New Character in Guild Wars 2.

My new character in Guild Wars 2..

The Casual Gamer vs The Hardcore Gamer

When I say casual gamer, I don't particularly mean the gamer that plays games on easy, nor the gamer that only plays games every so often. I mean the gamer that plays casual games.

You know the ones, the oddly addicting ones, yet minimal skill or even attention is required for the most part. Games like FarmVille and Hay Day, amongst many others.

These games are becoming more and more popular and so more variations of the games themselves are joining the shelves. These micro-management, micro-transaction games seem to be opening up a whole new market to people who would otherwise not game at all.

My concern is simple. As there is so much money to be made in these games and they are a 'safe bet' (due to minimal development/creation costs) with maximum rewards. Does this foresee a bleak future for gaming as a whole?

From the onslaught of casual games a few years ago, we have also seen an onslaught of different factors being introduced to our mainstream (more hardcore) games. Things such as DLC and arcade games. The games themselves seem to be a little easier these days too.

The concern is, will the casual gaming market (with its high consumer volumes) have a negative effect on the core of the very gaming industry and 'dumb down' some of the games of the future. For the time being, it's great that gaming is spreading beyond the tight community it once was, but what does the future hold?

Rift: Free To Play Model Coming Soon

So it's been announced recently that Rift will be coming onto the free to play format, much like almost all other MMOs after a certain amount of time (exceptions including Eve and WoW).

This needs to be a very careful undertaking however as we have seen the free to play model crash and burn for games in the past. Yes, there's no subscription, but how is it best to implement factors into the game so the developer can still earn money?

A personal no no for me is buying quest packs, we saw this in LOTRO and I don't think it works too well. Ultimately this kind of DLC means you can't progress without investing (much like paying to be able to go into different parts of the world, or to be able to level up).

I hope Rift does adopt a winning scheme (Guild Wars 2 is testament that it can be done, but I guess that was made from the ground up as a non-subscription game, that could make a difference).

Going free to play can either make or break a game. I guess we'll find out (I'm sure it'll be fine!)

MMO's: Getting back into it.. but there's too much choice?!

Once again, I'm feeling that unmistakable itch within the gaming cortex of my brain (yes, ofcourse it exists..). The itch that continually nags at me to start playing an MMO again, until the inevitable happens and I give in.

My one problem? Which one do I choose? Do I do the unthinkable and re-subscribe to WoW (maybe not). Perhaps Rift, but then again, with the new Star Trek film that has just come out, I also feel drawn to a dabble in Star Trek Online.

This is amongst many other options I could take. Is there just too much choice these days? If so, is this nessacerily a bad thing?

One thing is decided though, I may as well not go back to Rift until the free to play model is put in place in June.

Call Of Duty: Noobs, Killcam and Mannequins!

I feel this may just be me in my own little world, however let me begin.

On the seemingly regular occasion that I do something not all together normal, some would call 'noobish' in Call of Duty. Say for instance:

- Try to walk into an area that clearly is not part of the map and get greeted with an invisible wall.
- Shoot a mannequin in Nuketown, thinking its another player.
- Accidentally slip on the right trigger in panic and try to knife the player from 10 feet away.

I find that for the brief second or two after this moment, I'm almost that tiny bit reluctant to kill anybody I see in my line of sight. Mainly due to the fact that my foolery will then be paraded in front of them in widescreen from my killcam. The shame.

Not that this stops me ofcourse, when a noob has his/her chance, he/she must take it.

We have all been noobs once though surely.

41 Seconds..

Today i played SimCity for 41 seconds. Thats right, 41 seconds, as its currently down for maintenance. That is all.

SimCity: What's The Problem?

Taking away the fact the release was a disaster, the always online requirement and the DRM. The actual game is in fact rather good.

Ofcourse, this is only my opinion.

Buying A Game And Your Partner Actually Plays It More..

I've found that in some games that I buy (and that I introduce to my otherwise none-gaming partner), is that they end playing the game more than me!

Examples of which:

- The Sims 3
- Spore
- Modnation Racers
- Far Cry 3
- Call Of Duty: Black Ops (?!)

This is to name but a few but I find it amazing that they spend more time on these games than me. I guess it's if there is a creative element in this situation (apart from Black Ops ofcourse).

It's worth noting that in no way am I complaining.. It's great to have a hobby you can share with your other half.

Ill be getting Simcity soon, we shall see what happens.

Far Cry 3: The Map Editor

To anybody who hasn't given the Far Cry 3 editor the time and little effort that is required, I highly recommend it.

The editor can be as complex or as simplistic as you wish and cater to only one game mode, or be multi-purpose and adhere to all needs. Such an in depth editor which can then be used directly in the multiplayer element lends to some interesting creations and interesting multiplayer matches.

Want more maps but don't want to pay out for map packs.. make them yourself!

Dirt 3. Hang on a minute..

So I decided to have a go at Dirt 3 and attempt to fully complete the single player campaign. What is incredibly frustrating and annoying however is the fact that DLC plays such a fundamental role in the game. So much so, that if i want to be able to 100% the game and achieve all the points from each of the 'triangles' it sets out, I have to buy an add-on/DLC to do so.

I would think if you buy a game, you should at least be able to 100% complete the game and any DLC will come as a bonus which is optional. The sheer fact that the DLC comes as part of the 100% completion raises the question.. why was this content not included with the disc content?

The era of DLC has begun and I fear this may only be increased ten fold in the next gen due out at the end of this year.

Bioshock Infinite. Would You Stay?

Say, perhaps, you ended up living amongst the clouds in the much more heightened version of Columbia. Life is great.. everybody is happy and everyday seems to be as bright, sunny and full of cheer as the last. Life is much more interesting. One problem, severe racism.

 

Your only way to escape from this world is to destroy all the apparent happiness and community and in the process, escape aboard an airship to the solid ground far below; risking your life. Alternatively, do you merely accept that everybody around you is a racist and decide to live in the seeming paradise for the rest of your life instead?

 

Likely death or possible escape and the destruction of an outlandish community, versus reluctant acceptance into a morally wrong community for a life of peace and no worries. Which one would you choose?

My Top 10 Games..

Ten games is quite hard to come up with. Games that come immediately to mind are:

1. Burnout Revenge (multiplayer was the best I've seen in a game to date, its just too bad it's not a popular game anymore.
2. Broken Sword.
3. Discworld
4. Super Mario: All Stars
5. Tomb Raider (although very much dated now.)
6. Half Life (series)
7. Rift
8. Simcity 4 (yet to play the new one)
9. Far Cry 3
10. Guild Wars 2 (subject to change)

From this, I feel I hold a lot of nostalgia for games gone by. What are yours?

Bioshock Infinite and COD..

Can these two even be compared into the same class, even though they are considered to be in the same genre? The depth and complexity you find in a game like Bioshock cannot be compared to the stale reinvention of a game franchise that has failed to truly progress game after game in many years.

Bioshock Infinite is very different to its predecessor and lends a unique art style, imagination, humour and emotion that can be rare to find in today's first person shooter selection. Games are sometimes mainly considered to be a source of viable income for developers, but occasionally, some can still do this but can also strive to take considered risks to make their games even more unique and fun, and this is how the industry will truly progress.

Games That Suck You In..

No matter how hard you try, some games can get their grubby little claws into you and you'll be hard pressed to be able to let go. These are games that either have so much content, addictive gameplay or rewarding goals that we all play them time and time, and time again.

To name a few:

- The Elder Scrolls Games.. Oblivion being particularly greedy with my time.
- WoW
- Fry Cry 3
- Fuel
- Just Cause
- Simcity
- Anno

I'm sure we can all name our own few games that seem to of stolen many hours of our lives without us even realising it. This is likely to be the future of gaming and we are likely to see much more addictive 'RPG' like factors applied to almost every style of game going forward; for better or for worse (very much for worse with concern to things like DLC).

Call Of Duty: What About Aliens?!

Call of Duty has been going for many many years now and there clearly isn't a financial, or any real reason to change a winning formula (rather than the imminent tweaks and little additions year on year).

I'm also aware that Call of Duty seems to like to keep itself within the possible (or at least the normal, bar the zombies addition of-course).

What would everyone's stance be on the Call of Duty franchise delving into a sci-fi feel. For instance, the inclusion of an alien invasion in one of their future games. Fighting am alien bombardment rather than merely just another country. A step too far perhaps?

Personally, I feel with all the maps and story lines, there is room for new originality. A company with such a large wallet, thanks to the success of this franchise, is a company that surely should be pioneering into new things. It should be one that is able to breed originality into the gaming industry. The smaller developers lack this as they cannot financially undertake such risk as its too consequential to their entire operation.

You may say that aliens is hardly a new and original concept in any regard. It's at least something new to try and something I think would be just as addictive, if not more so, with the Call of Duty mechanics running in the background.

What Is The Formula In Making A Long-Standing MMO?

There are various different aspects that affect the longevity of an MMO and when it's date with imminent death is. These include:

- The game becomes stale (same old stuff, just remade in a slightly different way)
- No user support or very little
- Playerbase never takes off so it doesn't last outside of a year
- Competition
- No unique selling point

Take a look at the below article which tells us more about what Guild Wars 2 is planning to do going forward to try and maintain their playerbase. The factors they discuss are fairly common sense, however, even with the best laid plans it may still prove futile.

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/03/07/how-guild-wars-2-plans-to-survive

This is because the MMO genre can be very fickle, purely because there are so many options available. It's very easy to be able to move onto different adventures.

So what makes an MMO stick? What do you love about your favourite MMO that means you aren't easily deferred onto something else?

SimCity!

Although it has already been released in the US (anybody in the US or with a UK preorder already let me know what it's like), SimCity will be here tomorrow and I must admit I'm rather excited. It's a game that has been due a sequel for quite some time and hopefully it will live up to expectation.

I know there have been aspects which have caused uproar, such as the DRM , the constant need for an online connection and the matter of having several different smaller city areas; rather than a large expanse. I'm prepared to look beyond these as long as the game is as addicting and involved as the previous ones.

We shall see.

Elder Scrolls Online Will Be A Third Person MMO..

I know the traditional way of playing MMOs is via a third person perspective, posed high above your character and being able to see in all directions and know what is going on. With Elder Scrolls Online having been confirmed to be in this same third person perspective, although it has its obvious advantages, surely this takes away one of the main selling points of the Elder Scrolls series (from Morrowind onwards).

When I first heard about this impending MMO, my first thought, as like many others, was how good it will be to play the game in first person, a bursting flame of fire hovering in one palm, whilst a sword is held in the other. This was its unique selling point and now this isn't the case, this seems like it may just be like any other MMO and could very well go the same way as SWTOR, which originally had lofty ambitions.

Surely the disadvantages of such a view could be overcome by introducing new gaming dynamics, a small picture in picture interface or maybe just to provide the choice. If everybody has the same point of view, then there is no unfair advantage (at least in PvP).

I hope I find further reason to look forward to this game with new announcements in the future, but I can't help but feel a little deflated.

MMOs On Consoles, Could It Work One Day?

A new game by the name of Destiny may be developed by Bungie as an open world first person shooter (or an adaptation of). This is exciting as it opens up the possibilities for the future of the genre and for gaming as a whole.

Thinking more along these lines and to varying extremes. How long do we think it will be before the MMO genre is converted (successfully) over to the console market? I know its already had its attempts (such as DC Universe on PS3 or Final Fantasy), but it isn't what could be classed as successful when comparing it against its PC counterpart.

It's not impossible ofcourse, the only restraint I can foresee is the sheer size of the files and the need for them to constantly be updated, but also the lack of buttons you have when using a controller. I think there is a market ready to be dialled into which is begging for the next big thing.. The first MMOs that will hit consoles and be the equivalent of WoW, or stand side by side with the popularity of Call Of Duty at least.

Is this just dreaming? Will we ever see this happen? Who knows, but I can't see it being too long before the console market is attempted more vigorously by the major MMO developers.

Dayz Addon For ARMA 2

I have just come across the Dayz addon for ARMA 2. Although this is merely an Addon and not what you would call a fully fledged MMO, from what I can see, this is a very good attempt at the concept, and a good move in the future direction of MMOs.

Much like many thousands of others, I feel compelled to buy ARMA 2, just so I can give this Addon a try. Has anybody played this and if so, what are your thoughts?

Please see:

http://dayzmod.com/