DAoC to get new server type!

Look what Mythic is up to now.

The new server type will be called “Alternative Rules” and has two main features: no access to Trials of Atlantis and “ranged buffs”. Here are the details:

Trials of Atlantis: ToA zones will not be available, nor will Artifacts or Master Levels. You will be able to play ToA races, however.

Ranged Buffs: All concentration buffs will have a range limit of 5000 units, and will be available only to the buffer and his groupmates. Anyone outside of the group cannot receive concentration buffs.

So is Mythic finally coming full circle to admit that TOA was a bad expansion and relatively destroyed the game for many players. We're back at square one almost and I guarantee these servers will be hit hard. I will not be lured back... I hope... and I don't see many other people coming back.

Why you ask?

They still haven't balanced the stealthers, new frontiers is still worse than old frontiers, and most of all leveling sucks. The people that were looking for this type of server are already playing the free "get everything without any work" emulation DAoC servers being run outside of Mythics grasp.

The Lost Art of Class Balancing.

Reading this article on Gamepro.com I was wondering if the author actually played MMO's or just whined about them on message boards. His two "fixes" 1) Make every class equal in abilities and 2) Nerf the overpowered class... are the two major problems with balancing. Players think it is a cut and dry when it comes to balancing. It simply is not. Balance in a PvE or PvP game starts on day one of design. Every system needs to apply to balance. The author further ignores the fact that these games are not rock, scissors, and papers balancing acts. It is hinted at that a certain game... Guild Wars... is a complex strategy game when that is anything but the truth. There is no need to break down Guild Wars at this moment though. The article claims "At the heart of the issue is the devaluation of game testing." While I agree that game testing is somewhat to blame for the balance problems it can not be solely blamed. Development schedules, suits pushing games out the door, and overall bad business practices are to be blamed for the worse balancing acts. At the heart of MMOG balance is the perception of the min/max gamer mentality. If Player A does 100 damage and Player B does only 72 because the random number generator didn't go his way... he is apt to believe that Player A needs a nerf. Next in the article the author spews this garbage... "Balancing is especially critical in the subscription-based MMORPG market, where longevity is more crucial than initial sales for revenue." So now balance is the "crucial" factor in a MMOG's longevity? Yet in the same article he proclaims the downfalls of Star Wars Galaxies(SWG)... which to this date is by far one of the must unbalanced shambles ever released as an MMOG. SWG rebuilt its entire combat system two years after launch which is a big red DING DING DING that there was a balance issue, but it still manages to pull 350,000+ subscribers. MMO's are built in the name they carry, their technical performance, and most of all on the communities that are built around them. This article is nothing more than blogger trash and its a shame Gamepro.com gave Funky Zealot a soap box for this. Balance is a dynamic issue that is perception more than anything else. I will follow this up with my thoughts on the "3 Biggest mistakes in MMOG PvP balance".

Initial Battlefield 2 impressions.

The game is expansive... and I've only seen one map. The detail in each and every area is astounding no matter what part of the map you are on. From the construction crane that towers over the center of the map to the massive battleship waiting off the shore the detail is evident.

The combat feels right on, but still prone to spawn camping. Air strikes, tanks, and armored vehicles are always present at the spawn points and on random servers it seems to be quite evident that spawn camping is all that happens. Its frustrating and it sucks. Good server ops will kick the campers and you can get to an enjoyable game. With organized teams the spawn camping will be kept to a minimum I hope.

The ground units seem well done and the equipment sets are fun. Grenades are a bit off, but may just be my perception of them. The ground combat is lacking though. In my little experience the vehicles and jets rule the map. Explosions go through walls and shooting out windows with anit-tank rockets results in the infamous killing yourself because the rocket hit the window ledge.

So it feels like a good game and has the graphics to support a good game. I am only worried that the vehicle balance on maps will not be controlled... but that is what custom servers with friends are for!

Guild Wars Review - Part I is up

Click here to read it.

Feedback appreciated... and I will be gaming for the rest of the night now that my reviews are underway.

Thanks everyone for reading!

WoW Review Part II is up

Part I is here.

And you can read Part II here... I start to get into the meat and potatoes of WoW. This is a start and I will continue to analyze all the different areas of WoW.

As always feedback is appreciated.