news aggregator

March 19, 2010

06:30
I'm 14 hours into Final Fantasy XIII, which curiously enough means I haven't even left the "tutorial" part yet, which lasts for about 20 hours before you are given basic functionalities like choosing...
Source: Tobold
Categories: Bloggers
06:18
Wow… I mean just… wow… Derek Smart has been on stage running Alganon for… what… 20 minutes now? Okay, it has been a little longer than that, but already he has brought much attention to the game he is now running, Alganon.  Previously Alganon was primarily known for openly admitting that they copied WoW in every interface [...]
Categories: Bloggers
06:11
The Problem I am bad with faces. I mean really bad with faces. My brain just doesn’t seem to be very good at mapping what someone looks like with their name.  This often makes things difficult for me at networking events and conferences. The Solution A passive mobile application that scans the environment around the user for faces. [...]
Source: Joe Ludwig
Categories: Bloggers
02:59
MrSkimpole: Brandon Sanderson's "Way of Kings", please say something true. (blog) http://j.mp/9AVz6P @BrandonSandrson
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter

March 18, 2010

23:18
Aaaand, I'm back.  After about a year and a half on dsob.wordpress.com, I've decided to return to geldonsgaming.blogspot.com.   What has changed in that time? Both too much, and not...
Source: Geldon
Categories: Bloggers
15:20
Well, that sounds silly, doesn’t it? I mean, we did Sunken Temple the previous week, why would we then start preparing for it? Well, we’ve been big on doing all the quests for instances and seeing all the sites as we make what might be the last run through pre-cataclysm Azeroth, and Sunken Temple has a couple [...]
Categories: Bloggers
12:27
MrSkimpole: Without a doubt now, Battlefield BC2 best multiplayer I've played. Just fun and splendidly designed. Rare are games with so good game design
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter
08:55
Nils suggested in the open Sunday thread that I talk about the advantages and disadvantages of consoles vs. PC when it comes to playing MMORPGs. Now this is a case where platform choice is usually...
Source: Tobold
Categories: Bloggers
06:30
A reader sent me a link to a NY Times article on the US National Broadband Plan, suggesting that this might be a "possible topic from someone with a world view". So I'm going to talk about that, and...
Source: Tobold
Categories: Bloggers
03:35
And wrecking my credibility. A couple of months back my daughter and I took all of the loose change in the house to a nearby CoinStar station with the intent of getting an Amazon.com gift certificate.  CoinStar takes a percentage of your total amount if you want cash, but if you will take a gift certificate [...]
Categories: Bloggers
00:16
Here’s my notes for the talk Streaming Massive Environments from 0 to 200 MPH presented by Chris Tector from Turn 10 Studios. He’s listed as a Software Architect there, and obviously has a deep understanding of the streaming system they used on Forza 3. This talk was nice and deep technically, and touches all parts [...]
Categories: Bloggers

March 17, 2010

21:36
Because I know you are looking for a true, honest, and loving relationship. Tobold forwarded me a spam email sent to him with an endorsement from me… or at least my URL: Hello. I am”miss Sandra single, how are you? hope you are fine and in perfect condition of health.I saw your contact in tagn.wordpress.com today and took [...]
Categories: Bloggers
17:48
It’s interesting to me to see the big push towards Facebook gaming…and quite honestly, it’s becoming the “new Web 2.0 flashword” that game designers and gamers alike are throwing around. They are also claiming that it is the future….it’s where games are going…it’s social gaming!! Poppycock. Yes…Poppycock I say! Facebook, and by extension, Facebook gaming [...]
Categories: Bloggers
15:18
Quote from the “help orc” screen on TorilMUD: Warning:  As one of the six evil races on TorilMUD, the orcs are extremely difficult to play and face many hardships.  Their hometown has been specifically designed to make life hell and death waits around every corner.  Orc will most certainly encounter situations that would be deemed “unfair” [...]
Categories: Bloggers
14:46
There is no question that the strong majority of North American MMO players play World of Warcraft.  Even assuming a paltry 3 million players are still playing in the twilight of the latest expansion, that is still a magnitude more active players than the next similar MMO in line.  Other MMOs like FreeRealms and Runescape muddy [...]
Categories: Bloggers
13:32
MrSkimpole: The other half of #Lost Ultimate Explanation. (blog) http://j.mp/duU3If
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter
12:02
MrSkimpole: Steven Erikson summer adventures continue. Even more cringe-worthy in retrospect. http://j.mp/awNwlg #malazan
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter
10:09
MrSkimpole: Wordless #Lost blog post. Rich in subtext. http://j.mp/aHee1k
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter
09:20
Here’s the notes I have for Single-Player, Multiplayer, MMOG: Design Psychologies for Different Social Contexts as presented by Ernest Adams. Ernest has a long history of writing about and teaching game design, although primarily single player games. Roughly, this talk is about him extending his previous concepts to encompass multiplayer games, with varying [...]
Categories: Bloggers
07:49
MrSkimpole: @CatalystMaker Can you get feedback on various Battlefield BC2 DX9 issues, like flickering terrain textures on external camera with vehicles
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter
06:30
Klepsacovic invented Whiny Post Day, and it's today! So I have to come up with a subject to whine about, something that will annoy at least some of my readers. Fortunately Klepsacovic provided a...
Source: Tobold
Categories: Bloggers
03:52
Daniel Dociu, concept art god, had a presentation at the recent GDC.  Instead of doing bullet point powerpoint slides, he decided to blast a few retinas with some old and new concept art going by at warp speed for the Guild Wars series (including Guild Wars 2 concept art).  ArenaNet worked hard to push out [...]
Categories: Bloggers
00:37
I’m not normally a huge fan of poker games, but Zynga’s new poker game is really good.  Hardcore poker fans may not enjoy it, but is an actually entertaining mix of Texas Hold ‘Em and Bejeweled Blitz, and will likely spread quickly to the mass market.  I wrote up a quick little preview on it, [...]
Source: Cuppycake
Categories: Bloggers

March 16, 2010

18:17
That’s all. Incredible CG.
Categories: Bloggers
16:26
I got a note from Cryptic today that has a little more information about the “extras” that those of us who bought lifetime subscriptions to the game get.  Anything to validate my purchase! STO LIFETIME PERKS Greetings Lifetime Members! We just wanted to thank you again for purchasing a Lifetime Subscription from us. As you already [...]
Categories: Bloggers
14:35
So, I’m back to work this morning and the usual “I’d rather be in SF” blues are hitting me . Oh well…it shall pass. Some of the highlights I took back: - Alcatraz is not the party spot you’d think it is. - Although GDC 2010 seemed smaller, apparently is wasn’t. - “Social” is the new shizzle this [...]
Categories: Bloggers
13:53
In the open Sunday thread Void expressed his opinion that most MMORPGs either cost $15 a month, or are Free2Play, and wondered why there was no middle ground. That seems to be a common enough...
Source: Tobold
Categories: Bloggers
12:20
MrSkimpole: Played Battlefield BC2. Very good design and pacing, lots of issues with ATI cards. Best online shooter I've played.
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter
09:58
I recently came across a player in World of Warcraft who was wearing a guild tag of . Now the Stockholm syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which people held hostage...
Source: Tobold
Categories: Bloggers
08:29
The shared topic on Blog Azeroth asks, “If you had to start over in World of Warcraft, what race/class would you be?” This is an easy one for me – I wouldn’t change a thing.  I love being a druid; almost everything about it makes me happy. Here’s what I’m talking about: Shapeshifting into different forms, instantly.  This [...]
Source: Cuppycake
Categories: Bloggers
00:33
If you love Facebook games and would love to make your own, we want you at Metaplace!  We are hiring a game designer/programmer who plays lots of Facebook games, analyzes them, understands why they’re successful, reads Inside Social Games and other social games industry sites, doesn’t hate Farmville, knows what DAU/MAU means, and generally kicks [...]
Source: Cuppycake
Categories: Bloggers
00:32
You know, it’s harder to come up with a witty title that has not been used elsewhere than you’d think. That said, I now present part two of my trial account adventure, where I journey into one of the new kids on the block, Star Trek Online. And as my title alludes to, [...]
Categories: Bloggers

March 15, 2010

19:19
Here is a roundup of my latest articles on the Examiner! Farmville developer Zynga loses cofounder Andrew Trader Facebook games 101: How to play games on Facebook Super Rewards offering new Flash payment platform for Facebook games Crowdstar’s new zoo game Zoo Paradise launches Fishville release Aztec environment Petville announces Backyard Designer contest Farmville releases St. Patrick’s Day items Big Fish Games launches [...]
Source: Cuppycake
Categories: Bloggers
19:12
This morning, I was wearing my favorite hoodie to Starbucks for my daily chai tea latte.  It’s a World of Warcraft hoodie, and it seems to attract conversation every time I wear it.  Today, my barista said “WORLD OF WARCRAFT?!!?  I just started playing that!!!”.  I told him that he should join my guild on [...]
Source: Cuppycake
Categories: Bloggers
16:31
Last week was my fourth pass through the Game Developers Conference, having also gone up to San Francisco in 2007, 2008, and 2009. This year my expo pass was provided by the fine people at FileCatalyst.  They were at the show to talk to companies about their accelerated and managed file transfer solutions.  While they asked [...]
Categories: Bloggers
13:23
Following a recommendation from Cuppycake, I reactivated my dormant Facebook account and started playing My Tribe. As I said in my previous discussion of Facebook games, I recognize the power of the...
Source: Tobold
Categories: Bloggers
13:08
This weekend saw a lot of Wizard 101 play.  Obligatorily, the joy I get from opening a load of presents every time I log on is pretty compulsory.  Anyway, I have been zapping away at the O’Leary rats (and cats?) mucking about on the rooftops of Marleybone.  Right now, I’ve been getting through the Hyde [...]
Categories: Bloggers
07:37
At the GDC, game design deity Sid Meier said something that caught my attention: "People who play games are egomaniacs. It says on the box you get to control armies, discover new technology, and create entire civilizations. So, right away, you’re an egomaniac." So, here's the challenge: can you make a game that isn't for egomaniacs? What really makes it different?

Post copyright Brian 'Psychochild' Green. Visit the post to participate in the comments:

Weekend Design Challenge: A lack of egomania

Source: Psychochild
Categories: Bloggers
06:30
Ultra-nationalism, having lead to two world wars, isn't everybody's favorite philosophy. Except, it appears, for media companies. On the one side you hear a lot on how the internet is propelling us...
Source: Tobold
Categories: Bloggers
04:31
Here’s some notes from the session Design in Detail: Changing the Time Between Shots for the Sniper Rifle from 0.5 to 0.7 Seconds for Halo 3 presented by Jaime Griesemer from Bungie. He was in charge of multiplayer balance for Halo 1, 2, and 3 so has a lot of relevant experience. [...]
Categories: Bloggers
03:28
Here are my notes for the session The AI of BioShock 2: Methods for Innovation and Iteration presented by Kent Hudson at 2K Marin. Kent has a PDF of the presentation up on his site, with promised future annotation. The session didn’t go into much detail about specific AI details, but was a good overview [...]
Categories: Bloggers
02:28
I was curious about how the 100+ comment post affected our readership numbers. Yep, double the number of readers on Friday and over 1,000 unique views. I was surprised, however, that it is not winning on the month. Ravious’s latest Guild Wars 2 post is about 50% higher, despite only having 4 [...]
Categories: Bloggers

March 14, 2010

20:42
Today is the day.  Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver launch today. The web site for HeartGold and SoulSilver has been updated with a lot of new information about the game, along with some hints of things to be revealed later. We pre-ordered through Amazon.com, which means that a Sunday launch date guarantees that we won’t get the game [...]
Categories: Bloggers
18:16
I’ve been playing Star Trek Online at a rather relaxed pace so far.  It does seem to be designed to let you drop in for a quick mission or two.  But that does not mean I have not been paying attention to the game. Still on the press release mailing list, this fell in my inbox [...]
Categories: Bloggers
07:14
MrSkimpole: I knew I should have stopped at 8th ep of Tokyo Magnitude 8. Fucking bastards japanese writers.
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter
06:59
This is the thread where you can leave your questions and proposals for subjects for me to blog about without having to stay on-topic to anything.Tobold's MMORPG Blog
Source: Tobold
Categories: Bloggers
05:50
MrSkimpole: Also: she goes GYABO! and MUKYA!
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter
05:45
MrSkimpole: It helps that the male lead is not the usual shy and clumsy boy, and the female lead not the typical sexy but eccentric and crazy.
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter
05:43
MrSkimpole: Nodame Cantabile has one of the best love stories I watched/read. I watched the first 2 episode of first season and everyone should too.
Source: MrSkimpole
Categories: Twitter