<![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game - Kotaku Comments]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game - Kotaku Comments]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> @Krondonian: How can you call MMO's bland? They are constantly changing, evolving, hardly leaving time for you taste all the "spices" from the last patch.

I, for one, love MMO's such as WoW and Guild Wars. In WoW, if you are bored, just level up and pretty soon you'll have plenty of new spells to use and become un-bored. Or you can just jump into BG's. GW's level cap is 20, so you really don't have much boredom time because there's stuff like Hard Mode and the various title tracks to keep you busy.

mownkay

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> @Anemone: Oh and he is totally correct about leading guilds. As someone who had experience as a leader, (not in FFXI, I refused) I can say that it is one of the most difficult and trying things that games can offer. Managing 30+ people with individual aspirations and desire... and conflicting personalities is exceptionally hard. As leader you see the absolute worst in everyone involved and you need to arbitrate between everyone there to get anything done. This includes discipline and removal of people who don't seem to work out for one reason or another. Having recently seen a mass laying off at work and how tense the supervisors were I get the feeling that most people aren't used to dealing with that sort of thing. Organizing people to work as a group and giving orders on the fly based upon what you believe to be correct is also crucial. Since I could probably write a small book on the intricacies of guild leading in an MMO, I think that I'm going to stop myself short here. The book would end up reading like a net-speak bastardization of "The Prince" and "The Art of War" anyway. Actually... writing something like that may be fun. I'll have to get around to that; not that anyone would bother to read it ever.

Anemone

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> I would pose that people who play MMOs have a lower tendency for violent crime, and for as much of a joke as it may seem to be, I really mean it. They don't have time to get into trouble. I played FFXI between 8-12 hours a day ontop of classes and sleep, simply put I didn't have time to go out and rob the 7-11. Granted that last bit was partially a joke, but I did know several people who would be considered "at risk youth" who played the game as a way to stay off the street. I'm not saying that if you get gangs addicted to WoW the world will no longer have crime, but those perviously mentioned kids were there online while their friends were in gangs. When I first heard one of them say that I thought it was a joke, but after several people said it, I sort of got the idea that it was very much so the truth. Granted none of that is empyrical evidence, but hey anecdotal from experience is good enough to sell me on it.

Anemone

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> Like movies different genres of games appeal to different types of people so pls stop saying "MMOs suck they're lame", as I think that you're stupid because you buy the same sports game every year with just updated stats or the ncaa version they all give you the same gameplay. Or why driving around on a track over and over for hours is fun while the truth is, it is as boring as hell. I like shooters (FPS), Third Person Action/Adventure games, RPGs, MMOs, some platformers and why you might ask? Cause those are the genres that appeal to me, the other types of games, they're useless and lame.

EdPOGI

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> Kudos to Nick Yee!

Also, a Lego MMO already exists. It's called Roblox, and it's great:
[www.roblox.com]


karoz

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> @kotakuspaceship:
I disagree, generally when my mom used to call me off the computer into the living room for "quality family time" it was to watch some uninteresting popular TV show. Very little "socializing" took place.

Whereas playing MMO's (actually I was mostly playing MUDs at the time) I was directly socializing with people across the country and on other continents.


Schmee

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> I personally find MMO gameplay, technology, community and interactivity far superior then any console platform game at this time. I don't like to play games alone through a linear story, I'll watch a movie if I want my experience to be that singular. Even multiplayer console titles are somewhat limited but they have potential.

What were seeing if anything is the game player base break apart? MMO type players and platform type players, I know guilds and players who've been MMO jumping for the last 7-8 years since UO and have never touched a console so its definitely a beast on its own. What we really need is a diverse set of MMOs - Eve and Kartrider is a step in the right direction. I would like to see MMOs tackle true economics and more social networking. 9 million users for 1 single game that was the Wii's entire hardware base for a good 10 months. Nexon is clocking 23 million for Kartrider and Maplestory - the MMO market has massive potential far greater then the US and Japanese console markets. Look to countries in South Asia (India) and South America (Brazil), they're market conditions are much like South Korea 8 years ago - about to jump into second world status if not already. PC gaming is easier to crack in their financial and corporate climate, especially virtual asset based MMOs. Nick does amazing work and hope he can draw more understanding and excitement into the MMO world.

People are to quick to associate addiction and anti-social behaviour to the MMO player base. Pity.

SchoolBusDriver

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> @masticate: I'm with you on that one.

brello

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> MMOG's, not MMO's. Sorry.

Krondonian

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> I'd never say that at present MMO's are really great, or even worthwhile playing. I mean, the entire gameplay sucks. No matter how many levels, how many charater classes, environments, quests, et cetera they are bland. But I played a significantly crappy free one for a couple of weeks, and rather than level grinding I tried to help out lower level players than myself, rather than constantly type 'n00b' around the start areas and challenge them to fight. It kind of makes you feel good to help people out, despite the fact that it'd be doing them more of a favour to put them off forever. But one day, there will be a good MMO, and when that day comes it could change gaming in a big way. In fact Bethesda are apparently working on something MMO related, so maybe that day is closer than I thought.

Krondonian

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> I find it surprising that younger people aren't more attracted to virtual worlds because I think it would be interesting to encourage it more. It's like when I was growing up I spent a lot of time building with LEGOs... though one could say that a "goal" was to build the project by the instructions, the real point of LEGOs themselves (as opposed to individual sets) was to make your own fun with them and do what you wanted... to create.
 
I know that LEGO is working on their own MMO, presumably with this sort of virtual world approach in an attempt to appeal to younger audiences...
 
... but his saying that "currently, online virtual worlds are unpopular with kids and, thus, not a risk to youth" is almost depressing when you think about it from a more "create your own path" vs "achieve preset goals" perspective of "play" (as a concept).
 
Makes me wonder if "old kids" like myself are more interested in things like Little Big Planet and a LEGO MMO because it reminds us of the "create" aspect of "play" that may not exist in the same way for children today... or at least not for the current generation of videogame kids.
 
It's almost like all the "true" sandbox games (including online virtual worlds that apparently aren't interesting to kids) exist for a generation, like mine, that actually grew up with physical sandboxes. Were we so afraid, as a society, of child predators in online gaming that we took away a valuable aspect of social interaction and play entirely?









dv8godd

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> @kotakuspaceship: Yeah, watching whatever shit season/spinoff of The Real World shows great social interaction indeed.

Furious_Liver

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> @Neopolitian: "If there was a Gran Turismo one I'd play that."

Motor City Online (done by EA.com before they went belly-up) was a great game, trick out your car with a ton of "parts", race your car in a suprisingly accurate for it's time online racing sim. It was a lot of fun, but no one played it, and yes, it was an MMO.

Did AC2 beta, was fun, I think I enjoyed AC1 a bit more, but didn't play either for long. Thank god the talent at Turbine went on to make Lord of the Rings Online, they did a good job.

Nick, nice work, keep it up. Looking forward to read more.

Android8675

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> "It's important to set reasonable guidelines and time limits regarding MMOGs" If I learned anything valuable from my four years of FFXI, it would be this (and a few pieces of life advice from a good friend).

MMOG is truly addictive, it makes you greedy, it keeps you unsatisfied, it also provides a sense of companionship with other online players. It draws out a different side of people. I won't say MMOG made me a better person, but I think it made me understand myself a little better.

I know a lot of people are borned with innate massive hate for MMORPG, kinda like how people hate clowns for no appearent reason? I used to hate MMORPG, but I learned to appreciate the many aspects of gaming experience that nothing else can provide.

I still hate clowns tho :(

tabrith

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> @kotakuspaceship: What social interaction is there when everyone is just watching TV? The point is that it's far better to interact with someone through the Internet than to not interact with someone in the same room.

Agies

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> I decided to try WoW for a month during last summer but was easily able to quit when school and my gf needed my attention. I don't understand why they keep talking about the effects of MMOs. It's for the socially inept. Obviously you'll have a few crazies.

Atamisk726

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> @Norellicus: ...Quite the opposite. Participating in embarassing MMO's like World of Warcraft make you an unsocial creature of rejection. :D Sitting in a living room with your family, at least you can observe social interaction.

kotakuspaceship

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> MMOs are all about the relationship you build with the community and friends.

Gameplay wise, they aren't anything spectacular, but I've had some hilarious events with close friends online that I will remember for the rest of my life.

belo

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> Yee said that while there haven't been a ton of studies done on that for MMO games, the ones that were conducted showed that the believes about crime, violence and games didn't pan out.

I was part of one of those studies - Filled out a survey, about a week later received Asheron's Call 2 in the mail, played for the free trial month, then re-took the same survey. The conclusions from that study (very short GP blog and a PDF of the findings) showed that there was no significant increase in violence compared to the "control" group which didn't play AC2.

I ended up playing AC2 for another couple of months after the free trial but generally disliked it. But hey, I was still money ahead since I didn't actually pay $50 for the game. Decent game core but it was unpolished and practically unfinished once you got up into the 30s (which was only a week or so). Constant bugs on the patches didn't help either.

baberg

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> MMOs have end goals? Intermediate goals sure, but each one only leads to a new goal which takes longer to reach.

RevDenton

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> It's better to interact with people around the world via MMOGs than to sit in the living room not talking to your family because everyone is watching TV.

I wish more people would understand this >:(

Norellicus

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> @masticate: lol, I'm with you on that one.

El Patricko

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> Good piece, Brian. Yee does really interesting, increasingly relevant work.

-Stephen

StephenTotilo

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> Striving for some sort of objective look at any form of gaming is a good thing.

Yeah, I'm not an mmo fan either, but it's good to see that more and more individuals are sort of being "heard" in one way or another on the topic, hopefully lessening the fexperts on it (fake experts, aka Fox News.)

indiemike

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> so do I. my favorite thing to come from MMOs is the term 'poop sock'

I just think d&d 'fantasy' MMOs are lame actually. If there was a Gran Turismo one I'd play that.

Neopolitian

]]> <![CDATA[Barbarians At the Game]]> regardless of all this information, i still hate mmo's

masticate

]]>