Fans of both tower defense games and action RPGs will be interested to note that early access for Deathtrap is set to beginning on October 22nd. Early access will take place on Steam and can be gained by pre-purchasing Deathtrap for $19.99.
General: The 5 MMOs with the Best Quests
It’s no secret that most MMO quests are incredibly boring. If it weren’t for the engaging gameplay, multiplayer camaraderie, or epic scenarios that players find themselves, chances are this genre wouldn’t exist any longer. If you compare the questing found in most recent MMO releases to that of early pioneers, the types of quests are almost identical.
Destiny: Weapon Balance & Templar Encounter Addressed
The latest hot fix patch has been applied to Destiny. With its arrival, various weapon balance issues have been addressed and the Templar encounter in the Vault of Glass has had a number of fixes applied to it.
ArcheAge: Trust Issues
When Trion Worlds launched ArcheAge last month, was the company fully aware of the quantity and quality of client modifications and third-party tools available for the title?
General: Two Recent Questions
What role should governments have in the online game industry? This question was brought back to mind recently by news about a bill in Singapore that may have substantial potential to impact how the free to play revenue model can operate there. I also had renewed reason to wonder about the future of World of Warcraft in our planet’s largest market, China.
Guild Wars 2: I Miss Halloween
Holidays have become very important for MMOs. It allows the developers and players to breathe a bit and just have some good old fashioned fun. My favorite has always been Halloween, and it’s just right around the corner. Sadly, there isn’t a lot of attention being thrown towards it. The first Halloween for Guild Wars 2 was an amazing event that really set the standard for what to expect from the developers, which is why it may have been too good, as the following year was a serious let down.
General: The MOBA Genre’s Entry Point to Mobile
Thus far, the perception has been that tablets and MOBAs just don’t mix – and for good reason. Competitive MOBA players (is there any other kind?) require a level of technology and a degree of speed and precision that heretofore have existed only on PC. Current gen tablets have removed the first obstacle, and with its upcoming MOBA Vainglory, Superevil Megacorp has plans to remove the second.
General: You Got Your RPG in my Sports Game
This may or may not matter to some of you, as I do not know who here plays games like NHL, NBA2K or Madden outside of their MMO and RPG habits. But recently, after years away from sports games, I picked up both this year’s Madden and NBA 2K15. I have a history with both games, but what I found in this years’ versions hit me right in the nerdy bone. It’s like the funny bone, but instead of jokes it’s RPGs, Star Wars references, and comics that tickle this one.
General: Room for Creativity – Is Sandbox the Only Way?
With changes coming to several games, and the release of others like ArcheAge, I’ve been thinking about player-driven systems and the space a game’s story leaves for players in between. Do things like story, scripted elements, and even predetermined politics necessarily stifle player involvement and fun? Is a sandbox the only way to give players room to feel in charge of their own destinies, or are there alternate paths to make this happen?
General: Dicetiny -Digital Tabletop Game Starts Strong on Kickstarter
Indie developers Fakedice this week kicked off funding for their upcoming tabletop/RPG/CCG on Kickstarter and have already reached a third of their goal. The company describes Dicetiny (pronounced "dice-tinny") as "a tablet board game mashed with dungeon crawling and card battle" and plans to release it soon via Steam Early Access.