My Return to DAoC Episode 2

July 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

You can get some sweet gear from the many dragons running around in the world.

During my last article I introduced you to Dark Age of Camelot and gave you a bit of background information about how the game is set up and a bit about the fantastic tutorial in the game.  Today I want to introduce you to the Realm vs. Realm combat system and explain how it works and what kinds of things you can expect to see.  Keep in mind that all RVR in the game is voluntary so if PVP combat is not your cup of tea, you never actually have to see it or participate in it if you don’t want to.

First of all, player vs. player combat takes the form of Realm vs. Realm combat, a term which Mythic invented and introduced for the first time in DAoC.  RvR is restricted to a limited number of zones where action ranges from massive battles to one vs. one fights. Players are awarded realm ranks which equate to realm points, which are used to purchase additional abilities, by killing enemy players, taking relics and defending/taking keeps.

No other game I’ve ever played has quite got this right and DAoC has done just about everything right when it comes to open world combat.  In fact, I believe that if Warhammer Online had incorporated the huge maps, choke points, terrain and three realm combat system DAoC has it would be a much bigger success than what it is today.  I especially think that WAR needs that third faction to break up the lack of combat when the frontiers empty out for city sieges.

The frontiers are HUGE and by HUGE I mean freaking stinking HUGE.  There are battlegrounds in DAoC alone which are bigger than the little RVR islands WAR has made available.  You can literally spend hours wandering around the RVR frontiers in DAoC and still not see and touch every corner of the map. Each realm has its own frontier and transport to combat is pretty easy.  Members can port directly to keeps they own in each frontier as long as there is a good supply line to that keep.  Players can also use boats which will take you to battle and drop you and your team off.  It’s easy to find the fight with the Realm War Map which identifies where in the frontiers the battles are raging … and players do an excellent job using the chat system to relate battle information on troop movements and such.

Relic raids benefit the victor with an extra relic and a bonus to melee or spell damage/healing for their entire realm (RVR or PVE).

Each realm has keeps surrounded by walls and towers you can attack, and by attack I don’t mean you just beat down a door and run inside.  No no no, you get battering rams, catapults and trebuchets and you beat down doors and walls and when those walls are destroyed you actually see them crumble to the ground.  I think it’s fantastic the amount of detail this game has.  If you launch a ball of ignited pitch into the air you will actually see that ball of burning pitch soar through the air and explode against the door or wall.  It’s pretty awesome to see … especially when you’ve got several of them going at the same time.

Each realm has their own frontiers with their own keeps to fight over.  As a realm slowly takes over an enemy frontier by destroying and claiming those keeps and towers the losing realms relic slowly becomes weaker to attack and more vulnerable to battle.  Each realm has 2 relics and each relic either provides a boost to melee or magical attacks/healing.  So when one realm is successful in stealing a relic from an enemy the winner gets stronger in one of those areas.

Each class in the game has its strengths and weaknesses so it’s wise to enter RVR with friends.  There is nothing worse than running around the frontiers solo only to have a full team of enemies come up from behind you with Minstrel, Bard or Skald speed and be mezzed/stunned/rooted and killed instantly.  You’re going to get frustrated and rage quit if you try and solo in this game.  RVR can be a serious challenge until you get the hang of things and find a team you can roll with.  Don’t just take a day, run in, die and quit.  Take the time to learn your class and find a roll you can play as part of a team.  You will find your enjoyment of the game will be greater that way.

So what are the differences in character types?  What roles does each of the classes play in DAoC and how best will you fit in based on what character you roll?  Let me try and break this down for you.

The tank classes are pure close ranged fighters and have virtually no ability to deal ranged damage, but they wear the heaviest armor and have abilities to reduce the effectiveness of crowd control spells used on them. Melee classes in DAoC are divided into heavy and light tanks. Heavy tanks wear the heaviest armor in the game and often specialize in high damage two handed weapons for RVR or the one handed weapons and shield for PvE (player vs. environment). Light tanks have higher damage output, dual wield weapons, and wear the second heaviest type of armor. Light tanks also have extra abilities to avoid crowd control in RVR.

I prefer the stealth classes if I find I am going to be running solo in RVR.

Casting classes have the highest damage output in DAoC. However, casters have the lowest hit points and lowest level of armor in the game, but almost all casters have a form of crowd control spell to restrain enemies. Their spells can be easily interrupted and they can be targeted quickly in RVR. Casters usually specialize in the control of pet allies, and/or Damage over Time spells, ranged direct damage spells, or point blank area of effect spells.

Stealth classes are capable of rendering themselves invisible to the enemy; this offers an advantage in intelligence gathering in RVR which is very important, and allows players to choose the best ground for an attack.  DAoC’s stealth classes are divided into archer and assassin subclasses.

  • Assassins specialize in hidden attacks and quick kills. Their unique combat attack, Critical Strike, allows them to attack unsuspecting enemies from stealth, inflicting massive damage. This combat style focuses on reactional combos as well. Assassins also make use of poisons to inflict various status effects and weaken their opponents.
  • Archers are the bow wielders of the game, striking enemies from a distance. The archery line gives these classes access to a variety of different shots, allowing them to pick and choose their damage type including the type of arrow depending on the situation or armor type of the enemy. Although the Minstrel hybrid class can train stealth, the primary stealth classes are the Hunter, Infiltrator, Nightshade, Ranger, Scout, and Shadowblade.

Destroy doors or walls to get into keeps during a raid. It's pretty cool to see it when the walls start falling down.

Healing classes in DAoC heal and enhance the combat effectiveness of group members with an assortment of buffs. Although a handful of hybrid classes can cast healing spells, the primary healing classes are Clerics, Druids, Healers, Bards, and Shamans.  Healers will often times be the turning point of a battle in the frontiers because damage occurs so quickly it will take a good healer to keep his/her team alive.

Hybrids are a combination of 2 archetypes and range from warrior/caster to priest/caster. Hybrids offer a level of versatility not available to the other classes. The hybrid classes include Champions, Friars, Heretics, Maulers, Minstrels, Paladins, Reavers, Skalds, Thanes, Valewalkers, Valkyries, Wardens, and Vampiirs.  If you find it difficult to just pick one role, maybe a hybrid class is more your style.  You won’t be the best at any one of these skills, but you will have the ability to contribute to the fight in a variety of different ways.

Each and every one of these classes has a role to fill and each one is as important as the next.  When you find yourself lacking in anyone one of these skills you will notice it right away.  RVR can be unforgiving if you are not prepared.  However, if you find a good team of mates to run the frontiers with I am certain you are going to find success and a whole lot of fun.

So, I’ve tried to describe how the frontiers are made up, what rolls each of the classes play in RVR, a little bit about relics and their benefits and what RvR is.  All I can really do is just give you a taste for what this game is about.  To really get a feel for what this game is, I would suggest you head over to Camelot Herald, download the game and take part in the 10-day free trial.  What’s the worst that can happen?  You like it and buy it?  Come on now, head over today and give it a whirl.  You might just find you like this original classic.  Until next time, I will see you in game.

Filed Under: Xerb Painhunter Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

SAR: From the Theme-Park and Into the Sandbox

July 30, 2010 By 1 Comment

Me, after a tour of the theme park

Over the last couple of years, I’ve had the opportunity to pop back and forth between a lot of games. I’ll admit, most of these are theme park games, so I’m just trading in my ticket for a different set of rides. Every so often, however, there’s a good sandbox that begs to be played in. For me, that’s most recently been Darkfall.

It’s a stark contrast to my other game of choice, World of Warcraft. Where WoW gives you a set of golden exclamation points, Darkfall gives you non-descript NPCs. Where WoW gives you 10 rats who snort and rear, Darkfall gives you a tribe of goblins who will run, circle, and hunt you just as you hunt them. Even crafting is starkly different. WoW hands you a node that a single click and three seconds empties out. Darkfall leaves you harvesting for twenty minutes and isn’t afraid to let you fail if your skill isn’t up to snuff.

When I first heard of Darkfall in February of last year, I was also playing WoW. This was back in the days of the European launch. It was an interesting time. In the evening, I’d happily pick away at heroics and collect my badges, all the while wishing for something more. Darkfall was that something. It called out to my inner grinder, the grizzled vet that relished full-loot PvP. It offered a world, alive and breathing, where most other MMOs simply gave you a thinly veiled excuse to kill 10 more boars, slightly larger and slightly reskinned than the last.

I used my lunch breaks for a solid week trying to buy the game. If there was anything the “limited release” did, it was give the impression of high demand. Trying to buy the game was a game in itself. I’d rush to the computer, eager to make the 20 minute daily window, and frantically refresh my account page hoping for it to load. So many people hit the servers that each page would drag and time out. On three separate days, I got up to the last step before the final copy had sold and I was met with a picture of a sad goblin. I was that sad goblin, I imagine, as I returned back to my class of third graders. Let down, again.

And then, on the last day of the week, I got it. I was in.

The spoils of self-made adventure (click to enlarge)

I joined my friends and had some of the best times I’ve ever had in my MMO career. PvE was difficult – you couldn’t do it alone, which meant that you were always grouping. As someone who only played theme park games, and solo’d most of them at that, this was my first connection with an older way of thinking, an older way of design that Darkfall and Aventurine whole-heartedly embrace.

I was in love. Progress was slow but it didn’t matter. With no levels and no classes, you could hop in and join people who’d been grinding since the beginning. It was wide open, a new playing field.

And then, members of my clan slowly left. We got a hamlet, and lost a hamlet. We discovered that, even though you could contribute to PvE from the start, PvP was another matter entirely. People felt beat, defeated, and, worst, useless. So, they quit. With no one left to share my game time with, I quit as well.

But this past week, a friend convinced me to come back and join him. It was rough at first but so much has changed! Newbie gear drops like rain from goblins who are easier to kill. Quests and gold are plentiful. PvE is soloable and PvP gear is attainable by players in their first week. It was like stepping into a whole different game.

Yet, so much that gives Darkfall its unique charm remains. It is the definitive sandbox game of this generation of MMOs. Where Fallen Earth gives players an introduction to the subset, Darkfall is the 101 course in living a true fantasy life. There is action, adventure, risk, reward, and utter betrayal. You are truly free to do anything and, for once, player defined action supersedes anything the game’s designers have written into a quest. What may start as a lowly plan to find a metal node can turn into a sprawling adventure that defines why we embraced the genre in the first place.

Ready for war

I had an experience like that myself recently. A friend and I began the night by looking for mobs to farm. We moved and expanded until we found ourselves in enemy lands, searching for unsuspecting prey (not that we were much beyond newbies ourselves). As we approached a dungeon we were curious about, a dark elf sprang from behind some monuments and killed us both. I told him we were new and he surprised us. Here, a devoted member of a community known to be one of the worst in the industry, stepped up and emptied his bank to us. The game needs new players like you, he said. And filled our bags with weapons and armor beyond anything we’d dreamed of having – more than what we could have gotten in months playing on our own. Then, he gives us two black dragons to ride and he invites us to join his guild on a late night raid. It was truly an epic night.

When you make the jump from theme-park to sandbox, it can be a little intimidating. In many ways, it’s like stepping into the past. Darkfall, for all intents, is much like a re-imagined UO. Underneath that “hardcore” sheen is the heart of innovation, the very reason why so many of us find theme-parks temporary diversions: a system entirely dependent on the players. The developers give players the tools to make their own fun. For a WoW devotee like me, it can be a challenge to set my own goal and pursue it. But, once you learn to break that barrier and turn yourself over to the virtual world of sand, you find something other games only hint at.

In the world of education, we teach with a certain philosophy in mind: If you tell, they will repeat. If you show, they will see. If you equip them for discovery, they’ll remember what they learned forever. Those lines apply to games as much as they do to students. For the first time, come feel the tools placed in your hands.

Come build the memories you’ll keep when gaming has faded away into the rest of your life. Play in the sand.

Happy Friday, everyone.

Filed Under: Articles and Guides, Some Assembly Required, Syeric, World of Warcraft Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

WoWWatch: May I have your attention please?

July 27, 2010 By 1 Comment

Biggest raid killer since C'Thun

Can I have your undivided attention?  Not anymore.  That is what guild leaders around Azeroth will find this week.  Tuesday marks the start of the new raid week and the release of Starcraft 2.  Good luck filling those raids guild leaders, the lack of new content until Cataclysm and Starcraft 2 are going to take a double-whammy on your raid attendance.  Be prepared for no-shows as previously iron clad tanks drop their swords for the chance to control siege tanks, as rogues vanish from your guild roster to appear as ghosts targeting nuclear strikes, and as your most dependable players switch their mastery of guild mechanics for a mastery of micro-mechanics.

All the competitive play a 56.6 kbps modem could deliver

The Wrath of the Lich King cycle started with ships dropping off our players in Northrend and will end with delivery trucks dropping off cartons of SC2 to Best Buy.  But this is exactly how Blizzard planned it.  Is it any coincidence that last week the ICC buff maxed out at 30%, or that Ruby Sanctum held our interest for just long enough to get SC2 into stores?  Probably not.  Blizzard knows how to make games, and they know how to run a business.  They would never want to release SC2 half-way through an expansion cycle – instead they release it at the end, just as players are growing tired and thinking about moving on to other pursuits.  Just like cattle we got herded from one game to the next.

Although I haven’t yet purchased SC2 – I will.  (I am a little surprised myself)  I fully intend on trying to play reasonably competitively as well.  (We will see how that works out)  I don’t want to come across as a SC2 hater – it’s a great game, from my experience with the beta I think it might be the most highly developed competitive game I have ever played.  In a world where WoW players log damage meters, healing meters, and really any other kind of meter for comparison against their fellow raiders, is it surprising that a competitive game appeals?  Not really.  Since War2 introduced multiplayer gaming into the Blizzard world our games have only gotten more competitive.

Very enjoyable game - no chance against D3.

And we have loved it.  Blizzard gamers tend to be pretty loyal to Blizzard games.  I occasionally take on side projects but Blizzard controls the lion’s share of my gaming hours (I have no idea where that phrase comes from but it seems appropriate here).  The diversions I take normally stem from my impatience.  For example, right now I am splitting time between WoW and Torchlight – a game designed by some of the old Blizzard staffers that developed the original Diablo.  It’s pretty much a cut and paste from Diablo 2 with a few neat features and some vastly upgraded graphics.  And it’s pretty awesome (although so was Diablo 2), but it doesn’t stand a chance when Diablo 3 comes out – it will be sent off to the farm where all the other games I have played while waiting for the next Blizzard game go.  Other notable mentions include Vampire the Masquerade and Mass Effect (Mass Effect 2 still hasn’t gotten me yet – probably due to the release of ICC and RS – maybe if Cataclysm doesn’t come out before October it’ll get a shot).

Three cartoony superheroes stand no chance against the Lord of Destruction

So in the end I am probably going to split my time.  In WoW I will be working on some back-logged quests and dungeons (someday I will get Loremaster, someday), and hopefully still do a little raiding.  Sometime next week though I am sure I will find myself in a Best Buy staring hard at a copy of SC2 and be unable to resist the siren call of the Marines marching into battle against waves of ravenous zerg.  Sounds nice right?  Well the Terrans, Protoss, and Zerg will have to get the most of me while they can because come Cataclysm time I know exactly where I will be.  I am a one-woman man after all.  How about you?

Filed Under: Raim, World of Warcraft, WoWWatch Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

MMO Weakly Episode #51

July 25, 2010 By 5 Comments

Welcome to another episode of PC gaming’s best in top notch podcasting, MMO Weakly. Tune in to hear Sarc and Raim as they dissect MMO’s, discuss proper beverages to consume while gaming, and a whole hell of a lot more. Use our built in player, MMO Weakly on iTunes, or you can simply right click on the download link above and select “Save Target As.” Then listen and enjoy as you are mesmerized by the sound, the alcohol, and the topics on the mind of every MMORPG player.

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MMO Weakly #51: Canadian Pride Month:

  • Weird News: Gamestop as the next potential victim of nancy states vs. Xbox’s being paid for with babies. Yes you read that right.
  • Playing/Not Playing: Raim warms up his gaming engine with some WoW chit chat and Champions Online (Adawg’s peer pressure works!) Sarc caves to Wizard101‘s payment model, played some WoW, wants to know how far Raim is in Torchlight and also caved into the Champions peer pressure! Not Played, though we didn’t mention it, is Starcraft! Releasing before the next show!
  • Show Meat: Did you like the new sound effect for Show Meat? Well even if you didn’t, we discuss Fallen Earth, the first baseball funded video game, League of Legends nearly official promotion to an MMO, Aion‘s new content, and Global Agenda‘s Phase 2! Show Discussion is Marvel vs. DC, which Raim has strong opinions about.
  • Drunken Rage: Dehydration vs. bait and switch in the fridge!
  • Listener Feedback: Josh McG, Matt, Koen, and Mark o’ Pompey sound off through our Facebook!
  • Loot Pinata: 25% off your ANYSIZE Typefrag server for one month! Use “MMOWEAKLY” as your promo code!
  • Reach us @ MMOWeakly@LAGWAR.com, our Facebook page “MMO Weakly”, or our Furry phone #: 719-FUR-GAME

[Read more...]

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SAR: Making the Most of Multiple Games

July 23, 2010 By 1 Comment

As a self-proclaimed MMO Nomad, I make it a point to spread my playtime out over multiple titles. The problem is that most MMOs aren’t designed to be anything other than a main game; MMO designers expect you to take their baby and make it your own. It’s a common thought that playing more than one MMO means you won’t get very far in either. But, variety is the spice of life and I’m here to help you make the most out of multiple MMOs at once.

Let’s clear the air first, though. Most people who will tell you to commit to a single game have never seriously tried playing more than one at a time. They’re probably still playing the same game they’ve played for years and, if they have tried branching out, they probably resented having to start over again. That play style isn’t for everyone and I’m happy to say that they’re wrong. You can progress in several games at once and will be a more well rounded gamer for it.

Not this core

There are a few key things to keep in mind that will help you make headway into each game:

What is the Core?

Every game has a core. Usually, it will be what makes it stand out from the crowd. WoW has its dungeons, WAR its RvR, and LotRO its epic storyline. This is the part of the game designers want you to tap into and get hooked on.

Any time you step into a new game you have to decide what it’s about and then work to get at it. If you want the definitive WAR experience, even on limited playtime, then you need to be RvRing. The same goes for the dungeon running in Warcraft.

Identifying the core will help you in the next step and get you on your way towards serious progression.

Set Mini-Goals

Part-timing a MMO means moving slower than you’d probably like. That’s OK! Whatever is lost in leveling speed can be made up for by setting smaller goals for yourself. Not only will smaller goals let you keep feeling like you’re making progress (and you are!), but they’ll also help you prevent burnout.

Let’s use LotRO as an example, since that’s been the second game on my roster for two years. I almost never worry about leveling up in a given session unless I’m planning on sitting down for a couple hours at a pop. Instead, I might worry about finishing out a particular quest hub for a reward I’m interested in getting. Check out sites like MMOdb to find items you might want to acquire or sights you’d like to see.

This is also a great time to focus on your crafting. When you’re working with multiple MMOs, it might take you a week or more to level. Instead, why not take some time and level as a crafter? In my experience, this can not only result in quicker skill-ups but also much more gold in pocket.

What Do You REALLY Care About?

Some people may disagree with me on this one, but if you want to make serious headway in a secondary game, it’s almost always going to be necessary to cut out some of the extras. You have to prioritize your limited game time.

When I played WAR, my main concern was getting levels to access new scenarios. To do that, I had to focus on leveling. So, for the next couple weeks, I didn’t stop in to a capital city once. No auction house, no cruising the crowds or checking out the player statues. I put all of my efforts into things that would get me XP.

I’ve been doing the same thing in LotRO for some time. I no longer visit Bree unless it’s a special occasion. The mini-goal I’ve set for myself says to finish Eriador before the next expansion hits. So, I quest. For you, it might be RP you’re interested in – LotRO is great for that.

Do what you care about doing and not what you should be doing. You will be much happier with your playtime if you do.

Organize

Finally, organize your playtime. Once you’ve been at it for a while, you’ll run into the unenviable position of having too much to play. Often, unless I plan ahead, I’ll sit down at my computer and struggle to decide whether I’d be better suited for WoW or LotRO; they both offer unique brands of fun. I’m likely to spend five or ten minutes deciding which would serve me better. Don’t do that!

Devote certain days to certain play experiences. Note that I don’t say certain games, but you can do that too. I recommend organizing based on what will be the most fun. I’ve tried to set “Mondays for WoW, Tuesdays for WAR” plenty of times and I almost resent the fact that I don’t have choice.

Don’t be afraid to mix things up and live for the moment, though. The most important thing you can do for yourself is listen. Don’t force yourself to login to WoW because it’s a PVE day. If you’re in the mood for PVP, look at the games you have that can scratch the itch and go there.

You Can Have the Best of Both Worlds!

Don’t listen to people who say you need to stick with a single game. They’re wrong. It’s as cut and dry as that. While it might be true that you’ll level slower, any MMO worth its salt will have more to offer than killing monsters. Find the core, decide if that’s what you’d like to get at, and set goals for yourself. You’ll walk away satisfied every time.

Going into the weekend, though, let me impart a word of advice. Next time you’re playing an MMO, try to find what it is that you find the most fun. That “thing” will almost always be universal. Find it in whatever game you can and run with it.

Playing multiple MMOs is about more than just seeing new worlds, it’s about self-exploration. By the time you’ve played a couple new games, you’ll know more about MMOs and more about yourself as a gamer. You’ll waste less money and time on things you may not like.

Until next week, go log in!

Filed Under: Articles and Guides, Lord of the Rings, Some Assembly Required, Syeric, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

LifeNet Fallen Earth Podcast

July 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

lifenet

Welcome to LifeNet, a Fallen Earth podcast. Journey with us through the apocalypse as we uncover all things Fallen Earth. Each week LifeNet will bring player and developer information to the world from our makeshift bunker deep beneath the Embry Crossroads. Join us as we talk everything from strategy to lore and fight to bring the good word to the clones. Hosted by Heero from the Lords of War. Use our built in player, LifeNet on iTunes, the Zune Marketplace (Available Soon), or you can simply use the direct-download link.

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Here’s the scoop on LifeNet Episode #40:

  • DEVELOPER CHAT: Jacob and Flint get a call from Fallen Earth’s Dave Hadysch on his iPhone to discuss the State of the Game for July 2010.
  • GIVEAWAYS: Use promo code LIFENET to get 25% off the purchase of ANY size Ventrilo server through Typefrag.com!

Upcoming Show Notes:
The live show will still continue Saturdays @ 10PM EST, so come and join the chat room and listen in real-time. We are going to reward those who attend the live shows with some giveaways including Fallen Earth t-shirts and in-game booster shot key codes. [Read more...]

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WoWWatch: the Real problem with RealID

July 22, 2010 By 3 Comments

What's in a name? On the Internet, not much.

A few weeks ago Blizzard came up with an interesting idea.  They wanted to extend their RealID system that they use as a social tool in Blizzard games into Blizzard forums.  They had the paradigm altering notion that when you post your thoughts and ideas online that they should be associated with your actual name.  You don’t have to be an internet archaeologist to know that this is significant change from our normal “my avatar’s avatar’s avatar posted a comment on the forums today” system.  Some people liked the idea, lots of people hated the idea, and even more were generally uncomfortable with RealID in the forums.  The new wave of accountability for your account will never materialize as Blizzard panned the idea after vocal outcries against it.  But what really was the Real problem with RealID?

The first answer everyone gave was that your real name – the one on your birth certificate would be out on the internet for all to see – at least if you posted.  People claimed that this destroyed the sanctity of anonymity on the internet – which apparently is the 11th Amendment.  They argued that if your name were on the internet then people could possibly locate other information, sometimes things like addresses, or kid’s names, or other personal details.  Many people found this unacceptable.  A few players used the Blizzard employees’ real names to find out their addresses, the location their kids went to school, and a bunch of other generally creepy things.  They took the system and showed how it could be used for evil as an argument against it.

Very few dastardly deeds are done to those that do not do dastardly deeds.

But this isn’t really the problem with RealID.  Nope. I hate to burst your bubble but the RealID system has been a feature of real life for a long time.   Real life is very much like RealID.  If I am among a group of people and say something ignorant, hateful, or just plain rude – eventually it is going to catch up to me.  People will attach those actions to my name and other people’s reactions to me in the future will be influenced by what I have done in the past.  In other words, I will have to be accountable for my actions.  If I am in a group of people and say that I think the sky is a beautiful color today, I am not worried that someone is going to look up my address, come to my house, and set my dog on fire.  That isn’t how life works – if you aren’t going out of your way to screw with people generally they don’t screw with you.

The real problem with RealID is the notion we have that the Internet is somehow fundamentally different than the rest of the world.  For some reason we think that when we enter Internet land on our cable modem steeds that the rules we deal with 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in the real world no longer apply.  We think that somehow the fact that we have a keyboard, a mouse, and an Internet service provider also gives us the license to say whatever we want with impunity.  This is the real problem with RealID, the loss of anonymity and the introduction of accountability.

Your pet wallabe - on fire - it happens less frequently than you'd think.

RealID is only a real problem for the people that would give other people a reason to look up their name, phone number, and dog’s inherent flammability – in short the people who posts are hateful and bigoted enough to provoke the other hateful, bigoted users wrath.  Normal people making normal posts would never be molested and would go unnoticed.  A user posting an opinion about a new talent tree would suffer the same ire as a grocery store shopper who declares that they don’t care for asparagus.  In short – nothing.  So the real problem with RealID is that we have a bunch of real douchebags running around with a license to say whatever they want, and they want to keep it that way.

Filed Under: Raim, World of Warcraft, WoWWatch Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

MMO Weakly Episode #50

July 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Welcome to another episode of PC gaming’s best in top notch podcasting, MMO Weakly. Tune in to hear Sarc and Raim as they dissect MMO’s, discuss proper beverages to consume while gaming, and a whole hell of a lot more. Use our built in player, MMO Weakly on iTunes, or you can simply right click on the download link above and select “Save Target As.” Then listen and enjoy as you are mesmerized by the sound, the alcohol, and the topics on the mind of every MMORPG player.

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MMO Weakly #50: That’s what she said:

  • Weird News: Gamestop’s weak stomach vs. Google’s greed.
  • Playing/Not Playing: Raim only played WoW, again. BUT he finished a huge step IRL, so we forgive him. Sarc played Torchlight and WoW, and is NOT playing Final Fantasy 14 (he’s a beta tester now), Champions Online, or Wizard101.
  • Show Meat: Lagwar Forums! You have 2 hands, go use ‘em. Raim carries the show with the ixnay ealIDRay, talent bushes (pruning happens), STO‘s expansion, Aion‘s desperate server merging! Tale in the Desert dies… but lives? and Guild Wars 2 explores death. Sarc just rehashes the SC2 beta release and League of Legends competitive mode!
  • Drunken Rage: Raim hates nature and drinks a vodka tonic, Sarc drinks a gin and tonic and hates Square Enix’s slow downloads!
  • Listener Feedback: OUR FANS ROCK! So much this week, Tropby, Chris, Matt, Mark, Josh McG, Seth, and ADAWG CALLS IN AGAIN! W00T!
  • Loot Pinata: Typefrag discounts you 25%! Use “MMOWEAKLY” when you check out!
  • E-mail us at MMOWeakly@LAGWAR.com or call into 719-FUR-GAME!

[Read more...]

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Xerb: Master Pistol Packin Post Apoc Killa

July 17, 2010 By 6 Comments

Meet George.

Fallen Earth has been trying to encourage players and fans to participate in their Letters to the Devs Program, but its been having some trouble catching some speed.  This project was created as a way for players and fans of the game to have some fun with the game developers and ask any questions they might have, tell them what a great job they are doing or not doing (which ever you feel it may be) and to creatively interact with the Fallen Earth staff.  In fact, this is how Fallen Earth has been advertising this:  “We want to hear from our players, fans and other gaming enthusiasts! We’ve asked for letters, poems, fan questions etc., and in response promised to write back (or even include some goodies) to each and every one. Check out some of the letters we’ve received thus far here!”

I have been watching the website while they post these letters and I felt that these things lacked some creativity.  So, as a fan of Fallen Earth, I took it upon myself to send my own letter to the developers in my own way!

Meet George.  Halloween just happens to be one of my favorite holidays and I’ve got a ton of body parts I use to “decorate” my house and scare would be candy grubben trolls.  George is by far my favorite of the severed heads I have collected over the years and for the last three years I’ve been placing him on a leash and dragging him through the streets as my pet.  It’s a great conversation starter and it scares the bajeebers out of the spoiled brats in my neighborhood.  He’s been a ton of fun and its hard to see him go, but this is a great way to send him into retirement.

I will send a head a day until my demands are met!

I have written a letter on the back of George’s head and addressed it to the Fallen Earth Staff.  I’ve explained to them that this is the head of one of their staff and that I would kill again if I did not get a Fallen Earth Book Bag.  I figured this would be a fun way to participate in the event and maybe even get a bag! LOL  However, in the event that someone other than a staff member happens to open the box, I’ve also included a letter as a disclaimer explaining that this letter was for entertainment purposes only and not meant as a real threat to Fallen Earth or its staff.  You can never be too careful these days and the last thing I need is to be accused of being a terrorist.

It will be really interesting to see how Fallen Earth reacts and it will be a lot of fun to see it posted to their website.  I will let you all know whether or not I get the bag!  Here is a copy of the letter I wrote on the back of the head.

Dear Fallen Earth Department of Free Stuff;

My name is Xerb Painhunter.  I’ve spent most of my career cutting down the thugs, GMs and developers you keep sending out after me and now I’ve taken it upon myself to begin hunting down members of your own faction.  I just wanted to return what was left of this bloke, and say that it is getting difficult carrying this crap around.  I understand it’s not your fault I chose to collect entire heads as trophies from my kills, but a Fallen Earth Carry Bag would go a long way in helping me out.

I suspect that you’re not just going to give something so valuable away so I figured I’d send this letter written on the back of the head of one of your goons.  These developers and GMs you keep sending after me are but a minor nuisance and if you know what’s good for you, you will send me a freaking bag!

Don’t make me go hunting for you.  Send the bag to the attached address today and I will stop killing your employees.  I will send a head a day until my demand is met.

Xerb Painhunter

Master Pistol Packin Post Apoc Killa

Retired member of Lords of War

My tribute to Lagwar!

My tribute to Lifenet: A Fallen Earth Podcast!

I had to mend the head a bit. I actually used this head for my sons Egyptian project for school. I had originally put brains into the head for my son to rip out of its nose. He got an A!

Filed Under: Fallen Earth, Xerb Painhunter Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

My Return to DAoC Episode 1

July 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(This is an article I originally posted as part of the Guest Blogger Series at Bio Break where I had the opportunity to contribute as a guest author for Syp while he was away on vacation.  This is the first in a series of articles I intend to write as I track my return to Dark Age of Camelot.  Enjoy!)

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been frustrated with MMO gaming for a while now and I’ve become convinced that the experiences I’ve had in games I’ve loved in the past are gone for good.  Gone are the days of strategy, challenges and fun.  Long live the age of easy mode created for the WOW generation. By WOW generation I mean the idea that players can’t seem to play games anymore without quest markers, quest map highlights, mods to anticipate what I should do in a raid and when, and healing tools that select the member of my group who needs heals the most without me having to even select the member by hand. I barely have to play some of these current MMOs anymore. Mods have taken the guess work out of gaming. It just so happens that just about every new MMO that comes out is immediately compared to WOW … thus the WOW generation comment.  I mention this to prevent the WOW rage I received over at Bio Break earlier this week.

In my search for the next gaming addiction, and since I always seem to compare everything to Dark Age of Camelot anyway, I’ve decided to give DAoC another try after nearly six years away.  I felt a lot of trepidation at first, but after just a few minutes of logging in I can remember why I loved this game in the first place.

The game was originally released in October 2001.  I logged in for the first time the week it was released and it’s where I stayed and played religiously until the Catacombs expansion went live.  It was about the same time Everquest 2 and World of Warcraft went live.

Back in the day, the only thing I really had a problem with was the release of Trials of Atlantis.  At the time, I felt like the developers wanted me to PVE rather than be out in the frontiers RVRing.  I hated the fact that I needed to work on master levels and quest for weapons or gear I had to spend time leveling.  I felt it was all a waste of my time since all I wanted to do was RVR.  And then they introduced Champion levels with the Catacombs expansion and that’s when I threw up my hands and left for other games.  Well, all of that has changed.

Here is a very short description for those of you who don’t know what Dark Age of Camelot is:  Dark Age of Camelot is a 3D medieval fantasy MMORPG that revolves around war between three realms following King Arthur’s rule.  DAoC includes both player vs. environment and Realm vs. Realm combat.   It gives players a choice of three realms to fight with and defend: Albion, Hibernia, and Midgard.  There is nothing quite like the feeling of awe when you have a realm under your thumb as you’re about to tear them to bits when a third group from yet another realm nails you from behind and tips the scales away from your sure win.  It’s an added feature Warhammer Online made the mistake of leaving out.

Albion is based on Arthurian legend, with such notable real-world places as Hadrian’s Wall, Stonehenge, and other locations in Great Britain. The races and classes of Albion, in the original game and early expansions tended to be more professions and peoples of European history and mythology.  There are many different classes to choose from.  For example Albion players can choose to play: Armsman, Cabalist, Cleric, Friar, Heretic, Infiltrator, Mauler, Mercenary, Minstrel, Necromancer, Paladin, Reaver, Scout, Sorcerer, Theurgist, and Wizard.

Hibernia is based on Celtic folklore and the landscape includes lush green rolling hills typical of Ireland and Celtic story book scenes. The quest storylines, place names, and numerous game elements are firmly fixed in Celtic mythology and the Hibernian classes include: Animist, Bainshee, Bard, Blademaster, Champion, Druid, Eldritch, Enchanter, Hero, Mauler, Mentalist, Nightshade, Ranger, Warden, Valewalker, and Vampiir..

Midgard is based on Norse mythology and its landscape includes misty fjords and pine forests. The lore fits somewhere between Albion and Hibernia in its mix of Norse historical figures and mythology. The adherence of the architecture to the forms and design of medieval and pre-medieval Norse architecture is notable.  Midgard classes include: Berserker, Bonedancer, Healer, Hunter, Mauler, Runemaster, Savage, Shadowblade, Shaman, Skald, Spiritmaster, Thane, Valkyrie, Warlock, and Warrior.

Dark Age of Camelot has undergone some huge changes over the years and though the places, names and characters all appear the same, the game feel was definitely fresh and new and the graphics have been updated a time or two.  It was fantastic to log into the game after so many years and find that I had to relearn so much in order to play the game.  The first thing I noticed with the new game feel was the fantastic tutorial that is now included with the game.  The first thing you do upon creating your character and entering the game is begin your learning experience as a hero of the realm in the tutorial.  I would highly recommend anyone playing for the first time to run through this tutorial.  The learning curve in this game is a steep one.

The training zone is a separate instance and it’s where all new characters start. I suggest staying there and working through at least level 10.  You will earn a nice full suit of armor and weapons that will last through nearly level 20.

Once you’re finished with the tutorial you can leave and enter the classic game world.  You can immediately find a group with the /lfg command or jump into the battlegrounds where you can start pew pewing in RVR if that’s your desire. However, be sure to visit your class trainer at level 10 in the realm capitals first, Jordheim (Midgard), Camelot (Albion) or TNN (Hibernia), where they will hand you a nice piece of armor and a weapon.  You will earn these rewards every 5 levels until level 25, but the training continues through level 50. There are plenty of different ways to level, just ask around in game for advice and help. The community is very active, and you’ll find a lot of people who’d be happy to assist you.

Speaking of the community, if you want to see how active the game is, just hop outside the doors of Castle Savage in Albion or take a look at the Realm War Map and you will see just how active these servers are.  I could not believe how many people still call this game home.  After so many years this game still maintains a lot of activity.  All of the servers are clustered so it doesn’t matter where you start, you can play with your friends no matter what server they are on.

If this article doesn’t inspire your interest into this classic game then stay tuned for more.  I plan to record some of my experiences and adventures and post them here for your entertainment.

Filed Under: Xerb Painhunter Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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