Bringing Hell to the Free to Play Market

May 7th, 2012 by iamkobold No comments »

Evil is Back and this time with friends

With Evil Returning in just a little over a week. It seems appropriate to talk about how I think this game is a real game changer. In a possibly unexpected way with this highly competitive space for our attention…and our wallets. I will explain the friends part in just a bit. However if you have been living under a rock for a while watch the following video to catch up.

Ok good now that you are with me here some of this might make sense.

So much anticipation

Diablo III is without a doubt, one of the most highly anticipated games to come along in quite some time. Its been years in the making and from my experiences from playing the beta. I can astutely  say that anyone who doesn’t want to play this game is probably dead. Either that or they just play consoles and don’t even own a gaming computer and thus don’t count in my book.

So it’s going to be a great game without question. However, Diablo 3 is more than just a game. I think Blizzard has quite the plan for their trifecta of franchises that would make a murder mystery blush. With that I will try to piece together something that shows how Diablo will shatter the world that it helped create. If I am indeed right on this, this sort of thing could also make Blizzard competitors wish the terror of Diablo was simply confined to the game. With all this anticipation that has been stewing for Diablo 3 it is easy to not see what I think might actually happen once this beast is unleashed.

Disclaimer: This is all speculation on my part, it’s my nature to question things. So if anything said beyond this line is turns out to be true or false, don’t blame me, blame the crazy anticipation I have for Diablo at the time!

World of What?

I am not alone to think that the last half of the month of May when Diablo is released, many World of Warcraft servers will be quite vacant. I am pretty sure things like that damn Time-Lost Proto-Drake and similar achievements will be easy pickings during this time. Fret not, I do not believe Diablo 3 will cannibalize its brethren. That would be just rude, given Diablo 3 likely wouldn’t be a thing without WoW.

An empty Orgimmar is a sad Orgrimmar

An empty Orgimmar is a sad Orgrimmar

It is humorous to think that annual pass subscribers will make Diablo 3 a mini-game of sorts to World of Warcraft from the right perspective.

A ‘free’ to Play World of Warcraft

So Diablo 3 may sound more like a flash in the pan than anything. Once players beat Diablo 3, they will go back and play World of Warcraft or whatever right? So how does this fit into Blizzard grand scheme that I think is going on? I mean sure expansions will come and go but World of Warcraft has staying power in the Blizzard portfolio…for now anyways.

The free to play MMO space is getting quite competitive these days. Lord of Rings, Guild Wars, and DC Universe Online come to mind. It has taken some time, however the model seems to be evolving into something the likes of  Blizzard and BioWare can no longer ignore. So until Titan reveals itself as to what it actually is. World of Warcraft remains the strongest subscription based form of entertainment next to premium cable channels.

So back to Diablo 3. One of the more interesting features of Diablo 3 is the real money auction house, or RMAH for those who understand only acronyms. This feature  alone has garnered enough attention to shadow most of what else Diablo 3 brings to the table gameplay wise. This is not purely coincidental either, people cannot help but follow money. However, this is where things start to come together. With just a couple of  points of evidence that a free to play-ish future for WoW might be a thing.

  1. Numerous pets and mounts have and can be bought directly from Blizzard. These are quintessential in free to play; no real advantage just vanity.
  2. The current Mist of Pandaria beta actually allows a user to make pre-made characters currently at max level, right inside the game! Ebay might be worried here.

Money in the hand is worth more than gold in a battle.net balance

So anyone who thinks that they can make a part-time job out of farming rare items in Diablo 3. Then they must be able live off of Blizzard goods and services and not real food. In a lot of ways, Diablo 3 can and possibly will make World of Warcraft a free to play game for some people. This is due to how the Battle.net balance service works. In short money made in the RMAH pretty much gets funneled into your Battle.net Balance. These funds are only good to pay other Blizzard sanctioned goods and services, such as WoW time, pets, mounts and so forth. That right there is pretty much the free to play model in Blizzard’s own way. Diablo 3 will already essentially be a free to play game (for the most part), since it doesn’t require a paying subscription. Beyond the initial cost of the game that is it.

So why is this possibly a big deal? Given the inertia of World of Warcraft in the MMORPG space and having the largest subscription base. This new and subtle way for players to play for free is nothing short of interesting. Diablo 3 and World of Warcraft come together to become quite the dynamic duo (Wow has to be Batman and Diablo is Boy Wonder for now) of sorts. If World of Warcraft is able to adopt a free to play model as well as a subscription model, other competing MMO’s will have even more of a challenge to attract subscribers than they already do now.

Why I kind of hope that I am wrong

Though I think there is a strong possibility that this will happen. Money is a strange mistress, whether you are playing Diablo, Starcraft, WoW, or Titan. Blizzard has to get the people who play their games to pay in one way or another. So it’s hard to be spiteful in this regard we all have bills to pay.

Anyone who has read other my other articles will know that I like and relish having choices. I would hate to see Blizzard fall into the likes of Microsoft or AT&T where they have such dominance, nobody even bothers competing anymore and they become a beacon of disdain for being victims of their own success. So while I continue to root for successes in the gaming industry. Competition should not be a stranger in this space either.

What of Titan then?

Many have speculated that Blizzard’s secret MMO known as Titan would be Blizzard challenge to the free to play market since it was said that it would be a casual game. However, and no offense to Blizzard. They have lied before and so I take this with a grain of salt.

Financially it could make sense that WoW sails off into antiquity with this new free to play hybrid model with the help of Diablo 3. It would be a fitting end for WoW beyond just an outright cancellation. Which would make way for a new subscription based game that no one hardly knows anything about. Something fresh and new and coming from Blizzard could be an easy sell. I don’t know what it is, and I am very anxious to see what lies behind the curtain. What about you?

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Posted in Blizzard, Diablo III, Video Games, World of Warcraft

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Who Will Lead Sanctuary to Safety?

April 19th, 2012 by iamkobold No comments »

Every story needs a hero, right?

With the release of Diablo 3 inching closer every day, the anticipation only continues to grow for this game. I am personally very excited for this game, for a lot of reasons. However one reason that might make me sort of minority.  Unlike others, I am really anxious to experience the story of Diablo 3. It has been promised that the story telling in this game will be on par with the other Blizzard properties. So the biggest question in my head is who is going to be the real hero in this story of sanctuary? Stay awhile and read to learn who I think it will be.

Though I can’t also help to wonder if my mouse will survive all the clicking required to beat Diablo 3? Time will surely tell on this one.

The stories of the nameless

In most games, including those from BioWare and Blizzard. The story unfolds where the player helps the main hero or heroine of the story. We are all nameless and strangely powerful avatars in these games. For the greater good we only help those who enlist our help to save the world and ultimately the day.

Poster for the movie hero starring Jet Li and Zang Ziyi

A story about a hero named nameless, if you haven't seen this movie. Then I recommend that you do!

Yet in the end the real characters are the heroes, including the likes of Jim Raynor, Thrall, King Varian, and Tyrael. Cause lets face it, that troll mage that killed Deathwing in LFR named pewpewmage  just isn’t an interesting story to tell people about how the world was saved.

So who then, will lead sanctuary to safety?

In what I hope will be a great story, I think Blizzard is due for a strong female lead. They have had Sarah Kerrigan and Jaina Proudmoore. Both incredible characters with some serious depth. Especially when it comes to Kerrigan, I cannot wait to see what unfolds with her in the Heart of the Swarm and beyond. I think that Leah Cain will fill that role quite nicely. From my experience in the Diablo 3 beta test, interacting with her and hearing the little nuggets of lore about and around her. She has all the right things straight out of storytelling formula, to make her a likable hero.

She is no Thrall or Raynor, however she wields a lot of mystery and intrigue to unfold.

This is all just speculation of the Diablo 3 Lore.

  1. Courageous : She will show courage when her link to Diablo though her father is realized. Choices that Leah will likely have to make, may break sanctuary or keep it from being overrun by the burning hells. Not exactly like picking Cheerios or Capt’n Crunch for breakfast.
  2. Skilled : Leah is (going to be) the last of the Horadrim. She is being trained by her uncle Deckard to carry on this long-lived tradition of knowledge about the world of sanctuary. She also seems good with a bow? Who knows she might have hidden powers yet to unfold as well.
  3. Sacrificial : Leah seems pretty selfless at times. She clearly has a good heart to do what is right even that means taking a big risk, like saving her uncle who might be dead or alive in the cathedral.
  4. Destined : Leah has destiny, plain and simple. Leah’s connection to her father and ultimately Diablo. Which though it is unknown to her now will be a pivotal moment in her life as well as the future of sanctuary. Through the black soulstone cinematic, ever wonder why Azmodan singles her out to tell her his plans?
  5. Wounded : She is an orphan. With her mother Adria dead and a father (Aiden) that is unknown to her but is also dead as well. She has that part of her life missing, and though Deckard cares for Leah. Leah still needs closure on who these people where and why they left her. It is also possible that her uncle may meet his end given his unknown and obviously old age.

However, if I am indeed wrong with all of  this. The only other reasonable path that I could see Leah taking in Diablo 3 would be similar to that of Arthas Menethil and his fall from grace and into darkness. Since she does have a strong link with Diablo, it could be very likely that she serves as his new host much like  her father. This then would mean that the hero of Diablo is a sleeper or someone not yet revealed in the game. Which is all good in my book as well. As long as it is a good story it’s a job well done by Blizzard in my opinion.

All’s fair in saving the world

Though video games are often accused of being misogynistic for having male leads and always saving the day. However we have had plenty of interesting female heroes in video games. Most notably the first in my mind and the first for a lot of others my age was Samus Aran from the Metroid series. Blizzard is not what I would exactly call a company that is misogynistic, they offer strong female characters just not in the forefront of the storyline. However, I think it is time that Blizzard gave the world a woman who can say she beat a prime evil and lived to tell the tale. I think that Leah Cain is definitely our girl for this, so I hope that I am right on this.

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Posted in Blizzard, Diablo III, Video Games

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Have it your way to a new look at conquering the galaxy

April 19th, 2012 by iamkobold 1 comment »

Now that the Star Wars : The Old Republic Patch 1.2 has been live for a little while. I have taken some time to go through the new interface editor. It was probably the most anticipated feature of the patch for me, besides the new legacy system.  I will discuss my thoughts about the legacy system in another post.

What it lacks in user mods.

I see both sides of the argument for and against user modifications to SWTOR. I however remain undecided on this topic until SWTOR just doesn’t let me do what I want. With that said, veterans of World of Warcraft love user interface modifications. This is an undeniable as reflected by modifications available on the Curse Network. With these modifications and some effort, users can make WoW look like whatever they can think of. Since I have started playing SWTOR though, the user interface has driven me absolutely insane at times. The UI if anything was enough to sway me to believe that SWTOR should have support for user modifications in a similar way that WoW does.

It has been a fine line for the BioWare team to make a distinctive look and yet familiar enough to seasoned MMO players to just not blatantly rip an existing look and feel from another MMO. I honestly applaud them for the user interface they made for the launch of SWTOR. However like with most things in life when dealing with other people the old adage. You cannot please everyone all the time. I know I was certainly one of those unpleased.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

For anyone whoever has used the World of Warcraft user-mod Bartender and X-Perl. It will feel familiar  when using the SWTOR Interface Editor to using Bartender and X-Perl. One can move, size, configure, and scale any user-interface element available. It would be hard to deny that the interface editor in SWTOR has some inspiration at least from these X-Perl and Bartender. Overall the Interface Editor works and has a lot of the functionality that I would expect from using modifications from World of Warcraft. Especially as the initial release of this tool, it’s feels pretty amazing that I can now modify the user interface to my liking.

Though the SWTOR Interface Editor has a lot functionality. It still pales in comparison to similar World of Warcraft mods. This is probably going to be an ongoing issue until SWTOR allows users to provide functionality that they don’t have to.  Which in my opinion is only a matter of time depending on the ongoing success of the SWTOR.

Share and Share Alike

It is certainly no surprise to me that now that the user interface is now configurable, and shareable at that. A SWTOR UI community has risen and I hope continues. Even though I do not  have a lot of interest in using the screens that others have made. I still see the value there, and I just like to see what others think a good user interface is in SWTOR. I recommend anyone interested in changing and or sharing their UI to tap into the SWTOR UI site.

A wish-list for a better UI configuration editor

Like most things, everything can always get better with time and a little feedback. Here are a few things that I would like to see in the future of the SWTOR Interface Editor. Here are just a few things for the sake of brevity, and the fact that the Interface Editor is pretty decent.

  • Grid Snapping / Guides : Most WYSIWYG type editors have had this feature for quite some time. It allows us that aren’t always astute with the mouse to still have UI elements line up and gives a sigh of relief.
  • Default Mode : The default mode when first going into the editor should not be the all mode. It is likely very daunting and somewhat confusing to see every UI element at once.
  • Tooltips : This is an easy one, tool-tips explaining what each frame and or box is would be nice. Some of them are not as obivious as their names imply.
  • In Game Sharing : I know that some WoW mods (HealBot) have a way of sharing configurations with players who are in your party/raid.

To look like a duck, and swim like a duck

Yes, I do like the duck test; I can’t help it, it just works. Anyhow, after getting my head around the new SWTOR Interface Editor. I wanted my SWTOR UI to feel a lot like home. So I set out to do just that, and the task of making SWTOR look like my WoW environment ensued. The image below is what I ended up and I have to say that after finally getting everything set. It works just like I want it to.

My SWTOR UI in the end.

I feel better that my WoW and SWTOR look the same!

 

If you would like to use this UI in your game. I have provided a link here (I recommend doing a right-click and save as..) . You will need to save this file into the following folder path under your home directory %USER_HOME%/AppData/Local/SWTOR/swtor/settings. Restart or start the game and you should have a UI called the Peppered Scroll.

If you use this UI and like it feel free to let me know either in the comments or on twitter to @iamkobold

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Words, words, words

April 4th, 2012 by iamkobold No comments »

When I am not slinging shadow bolts at Internet dragons, or shooting my blaster rifle at a crazed wampa. I can usually be found playing Words with Friends from time to time. It’s kind of guilty pleasure. I have always enjoyed word games and the convenience just makes it all the easier to squeeze a move in here and there. However, after a couple of months of playing this game. I am quite frustrated not only with cheaters, but the lack of originality with such a classic game. Lets innovate, or something?

Why fix something that is not broken?

One of the things that I enjoy most about any game is the ability to have choices. Not to get into the debate about the philosophy of choice or anything like that. I want some honest to goodness choices when it comes to playing Words with Friends. Choices that can give me as well as other gamers out there casual or élite a better word game. So this article will be about how I think Zynga can improve upon what they got and make it even better. Because all I really want is for Zynga to give me the option to play in a more interesting and possibly challenging way. That’s all I am asking here.

Option #1 — Word Sizes

This option of play would allow players to choose a minimum word size when the game is started. This option would allow for a minimum word size of 3 or 4 in order to count for an actual score. I know, it does sound like heresy but I can assure you. If you have ever been scored on with 50 points with a word like Qi then you know what I am talking about here. This is a simple challenge mode that if a word is played that is less than the minimum word size, then the tile scores are simply less or zero.

Option #2 — Adding one tile to make a word plural doesn’t count

Again, I know this sounds like heresy. However these are just my ideas. I would love to play a game every now and again where someone cannot just play S and get double the points off of a word I just played. It feels cheap, sorry it just does. So just imagine if you could play with this rule in place, it certainly would make it more interesting how you played and maybe even make one think a bit more. If this mode were enabled and some played just an S to turn a word plural, then something like all tiles are worth 1 or something would make me happy.

Option #3 — Score and or turn limit

Sometimes, I think it would be interesting to play a game of words with friends where whoever gets to a certain score first wins. Another option would be to simply say who has the highest score after 15 turns wins type things.

Option #4 — Randomize the bonus tile locations

This one is less of an option, but more of a deterrence for people using cheats to maximize their scores. If the bonuses are randomized, these cheats have to become far more sophisticated since a very simple assumption is no longer valid. I would just like to play this way so that there was a little randomness here.

Game Option #5 — Play without bonus tile locations

This is a simple option where the triple and double score locations on the board don’t count for anything. Nothing really to complicated here to explain, just another way to play.

Super Challenge Mode Unlocked!

Here are what I think of as gameplay modes that could be played. Different scoring or playing rules but keeping the overall feel of making words is what I try to achieve here. Some of these might suck, and that is OK by me.

Words with Friends Scrambled Mode

This is a mode of play where the rules are very different from the current set of basic rules. I call this scrambled because I imagine the game play to go something like this.

  1. The board starts off with a scrambled set of tiles that are words. Think a completed game board for instance.
  2. Each turn consists of moving or removing a single tile.
  3. The rules for the word would be the same, just that when the tile is moved or removed everything must still be a valid word.
  4. Scoring would be the same as well, I would say simply put a cap like whoever gets to 200 or something first.
  5. The game could also be over if there are no more tiles to move. Like when only 1 or 2 words are left.

I am not sure how practical this one actually is? I understand that there might be some  technical difficulties with generating a board that has words and is playable. This isn’t like sudoku. I can still dream though.

Words with Friends Treasure Hunter Mode

This mode I think would be a lot of fun. So this works on giving scores or just bonuses for specific types of words played. This mode of play could go far beyond nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Though those are easy categories to get started with. I think things like an animal, fruit, or vegetable would be viable types. There is a lot of room for creativity from both Zynga and the players. I would expect that both players would get a single category per game, I believe this would be more fair then possibly giving each player a potentially different category. Otherwise the game would play as normal just with bonus words.

Secret Password Mode

This is a simple variation of the old password game. Where a random word is given as a bonus to whomever guesses it first. I would expect multiple words would be guessed in a single game, this would make it so that they are not critical to winning. Just a fun way to score some extra points here and there. Ideally, the word tiles would reveal a tile after something score, or where a tile is played on the board. I would also add a rule to where if the secret word shows 1 tile left and both players have played a turn then a new secret word is generated.

Turning over a new tile on an old hat trick

Words with Friends is a fun game as it is. I just like to think that it could be more interesting, not better per say. Just more interesting is all. Almost every game I have ever played in my lifetime has a way to up the ante when the challenge of the game in normal mode is gone or just boring for the moment. For those that are afraid of change, the game I doubt would not deviate from its roots. Just grow a few extra branches is all.

P.S.

Words with Friends is a product of Zynga and is available on FaceBook, Android and iOS. Feel free to challenge me to a game with my handle iamkobold.

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Posted in Casual, Mobile, Video Games

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An epidemic of alt-itis is a legacy all its own

April 2nd, 2012 by iamkobold No comments »

 

First off for those readers that are afflicted by alt-itis, it’s OK! I think it is a strange affliction. However there might not be a vaccine strong enough to resist to succumbing to the allure that is the impending legacy system of the old republic. With the legacy system there may never be a cure for alt-itis.

This is important, and you should read this

The legacy system that is coming soon with patch 1.2 for Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) is something to not be ignored. It’s amazing to think that with all of the other changes coming along with this patch, that there is even time and budget to get the features that have already been confirmed. If the legacy system is as successful as I believe it can be, then SWTOR will have attained something fresh and new which many others have missed. SWTOR has a great opportunity of being true competition for World of Warcraft and other MMO franchises, as opposed to being just another cheap knock-off with the legacy system. So yeah it’s kind of a big deal.

As history has proven time and time again, “competition is good“. We the players will only win in the end with great games that are fun to play. I mean hey we finally just got area looting in World of Warcraft right?.

Much a-do with a brood of toons

Almost everyone I know that plays an MMO has at least 1 or more alternates. Myself included I try to keep a maximum of three, only to have each character capable of a given role be it DPS, Tanking, or Healing. All MMO games up to this point have dealt with characters much in the same way for many years. Blizzard only recently added things that began to signal the focus on more account bound things with heirlooms and other things are slowly getting rolled into the account realm. This includes mounts, achievements, and companion pets.

So when playing a lot of different characters for whatever reason, it’s important to the player to feel like there is some sort of impact to the overall game. This does not include having a “Bank Toon” or creating enough characters to cover all the games crafting and gathering professions. The overall impact of this has been just more grind in the end. Blizzard, BioWare and others are trying really hard to soften the teeth of the gears that is grinding everyday in the MMO world.

My guild clearly needs better health benefits for all my toons.

My guild clearly needs better health benefits for all my toons.

The legacy system of SWTOR is a very important aspect to how BioWare softens and even disguises the grind as something fun and worthwhile. This is done largely by making the system where all characters regardless of their allegiance (on a given server/realm) can contribute to an overall account level experience. This is relatively new territory where these types of games can now focus on us as the player and not specifically just the characters we may play.

A benefactor with great expectations

Creating a legacy is no easy task. Someone will have to take it in the shorts and have a harder time than those following in their footsteps. The legacy system has a great opportunity to make all of one’s playtime count for something. From a role-playing perspective this has a lot of potential for the imaginative to create a a family split across the empire and republic. It could even just be a strong united family to one side or another. As a role-playing geek, I am very excited for such a thing.

Pip and I'machisssithlol are not names that are going to be in my legacy.

Pip and I'machisssithlol are not names that are going to be in my legacy.

From all that I have read about the legacy system, it would seem that BioWare knows that all aspects of the game must be affected by this in some way or another. When I first heard of this system, it sounded like it would just be BioWare’s answer to Guild Perks at the account level instead of a guild. I will admit that some of the features of this system due encroach that, however that is to be expected honestly. From companions to unlimited character combinations legacy perks separate themselves quite well from Guild Perks in World of Warcraft.

I do have high hopes for this new system as something that will “separate the wheat from the chaff“. So BioWare please don’t the legacy system suck.

The real busine$$ of having a legacy

Many naysayers or people who have a tin-foil hat as part of their wardrobe; would certainly claim that this is all just a gimmick to get us to play more and keep those subscriptions coming in. My response to that is most certainly “Duh?“. All MMO franchises must battle with giving interesting and fun things for players to do. With casual games and free to play models improving. Blizzard and BioWare both have a strong requirement for keeping our attention.

Both sound like ducks with a speech impediment and have a complete disregard for pants. However they are both equally entertaining.

Both sound like ducks with a speech impediment and have a complete disregard for pants. However they are both equally entertaining.

BioWare doesn’t really have achievements like World of Warcraft does. Though codices are similar but that is as far as I will go there. When they were first introduced in WoW there was speculation that Blizzard was introducing as a way to give players something to do, and more importantly keep them in the game. This legacy system will be no different other than BioWare obviously plans on being successful from the get go, where as World of Warcraft took an expansion to realize that players need something beyond collecting 10 boar gizzards for some stew.

The legacy of World of Warcraft

I do not believe that World of Warcraft will see something like a legacy system SWTOR in its lifetime. At this stage in the game, it honestly doesn’t make much sense anyways. The best that Blizzard can do I feel is to improve on how account bound things work. This seems evident with the changes coming in the Mists of Pandaria expansion where things like mounts and achievements are moving into the account realm.

Expanding on achievements rewards and other account bound items works well with World of Warcraft. I couldn’t imagine how daunting it would be to the developers to implement a system like this with a game this old without breaking something.

 The legacy of Diablo III

Now Diablo III is not exactly an MMO. I have clocked in my fair share of beta hours into this game. I would like to at least point out that this game has a quasi-legacy similar to SWTOR. Though the rewards are not the same (yet), playing a monk and a barbarian all contribute to the players overall progress through Diablo III. This includes unlocking artisans, shared stash, and of course those damn achievements. So with Diablo III and the changes coming to World of Warcraft. I would have a hard time believing that Blizzard isn’t keeping an eye on things.

All images used in this post are copyright to their respective owners.

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Posted in Diablo III, Star Wars : The Old Republic, World of Warcraft

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