Crafting your avatar is that wonderful and exciting entry into just about any online game.  It’s that near magical art of creating your in-game persona, infusing your character with a bit of whatever parts of you that you want to send forth into the game world to find adventure and victory, with pink pigtails or a lime-green mohawk or a great big scar down your cheek.

Believe it or not, I used to HATE character creation.  It always irked me because I’m a furry orange monster and there just aren’t any games where I could make an avatar that looks even remotely like I do.  The closest I could usually come was orange hair, and even then is was never the right shade of that fiery orange that I’m so proud of.  Game after game, I just crafted some generic looking toon or, even worse, hit ‘random’ a few times in character select and took what was handed to me, since no combination of noses, hairstyles, and body shape could ever come close to making a character that looked like me.

Then one day I decided that this was very silly, and I’ve loved character creation ever since.

Continued…

This week, I wanted to talk about assumed knowledge and how it can affect (for good or for ill) gameplay.  In this regard, there are basically three kinds of assumed knowledge: the kind relating to the characters in a story, the kind relating to the players of a game/story and the kind relating to the creators of that story/game. All three influence how a game is played and how that game’s play unfolds.

Continued…

“I just don’t see the attraction.”

“You’ll get addicted!”

“How can you waste your time like that?”

“Wait, are you addicted?”

“You spent money on that?  But it isn’t real!”

“You are so addicted!”

Sound familiar? The well intentioned yet completely off-the-mark commentary we often hear from friends or family members who just don’t understand our love of online gaming? Yeah, same here.

Convinced that you’ll end up a desiccated husk, living in your own filth and helplessly strung-out on pixels and cheese-doodles, they sigh, they wheedle, they cajole and sometimes even threaten you to get you to give up the hobby you love. And it’s not difficult to figure out why. We’ve all seen the sensational news stories about people who became so consumed by a particular game that they lost perspective, (or worse) lost their jobs, let their kids starve or simply forgot to live themselves. But as tragic as those stories are, they don’t reflect the reality of most gamers.

But what can we do about it?  I have a few ideas…

Continued…

Global Agenda Mission hub" src="http://www.mmocrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/globalagenda-2010-01-22-10-25-02-37-12-300x224.jpg" alt="The Global Agenda Mission hub" width="300" height="224" />

In the past I have been lucky enough to participate in the beta testing for City of Villains and Auto Assault.  So when I got a chance to try out the beta of Global Agenda I jumped at it.  What I find great about the whole beta testing process is getting a glimpse into a game before the final version gets released to the public.   Even thought the game is already out, I haven’t had a chance to go get it yet, so this is my Global Agenda preview of the beta.

The game is set in a futuristic world where you have a choice of 4 archetypes to play with in recon, assault, medic and robotics.  Each caters to different types of game play and has their own advantages and disadvantages.  Missions are gained from a hub where you join a team of players to either complete a PvE or PvP mission.  I was disappointed that there did not seem to be any solo play options.  Character customization is initially limited to just changing the look of the face and hair, unlike games like City of Heroes or Villains which offer a wider range of appearance options.  Any further changes in appearance comes at a price, from changing the paint color and armor upgrades that can be purchased later.

The archetype you choose to play really depends on your game style.  With Assault you get a fair amount of weapon power with a chain gun, heightened armor and health regeneration abilities.  While it was fun to blast away at your opponents I found it limiting and nothing that I have not played before.  The only time I found the type truly effective was having a medic nearby to keep healing me as I dealt out the damage.

With a medic you are essentially the healer of the party, throwing off heal bombs and firing a gelatinous heal ray at your teammates.  Low on offense power, this is great for anyone who likes to be the support member of the party.  I found that if the medic is doing his/her job in the mission the chances of keeping a good tight team from constantly having to re-spawn members goes up considerably.   Even though every player gets a jetpack, having to make your way back through the mission map to your team can be tiresome.

The recon class uses steath and speed to make it’s mark in the game.  Essentially functioning  as a scout you can use invisibility mode which looks great on screen but to me was not very useful when I used it.  I am sure if I were to get into that type of game play it might be more interesting in later levels,  but early on it did not catch my interest.

Of all of the classes I found robotics the most interesting.  It offers the most variety of the four classes, offering both offensive and defensive abilities to the team.  The ablity to create a shield or auto turret on the fly were fun and gave me something more to do than just shooting the heck out of enemy robots.   It is definately a class I would be tempted to play more and see what could be done in higher levels.

Overall the key to playing this game seems to be teamwork.  As long as you keep your party in a tight group and each class/archetype does their job the survival rate really remains high.  Most times by playing this way you can finish in time with very little re-spawning.  While you will do most of your fighting with range weapons,  there are melee weapons for each class that seem to be more useful in the Player VS. Player Environment.

In addition to Player Vs. Environment play I also got a chance to try out Player Vs Player mode.  In this mode it is basically a free for all in an arena where you just shoot at the enemy color and try and survive.  For the most part I kept getting punked by the opposition as soon as I entered the zone. Playing the assault class I found the only way to survive was to find someone else on the same side to team up with on the fly, preferably a medic.  While PVP mode has never been my favorite aspect of any MMO, I can see where this part of the game would appeal to some people.

So after trying the beta will I be tempted to pay to play the game, the answer is more than likely yes.  Despite some flaws such as getting stuck in the tutorial with a non-functioning jet-pack (which you can skip through thankfully) and very awkward looking leg movements, which I am sure will be solved in the final product.  The game works great as a futuristic third-person shooter with some interesting RPG elements and plenty to keep you coming back to it.

My Engineer enters the enemy occupied zone. He scans the horizon at the end of his trusty dragon engraved rifle, looking for any signs of the enemy. Every step through this cursed land taxes his very soul. He can feel the crunch of the dried dirt and sand with his every step, the grenades along his belt jiggling almost as if they are yearning to be thrown at an enemy to fulfill their destiny. Finally the lone engineer spots a full warband attacking a keep. This warband is united under the banner of Order. Order, the word is almost meaningless on the battlefield. Still under this banner we will seek to bring law to the lawless, justice to those that are unjust and in this case the goal is to liberate the keep from the forces of destruction.

This is a typical night in WarHammer. The only issue is finding a warband to join. The main ingredient is other players. You need those to fight against and those to fight with. If you are on a low pop server which has no action, transfer or reroll to a better server. Sorry there are no other options, you need a good balanced to almost balanced population to enjoy this game. I have come up with a formula to maximize my playtime. I will share this epiphany with you.

1-Queue up for all scenarios.
This is the first thing I do every time. If RVR is slow going I can hopefully pop in a scenario for some instant PVP. If RVR is active you can always leave the queue. Sometimes you need to partake in a sc to lock a zone. Either way queue up.

2-Look for Open Warbands.
Use the option on your UI to look for an open WB in your zone. If there is an open WB click on the RVR button to join.

3-Guild
Use your guild. Check your guild roster and see if anyone in your Tier is in an open warband. This is depicted by a red banner near their name. Right click on the banner and select join open warband.

4- The Mighty Map
Open the map; check the zones by the racial pairings. This will present a representation of the tiers by zones. You can see if there are any battles in any zones on the map. If there are battles in a different zone fly there and proceed to step 2.

5-Jump tiers
Don’t be afraid to roll an alt. Sometimes your tier might be having a slow night. Roll an alt and join the battle at that level.

This is my daily formula for WarHammer. I always have something to do. Regardless of Zone or Tier I can always expect to join a battle somewhere. Over all WAR is a good game, it’s full of fun and excitement. Sometimes we just have to go and find it. Good luck and enjoy your WAAAGGHHH!!

I finally resubbed to WarHammer. I have really been interested in what they have been doing in that game. Many career updates, patches and server stability fixes have been put into it. I… love… Warhammer. There I said it. The game is fun, full of excitement, full with fun classes to try. The game shines when it comes to PVP. This game actually has a purpose to PVP, you can level with PVP, and RVR combat. Decent gear is accessible to everyone. You don’t have to run dungeon after dungeon and hope you win a roll, just participate in RVR, and scenarios and you can earn reknown and influence for gear. Finally someone has made a PVP game for causal and hardcore players alike.

I am currently leveling 2 characters. The handsome dwarf you see above is my engineer. I just dinged 19 and I absolutely love the class. I can do decent damage, and I have many, many tricks to get out of trouble. Make no mistake if I am out of tricks I am as good as dead, but that’s part of the game. I am taking a small break from WOW just for this month to experience a break from PVE (WOW). The earlier levels for my Dwarf were somewhat tough, but the higher level he gets the more gadgets he earns, different types of grenades, and just trained landmines. Landmine is a very fun tool. Drop it near the enemy and it knocks all enemies down for 2 seconds in a 30 yard (feet? Not sure what the measurement is in WAR) range.

There is always action in the game. The server mergers have seen to that. It only takes a few minutes to join a warband for some good old RVR action, or join a scenario. The strength of the game is also its greatest weakness. If the server is dead or a slow night, well you just better log out. Let’s see if I can continue past a month. I will let you guys know.. So for now I am off to battle…Bloody Hell!

Many people play games to escape reality, to hang out with distant friends or just to have fun. These people log in to the game, quest, explore, buy and sell on the AH and in some cases perform a bizarre ritual dance on top of the mailbox. This is the basic way to enjoy the game you play. Every game out there has a greater depth to it. There is a way to traverse the limits of cyberspace and take your game to the next level, to dive deeper into the game.

Many people tend to go to forums. Tread lightly fellow adventurer the game forums can be a wretched hive of scum and villainy ready to devour the innocent. You may be able to find the occasional useful post among a sea of whining. Usually you can find good player created guides that can help you start off your character, or to even help you finish off those final talent points. Blogs are another source, there are many sites available. Some are done really well, some not so much. The great thing about most blogs is that you can tap into a regular guys experience about your game of choice. Some blogs are written by hard core gamers if that’s what you’re into. Whatever you need there probably is a blog for you.

There is yet another form of delving deeper into the worlds of our games. Podcasts are an entertaining way to gain a deeper understanding of the game, as well as listen to other people who share your passion for the game. Podcasts are also great because you can listen to them in the car, while jogging or even exercising. I prefer to read fan sites, blogs and listen to podcasts. It’s a great way to gain a further understanding of the game. Whatever you choose there are many ways to immerse yourself further into the virtual world.

Just when you thought you had seen everything, defeated every foe and knew your place in Paragon City, a big change is coming your way. NCsoft has announced an Expansion for City of Heroes. This expansion is aptly named City of Heroes-Going Rogue. One of the big features is the introduction of Praetoria, the Mirror universe where Statesman is a Tyrant. Players will be able to explore this new universe with complete immersion.
This expansion also offers the first time ever chance to switch from Hero to villain and vice versa. The potential is enormous. According to the faq you can switch sides and switch back again. Switching sides will allow Hero archetypes to go to the Rogue Isles and Villain archetypes to enter Paragon city. The player’s “moral compass” will change based on completing clearly marked missions in addition to behaviors and decisions made by the player. This compass will eventually change the heroes or villains side.
Two new characters will be introduced in the game. Since the game is about switching loyalties both these characters have gone to the other side. The first is; Maelstrom, a pistol-wielding hero gone rogue and the second is Desdemona, a demon-summoning villain who has been redeemed.
It looks like NCsoft is raising the bar now that they are facing serious completion from Cryptic with their soon to be released game champions online. I have always been a fan of COH, and I look forward to trying this new expansion and exploring the new world of Praetoria.

Check out the preview trailer listed below.

City of Heroes-Going Rogue

Ok, Listen up, go grab a kid, in this case an orphan, doesn’t matter which one and take them for a trip. It’s time to take these little guys for a tour of Azeroth. Its children’s week in WOW! This is one of my favorite in game holiday events. For the Horde take your character to Ogrimar and visit the orphanage. Speak to the Matron to get yourself a little orphan. This orphan wants to see a few sites in Azeroth. These were the places last year, they might change this time around. If for some reason you play alliance then the orphans want to go here;

• The bank in Darnassus

• The lighthouse in Westfall

• Jaina Proudmoore in Theramore

• If you are super cool and play the Horde, your orphan wants to see;

• Mor’shan Rampart

• Lordaeron Throne Room

• Cairne Bloodhoof in Thunder Bluff

It is a bit of running around, unless you have a mage friend to port you around. It is worth it, if you like non combat pets. Upon completing the quests you can choose from these three pets.  Piglet, the Rat, or Speedy .

If you’re over level 60 you can take part in the orphan quests in Shattrath also. Visit the Matron at the Shattrath orphanage, last year you had to take your outland’s orphan to these places;

• The Dark Portal

• The Exodar (Alliance)

• Silvermoon City (Horde)

• Caverns of Time

Caverns of time is probably the most time consuming place to go. Here is a tip, if you’re Hearthstone is set to Dalaran take the portal in Dalaran right to the caverns of time. This is a big time saver. The others are an easy portal skip from Shattrath. I love the pet choices from the outlands quests, here are your choices;  Eggbert, Baby Elekk, Sleepy Willy.

It’s a fun holiday that anyone can complete; the reward is a fun new companion that will remain loyally by your side. Just watch out for Willy, he drools.

Evil is afoot. The criminals are going insane, running rampant, and terrorizing the unimposing citizenry. Purse snatchings, muggings even strange creatures committing all sorts of strange and arcane acts for their bizarre evil twisted rituals. I am not talking about the U.S. congress here people. These events are taking place in a popular city we all know. No not Miami, but Paragon City. It is up to us, the heroes to log in and stop the madness and the chaos.

It just happens to be the 5th anniversary of City of Heroes. NCSoft is celebrating this event all month long. This week, starting today and ending on Sunday, will see the reactivation of any old accounts that left in good standing. It’s our duty as Heroes past to take part in the defense of Paragon City once more.

I just love City of Heroes. I was in the original beta test for the game, and continued to play it for about two years after release. I left at that time due to burn out and needing something deeper at the time. Its strength can sometimes be its weakness, the simplicity in game play. I have gone back many times during free game play, promotions, and just to play for a month or two here and there. I love the way the game is setup. Just log in and go do missions. That’s it, that simple. You can group or solo, either way is a viable way to level and have fun. You can customize your game play by attaining enhancements for your powers. These enhancements augment certain aspects of your powers and help you truly customize your hero.

The game has evolved over time adding PVP, crafting, auction houses, (don’t remember what they are called in coh), and the City of Villains expansion, just to name a few. This is a product that continues to deliver time and time again. The in game community is excellent. I have never had problem finding a group or help for any mission. Everyone I ran into was very helpful. Having such a consistently good, helpful player base is rare in MMO’s. It might be due to its niche nature that holds the community strongly together, or maybe just the fact that everyone is trying to play a truly heroic persona. Either way it works.

The time has come, patch your account, put on your super suit and help defend Paragon City. The best part about Paragon is its complete lack of Night Elf Hunters.