Computer
I am a traditional gamer. I like AD&D. I like 1st Edition AD&D. I like my weird house rules. And, I'm not interested in Internet games. I don't want arcade or strategy; I want role-playing. I don't want to learn a new rules system. I just want to play my game, my way. And, I want to play it over the Internet.
Approximately 12 hours after the monthly update to Asheron's Call, the servers were taken down due to a bug in said update. It wasn't until perhaps six hours after the servers came up that players were warned that the world was unstable and they should be careful. Thanks for the warning! But the worst was yet to come...
Asheron's Call is performing their monthly update today and just after they rebooted the servers I managed to get this screenshot of the world list with a population of absolute zero.
Just about every gamer board in the world had lit up recently concerning the news about Verant's banning of a player from Everquest. Almost without exception, every post is against Verant. While I don't necessarily support the way they went about it, I understand their decision... and hesitantly support the outcome. Here's why.
Microsoft today announced that the "Twilights Gleaming" event is now underway in the dynamic world of Asheron's Call. Two towns on the once peaceful Isle have been destroyed at the hands of an evil entity once thought to be vanquished. Unleashed magic forces reduced the towns of Arwic and Tufa to smoldering ash and a third town, Cragstone, has been badly damaged. New and veteran players alike are invited to take up arms against the evil that threatens the very existence of Dereth.
What's wrong with Online gaming? Online gaming seems to have less of a role playing element when the creation of the game concentrated too much on user interface and realism. I've had the opportunity to play Everquest some more to back up this point. While the system itself and the world created are nicely done, the lack of roleplaying and character depth is evident.
This year at Gen Con saw the launch of Skotos.net. This company intends to bring online role playing to a new level. Unlike Everquest or Ultima Online, there is no software to purchase. One need simply to point one's web browser to www.skotos.net and start playing. (Once they are up and running.) Skotos is the brain child of CEO and President Christopher Allen. I had the chance to meet with Christopher and get the rundown on his baby.
It's about 90% of the reason I have the internet, Online Role playing games. It's like pulling teeth trying to gather a group together for a game very often, so here's where I turn. It's a shame to have been disappointed by so many MMRPGS, so what do I look for in a game?
Since when are Half-Life and Unreal Tournament classified as simulators? When it's in reference to a sickness being dubbed "simulator sickness", causing players to feel nauseous, dizzy, and ready to uke more than pathetic Daikitana like green slime.
