The player’s are the best part of LOTRO.

Lord of the Rings Online is celebrating the second anniversary of the game.  They are offering a 2 week free trial, and bonus experience. I thought it might be a good time to write a short review.  I tried the game when it first came out, but due to lack of time, I put in on the back burner for later.

I recently started playing again. This time I began a new character on the Elendilmir Server, because I found out a good gaming buddy was playing there.  I was invited to join a pretty nice guild, The Knights of Amon Sul. They seem like a good group of people, with a strong leadership team.  They have been helpful in answering so many questions. (Thanks Kin!) Read more

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Best Player Housing - 2009

The following games were considered for this award:

Everquest 2

Ultima Online

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes

Lord of the Rings Online

Star Wars Galaxies

Many other popular games could not be included, because they don’t have player or guild housing.

I decided to write an accompanying blog about what designers could do to make housing more fun and useful in MMORPG’s. I also detailed the shortcomings of current housing. For now, lets get on with the award for the BEST, at the current state of gaming development!

LOTRO came in dead last. The housing isn’t worth the time they put into developing it. Read more

Why have player housing?

Dear Designers,

Today I want to talk to you about player housing in MMORPG’s. Many developer’s have decided to ignore housing as unimportant, yet they spend thousands of dollars marketing to the female marketplace.

I will give you a hint. (some geeky programmers just don’t know how to get a girl) Give us a cute little apartment, complete with a way to do crafting. Throw in a few house pets, and a Christmas tree, and you will get the chicks! Read more

WoW is the best game for a busy life…

I have often talked about what draws me back to EQ over the years, but today I want to talk about what draws me back to WoW.

Life sometimes has a way of becoming unusually busy. At those times, I dread the thought of logging on to most MMO’s.  I just don’t have the time to get a group, or commit to raid schedules.  If I do have an hour, I would like to log on and actually get something done!  World of Warcraft is the perfect game for the one or two hour gamer. Read more

Best New Idea - 2008

When you play a ton of MMORPG’s, like I do, you see very few really “NEW” ideas. Once in awhile, the developers use some creativity, and come up with something different!

Not all of the ideas work out as intended. Some are not fully implemented, the way they could have been. A few were not exactly a new, but the designers took the concept to a new level.

This award is more about the IDEA than the actual implementation. Read more

U give me grp plz? I need this mob.

Dear Game Designers,

Please fix the current issues, with grouping in MMORPG’s.

It used to be, that grouping was something we naturally did. It was difficult to be in a world, wandering around getting jumped by orcs. We would form groups, and hunt together for the day.

Now, games are designed to guide us through the content, and level. People will come up and ask for a group because they need a certain kill, for a particular quest. They join, we kill the mob, and they leave. Read more

Older Players in MMORPG’s Clashing with Younger?

This morning, I was doing my usual thing. Drinking Coffee, and reading some of my favorite gaming blogs. Rob, over at MMOCRUNCH, wrote an interesting article about the Generation Gap in MMORPG players. Read more

Dancing in online games — to excess?

While I was researching the dances in MMORPG’s for the Lark’s Choice Award, I ran across new MMO’s that are devoted JUST to dancing.

I love the roleplay aspects of MMO’s but come on. They made a whole game around it..heck actually I found TWO! (Dance Party and Dance Online)

Who needs a WHOLE game just to dance in?

We can dance in our favorite MMORPG, and then go slay a dragon too! (someone should go tell all those folks to come join us in our games!) Read more

Best Dances - 2008

I had so much fun researching this particular article!

I must have spent 20 hours watching Youtube videos of dances from games. I logged into WoW, EQ, EQ2, LOTR, and Vanguard to dance a bit myself. I looked at a total of 33 different MMORPG’s. I showed my top 5 to several other gamers and got opinions. We finally made our decision!

First Place goes to Read more

The 3rd kind of player…

I played Everquest2 from early internal Beta (friends and family). I had read every word from the developers, for two years leading up to being invited.

When they finally lifted the NDA on October 17, 2004, I decided to share my feelings about beta over at Druids Grove. I had always read their site, and being a druid in EQ and other games…well that was a comfortable place to post. Read more

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