufficient stimulation and dopamine fixes. It would appear that Season 4 may bring some major changes to the game match, which would certainly shake things up. Another “radical” idea would be to actually finish some of the other games that I’ve started and then abandoned. I really would like to see the end of Red Dead Redemption 2. Perhaps that can be my gaming goal for the month. Maybe having some targets may make this hobby more enjoyable.

Is the Battle Pass Just as Egregious as Loot Boxes?

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I bought and started playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare on the 13th of April when it was on sale. I purchased the game via the Battle.net launcher and not through a third party key seller. The game includes a Single Player campaign, Multiplayer and Co-operative  gameplay as well as the new Warzone which includes various versions of the popular Battle Royale mode. Call of Duty Warzone can also be downloaded separately for free, without the need to buy the base game. Due to the recent controversies surrounding the use of loot boxes as a business model, Activision have instead implemented a Battle Pass system which is tied to the games “seasons”. A season runs for about 50 plus days. The current one  (season 3) is scheduled to end on June 2nd. Here is the official blurb regarding how the Battle Pass system works. 

The Battle Pass is a tiered reward system that awards players with items as they play Warzone and Multiplayer. It contains 100 Tiers of content to earn, with over a fifth of those being free for all players. Upgrading to the full Battle Pass gives you access to all 100 Tiers along with a bundle of exclusive items for Battle Pass owners. For example, Season 2 Battle Pass owners gain access to the Operator Ghost, the Marshland skin and Operator Mission for Thorne, the Time Traveler watch, and a 10% global XP boost. The full Battle Pass can either be purchased for 1,000 COD Points or 2,400 COD Points (the Battle Pass Bundles), which automatically unlocks 20 Tiers upon purchase. At first glance it all seems very simple. You can buy a pass and unlock content as you increase in rank. You can pay extra and buy the pass and automatically unlock the first 20 levels. Or you can choose not to buy the pass and as you rank up gain the occasional free item.

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But the reality of the Battle Pass system is in many ways just as insidious as loot boxes. It plays to exactly the same “fear of missing out” mindset. Cosmetics, despite what many publishers publicly state, are not just “optional” for many players. If they were then “default” wouldn’t have become a pejorative term in Fortnite. The ability to customise your avatar and establish your own identity is often an integral part of game enjoyment for many players. Possibly more so in competitive genres. And then there are the Weapon Blueprints which offer a substantial advantage. All weapons in CoD have multiple attachments and are highly customisable. However you have to earn weapon XP and to unlock the different variations. If you favour a specific Assault Rifle with a certain selection of attachments, it may take you a significant amount of time to access them. Weapon Blueprints which feature in the Battle Pass can provide superior gear a lot quicker. Two players can start playing CoD MW/WZ on the same day. The one that buys a Battle Pass Bundle which immediately unlocks the first 20 tiers and thus has access to a Weapon Blueprint has an instant advantage.

I did not buy a Battle Pass straight away but decided to do so after I had progressed to about tier 30. My main motivation was mainly for research for this blog post. The game certainly makes a big deal about the current content of the Battle Pass both before you buy one and then after. After you finish a game, an animation shows your rank progression and your respective unlocks. If you haven’t purchased one you are frequently prompted to do so. And once you have, the next line of marketing is to encourage the player to buy more Call of Duty Points and unlock tier rewards in advance. If you are currently tier 47 and there’s a cosmetic skin you desire at tier 50, you can simply pay to unlock the intervening tiers if you haven’t the patience to grind the required XP. And this is where the real money lies for Activision. Some players will see what is available in a Battle Pass at the start of a season and will want to access it immediately. So they will buy a Battle Pass Bundle which unlocks the first 20 tiers for $24 and will then buy out the remaining 80 tiers at a cost of a further $120.

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I unlocked the last tier of my Battle Pass last night. I must admit I felt a need to play and ensure that I unlocked all rewards before the current season ended. Otherwise I would have felt that I’d somehow “wasted my money”. And that feeling I had is a prime example of how these business models play upon consumers desires and personal psychology. A competent and experienced CoD player can come to this new version of the game and grind out all their favourite weapon unlocks without paying any money. But for regular players if they pursue a similar course of action, the first month will be hard work and often you’ll face other players with the advantage of superior loadouts. And let us not forget that as well as the Battle Pass system, there numerous ad hoc bundles of skins, cosmetics and Weapon Blueprints in the game store. These are frequently only available for a short time so there is a sense of urgency if you see something you want to buy. Hence, although I am enjoying this game I am ambivalent regarding its monetisation. So far 60 million players have downloaded CoD WZ in the first two month since its launch. If only 10% are paying customers that’s still a lot of money.

“Cheating”, “It’s Not Fair” and Other Spurious Phrases That Gamers Love to Use

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You would think that a subject such as cheating in gaming is very clear cut. But it’s not. Like everything in life, the more you ponder the subject, the more you can conceive of situations where it all becomes ambiguous.Yes, once again the complexity and inherent nuance of life totally undermines binary, knee jerk positions. Take for example third party “cheat programs” such as Cheat Engine. Using an external program that alters the behaviour of a multiplayer game is clearly cheating and a breaking of the Terms of Service. However, using the same facility to provide yourself with a degree of convenience in a single player game is a different matter altogether. It affords you an opportunity to experience parts of a game that you may not do so under default playing conditions. Those who trot out the tired mantra that you “cheated yourself” and “didn’t learn anything” fail to see that gamers do not share a universal philosophy. 

Often the phrase “cheating” is a catchall substitute for “it’s not fair”. Again this line of argument is built upon the myth of shared moral and ethical values and that there is a universally “right way to play games”. And if you ever want to see a gaming community bunfight based upon this axiom, then just raise the subject of “exploits” in the MMO genre. It is often a touchstone for many a “tail chasing” drama. I have always taken the attitude that an exploit is ultimately a problem caused by developers and therefore the onus is on them to remedy it. If a new instance is set at the wrong difficulty and can therefore be farmed easily until the problem is corrected, then so be it. If the developers subsequently wish to remove the items that you gained from the exploit, then I’d go so far as to say “that is their prerogative, although that does smack of punishing others for their failure. However, I am especially unimpressed when the “cheating/it’s not fair” mantra is applied to player behaviour and a dislike of others' choice of actions.

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Let’s not delude ourselves. We live in a world where “winning” is exalted at any cost. Even a Pyrrhic victory is deemed acceptable if you walk away with the prize. Notions of sportsmanship have declined and it’s not cheating if the performance enhancing drug you use isn’t on the current banned list. So why waste your breath decrying players who are doing something that doesn’t break any rules but simply displeases your moral sensibilities. Competitive gaming and PVP is built upon league tables and player ranking. Pride in one’s achievements is interchangeable with bragging rights and feeling smug. It seems ludicrous when you foster a game community with a win at any cost attitude and then balk when players do exactly that. The latest Call of Duty Warzone drama over bunker camping is a microcosm of this. There are no rules prohibiting such activities. All subsequent complaints are therefore subjective and just more white noise.

If you want to control or eliminate specific kinds of behaviour in multiplayer video games, then there is a need to put specific rules in place against them and then ensure that they are enforced. Relying on something as nebulous as “common sense” or shared “values” is a mistake (If you want a further example, ask the UK government). If you’re of an altruistic nature and are unsure of the veracity of my case, then I politely refer you to the entirety of human history. We don’t as a society rely on people’s personal moral compass not to commit murder. We actively police against it and have sanctions in place to punish when it occurs. So can we please move on from these self indulgent exercises in pearl clutching when part of a gaming community does something different to the way you do it. If you want player behaviour in a specific game changed then lobby the developers. They will give it due consideration but remember their agenda may not be the same as yours.

The Problem with Voice Chat

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I was reading on Kotaku (as a Vic Reeves fan I always want to say Uvavu) about yet another internet brouhaha. This one stemmed from comments made by live streamer and social media commentator Steph “FerociouslySteph” Loehr (no, I have no idea who they are either), about the use of voice chat in video games. Her comments were willfully taken out of context by the usual suspects and yet another internet drama kicked off. As I have only a passing interest in live streaming and the competitive gaming scene, I don’t feel obliged to wade in and express an opinion about this particular situation and those involved. But the actual sentiments that were originally expressed about voice chat are of interest to me, although they’ve long been forgotten in this particular drama which has now become yet another culture war bunfight.

Voice chat is essentially just a tool, designed to facilitate communication between gamers. But the problems associated with voice chat stem from its use and not the actual service itself. Conversations have a social dynamic and a degree of etiquette to them (or at least good ones do). If they are to be considered equitable, there is a need for all parties involved to have equal opportunity to express themselves. Hence we are taught at school (or at least I was) not to monopolise a conversation, to listen to what others have to say and to be courteous at all times. I try to remember this ethos when using voice chat and therefore I find it to be a comfortable form of communications. But I am a white, middle aged, middle class man with all the cultural baggage that comes with that and being British. My experience is not necessarily universal.

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Not everyone “enjoys” voice chat, the same way as some folk will sit in a group at the pub and listen to the conversation but not contribute much. For some it’s a confidence issue, for others it’s just a question of personal choice. Women often treat voice chat with a greater degree of scepticism as it is yet another medium by which they may be discriminated against or marginalised. The same is applicable to ethnic minorities or anyone for who is not a native speaker of the language being used. A person’s voice can provide a lot of information about someone quite quickly. It can also do the complete opposite and too often verbal cues are a stepping stone to bias and prejudice. Disability may also be a factor with voice chat. And even if you manage to bypass the sociopolitical issues associated with voice chat, there are still etiquette issues to face. Some people just dominate chat channels, using such platforms to just drone on and on about themselves. It can be a narcissists and ego maniacs paradise.

My use of voice chat is also dependent on what genre of games I’m playing. MMOs are by nature social and therefore if I join a new guild, I’m more likely to use either in-game chat or Discord to get to know the other members. Trust is built over time and you get to know the verbal foibles of others. This is important to ensuring that voice chat stays a welcoming and accommodating medium to all. However, I’m far less disposed toward speaking with strangers when playing a competitive game and will often have all voice communications muted when playing via PUGS. I don’t want to be given instructions by some self appointed “leader”, nor do I wish to listen to the garrulous inanities of adolescents, gamer malcontents and the furiously hard of thinking. But I’m not averse to a degree of friendly chat and “suggested” tactics. However, all that can be done via text chat and in-game mechanics such as pinging items and “instruction wheels”. IE “Move left”, “cover me” etc.

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I got called an “RPG noob” in Call of Duty Warzone last night via text chat (much to my amusement). I’m sure if I had voice chat enabled I would have endured a barrage of criticism throughout the game. I may well have been tempted to waste my own time and energy trying to counter with my own witty ripostes and waggish badinage. However, because I had elected not to use the service to begin with, all potential unpleasantness was avoided. For me voice chat is a binary choice. Sadly for others it is not always as clear as that and it is something to be used with caution. On a few occasions I’ve seen voice chat demonstrate the unconscious bias that many of us carry around. It’s funny how a woman can answer a question but the answer isn’t acknowledged until it’s reiterated by a man. So to conclude, I think the internet drama I referenced at the start of this post just highlights the fact that it’s not voice chat that needs fixing but society. Sadly, the bug list for that just keeps growing.