Tag Archives: guild wars 2

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Episode 19: Drew has no memory and goes on tangents

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bunny

This week we go over Guild Wars 2 news about raiding and the fantastic new Thief elite specialization (Daredevil), how Skyforge’s expansion is due out before it is even launched, the Wildstar Halloween event (Shade’s Eve), and how apparently Joe’s game is being made in Overland. Welcome to Casual Core Radio, we talk about MMOs and we are sweating more than our CPUs because it is stinkin’ hot outside and our computers have personal fans…

MMO News

 

So, looks like some of our ideas are about to become somebody else’s reality:
http://www.mmo-central.com/2015/08/27/otherland-shows-new-gameplay-footage/
http://www.drago-entertainment.com/otherland/news.html

Did we forget to mention the BIGGEST news from our little podcast?
This: http://thefanaticalswordsman.com/2015/08/14/20-innovative-things-about-crowfall/
was featured in the As the Crow Flies newsletter.

SWTOR Livestream. Holy Lag, Jediman, and other reactions
Official: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=8407848
Dulfy: http://dulfy.net/2015/08/26/swtor-pax-prime-kotfe-gameplay-livestream-coverage/
Ootini: http://ootinicast.com/2015/08/ootinicast-episode-221/
XamXam: http://www.xamxamsays.com/the-stale-is-strong-with-swtor/ 

Skyforge – The Plants are Coming, the Plants are Coming!
http://www.pcgamesn.com/skyforge/free-to-play-mmo-skyforge-has-an-expansion-on-the-way-and-its-about-invading-plants

Guild Wars 2 announces Raids, F2P, and new Thief Elite spec, the Daredevil (and Drew is pumped)
https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/takeover/a-letter-from-the-president/
https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/meet-the-daredevil-thiefs-elite-specialization/

Final Fantasy XIV’s numbers are actually subs
http://www.vcpost.com/articles/87251/20150831/final-fantasy-14-milestone-square-enix-mmorpg-5-million-susbscribers-inconsistency.htm

WildStar CBT – Shade’s Eve!
https://forums.wildstar-online.com/forums/index.php?/topic/130622-shades-eve-livestream/

 

MMO Community

Guild Wars 2 Reporter
http://mmoreporter.com/category/podcast/gwreporter-podcast/

Happy Hearthstone
http://gamediplomat.com/category/happy-hearthstone/

 

If I Were a Dev

 

Holding sponsored in-game events: Who, What, When, How?

JOE:

Who: Using both staff (GMs) and volunteers (MODS)

What: Dungeon / Raid events with in-game dynamic changes, such as “chase the villain through the dungeon” where the villain is a GM or MOD with specific timing and goals, RP events in player housing, Puzzle contests in the forums. Boss spawns in the wilderness, along with in-game RP, and of course, HOLIDAYS

How: on the forums via some puzzle solving, RP, etc. for forum badges and in-game for a variety of awards for achievements, RP, etc.

When: Monthly for the forums and in-game events, and coinciding with key holidays, including international holidays.

DREW:

Anything that makes players get together and kill each other. (some ideas: dev makes themselves a powerful bounty target, rare relic shows up and players have to hold it for 10 minutes without dying, etc)

Scheduled events that rotate through every day, so players always know when their favorite is going to come up next in the rotation, allows for players doing the content they want to do for the rewards they need.

Holiday events are fun, but no direct tie-in to real-life holidays except for the timeframe. No pink hearts in February, no Christmas trees, but the ideas of love and family could be present, for example.

 

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This week’s end music is Main Theme from Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns

CCR Podcast, Uncategorized

Episode 18: Do these guys take a breath?

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Battle of Kyhlo in Guild Wars 2
Battle of Kyhlo in Guild Wars 2

Back from a long break (thanks to Drew teaching a summer class), we talk changes and expansions coming to Star Trek Online, World of Warcraft, Archeage, Wildstar, and SWTOR! Welcome to Casual Core Radio, where we always promise to have a new episode, SOON(™), reserved, copyright, service mark.

MMO News

WoW Legion
http://www.chinatopix.com/articles/62800/20150823/world-of-warcraft.htm

Final Fantasy 14 reaches 5 million players
http://www.pcgamer.com/final-fantasy-xiv-has-5-million-registered-accounts/

SWTOR Livestream – KotFE details!
http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=8396041#edit8396041

WildStar F2P Closed Beta
http://www.wildstar-online.com/uk/news/2015-08-11-closed-beta-testing-commencing-now/

Also, WildStar China is starting off well…
https://twitter.com/DapperDonatelli/status/628488870598975488/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

The reason the game needs FTP:
http://massivelyop.com/2015/07/31/guild-wars-2-is-up-again-wildstar-is-down-again-in-ncsofts-2015-q2-financial-report/

Funcom is for sale
http://www.funcom.com/investors/update_on_lego_minifigures_online_and_the_financial_situation_of_the_compan
http://www.vg247.com/2015/08/11/age-of-conan-secret-world-dev-funcom-up-for-sale/

Crowfall talks Crowd Control
http://news.mmosite.com/content/2015-08-20/crowfall_team_shared_their_ideas_on_crowd_control.shtml

Star Trek Online announces Season 11: New Dawn (aka “More Picard, Less Kirk”)
http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/9488023

ArcheAge – Xfers coming with 2.0, free transfers through 9/4.
http://www.trionworlds.com/archeage/en/2015/08/14/server-transfers-evolutions-everything-you-need-to-know/

MMO Community

XamXam’s analysis of the KotFE trailer: http://www.xamxamsays.com/swtor-kotfe-become-the-outlander-gameplay-trailer-analysis/

Wildstar’s surprisingly awesome RP

www.wildstar-roleplay.com

STO Foundry “Effect, then Cause”
@RogueEnterprise

Unholy alliance podcast

KatiaRacer Wildstar plot

Shout out to Doom Kitty (@doomkittyentity), Mayor Dasmoose (@mayordasmoose), and Kelzam (@clchaotix)

Special Topic: Time Travel

Let’s talk about the different ways Time Travel has been done in MMOs.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/10/perfect-ten-great-mmo-time-travel-adventures/

TSW – The Haunting, The Last Train To Cairo (Issue 6 story arc), The Darkness War

STO – The Night of the Comet, Iconian story arc, (Foundry mission: Effect, Then Cause)

Rift – Defiant tutorial

LOTRO flashbacks

GW2 chronomancer

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Chronomancer

WoW TimeWalking, Caverns of Time

 

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Twitter: http://twitter.com/casualcoreradio Facebook: http://facebook.com/casualcoreradio This week’s end music is Systematic Domination by Jeff Kurtenacker from Wildstar.

CCR Podcast

Episode 16: Blizzard is the New TSA

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Beautiful Wildstar vista from https://twitter.com/lady_annieloy
Beautiful Wildstar vista from @lady_annieloy

 

This week we discuss Wander’s issues, Guild Wars 2’s issues, World of Warcraft’s issues, and other issues. Issues. That word has lost all meaning to me now. Welcome to Casual Core Radio, where we talk about MMOs and where our lore in stuck in their canon…

MMO News

 

Guild Wars 2
Heart of Thorns Preorder controversy: http://massivelyop.com/2015/06/18/why-guild-wars-2s-prepurchase-deal-has-the-internet-raging/
https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/pre-purchase-community-address/
Specializations: https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/specializations-part-one-a-primer/
Reward tracks and Elite Specs: https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/specializations-part-one-a-primer/
Spec changes: http://dulfy.net/2015/06/16/gw2-june-23-specialization-changes/

Azeroth Do Not Fly list becomes a premium-air-experience feature.
http://massivelyop.com/2015/06/10/world-of-warcraft-to-allow-flight-in-draenor-in-a-post-6-2-patch/

TSW – $42 for ALL of it… amazing deal for a b2p game.
http://www.thesecretworld.com/news/the_ultimate_edition_is_here
http://www.thesecretworld.com/news/the_franken_chopper_is_here

Wanderlaunch and… Wandercrash
http://massivelyop.com/2015/05/28/explorer-centric-wander-launches-june-4th-with-new-hira-form/
http://massivelyop.com/2015/06/08/wander-struggles-with-bugs-crashes/

 

MMO Community

 

Flashpoint celebrates their 100th episode.

Ootinicast is over 200 (I was in Vegas that week I think)

@lady_annieloy

Xam Xam’s Lore post on Vitiate and the Fallen Empire
http://www.xamxamsays.com/?p=1766

I6: Ravenloft

Secretly Kephess:
http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=8256270

I want to to Believe:
http://ootinicast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/I-want-to-believe-Kephess.jpg

 

If I Were a Dev

 

How would you handle content release cycles – how often and what level of content?

JOE: Monthly mini-updates (adventure-sized instances, not a full dungeon). Quarterly new dungeons. Bi-annual new raids. Foundry.

DREW: Quarterly. Don’t lie to the customer. No one has been able to make monthly updates work. Your customers make most of the content for a PvP game anyway. There will be monthly balancing patches, because you cannot let things get out of hand.

 

 

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This week’s end music is Deep Space Nine from Star Trek Online.

CCR Podcast

Episode 14: High on Math

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gw003
Cutscene from Guild Wars 2

 

This week we discuss Lego, Wildstar (and how it has to be going F2P soon), and the best and worst of SWTOR. Welcome to Casual Core Radio, where we talk about MMOs and where our crit chance is 100% but our hit chance is 0%…

MMO News

Wildstar Goes Wild
That whole reddit thing EXPLODED. Apparently the Carbine staffer in question proved their employment status with a redacted W2. Of course, they could be ANYWHERE on the totem pole. Interesting to watch unfold, though keep the tinfoil hats on. Also, could be easily forged… so who the hell knows.

New Wildstar Twitter Community
Joe is starting up a version of #SWTORfamily for WildStar, #WSFamily. Tweet or DM @joseph_foran if you’d like to be added to the lists.
https://twitter.com/swtorfamily

So, why am I back in WildStar?
Easier to just post a link: http://www.reddit.com/r/WildStar/comments/2vk4uo/just_saw_this_while_wildstar_website_is_under/coiybih

SWTOR
3.2.1 Patch released to the wild! Amazingly, servers don’t implode.
http://www.swtor.com/patchnotes/5262015/game-update-3.2.1-patch-notes

Lego Minifigures Online (semi-MMO) changing its business model
http://mmoatk.com/mmo-news/lego-minifigures-online-adopting-new-financial-model-pay-play-fails-impress/

Zam lays off Staff
Can’t find link, just lots of tweets from staffers

Echo of Soul Gameplay video
http://www.mmoreviews.com/echo-of-soul-gameplay-commentary/

Neverwinter Upcoming Changes to ToEE
http://massivelyop.com/2015/05/14/neverwinter-outlines-new-and-upcoming-changes/

TERA most played MMORPG on Steam
http://massivelyop.com/2015/05/21/en-masse-says-that-tera-is-the-most-played-mmorpg-on-steam/

TERA releasing inactive character names
http://massivelyop.com/2015/05/27/tera-is-releasing-inactive-character-names/

 

MMO Community

Launch of MMO-Central
http://www.mmo-central.com/

H1Z1 Cheaters unbanned…if they are really sorry
http://www.gamesradar.com/h1z1-cheaters-will-be-unbanned-if-they-publicly-apologise/

Conan Witcher 3 bit
https://youtu.be/SfjLRuE1CLw

Bad Feeling Podcast
http://badfeelingpodcast.com/

Metalsucks Podcast
http://www.metalsucks.net/2015/05/27/this-is-what-master-of-puppets-would-sound-like-with-st-angers-snare-drum/

It’s a Trap Podcast
http://itsatrappodcast.com/

Ootinicast
http://ootinicast.com

 

Best and Worst of…

SWTOR

Best: Pre-60 PvP and Starfighter

Worst: Not-Pre-60 PvP (lack of content updates, world PvP)

Best: Story

Smuggler’s One-liners

Worst: Raid /Ops content release rate

Best: Legacy system, and banks

Worst: Slow response time on MAJOR bugs

Best: Travel

Worst: Fire and forget feature release (how’s that new Starfighter map coming, BioWare?)

Best: Companion system

Overall rating for the game: 4/5

 

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This week’s end music is Play This Way (a parody of Walk This Way by Aerosmith). Lyrics, guitars, and vocals by Drew Brandon, bass and drums from guitarbackingtrack.com.

PvP lover, always hiding undercover
In your guild till they try to say
They say “You wanna come raidin’
Best game you have played in
And you’re sure to be a-changin your ways”
I met the guild leader, was a real progression feeder
All the mats went straight to world firsts
But the best game playin’
Is when you are a-layin’
Waste to the other jerks, like this

Buff up, gear up, instill a good fear of us
They run away as soon as we load
Saying we are zerging, but we’re really iceberging
Cause we’re sinking all of their boats
So I don’t really care if you’re a carebear
If you mouse turn or use your keys
If you are backtracking
Then I’ll be attacking
And I’ll teach you your ABCs
You got to

Learn to Play

CCR Podcast

Episode 13: Right on the Money

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NC3
Who the heck is playing – and paying – Lineage?!?

 

This week we discuss getting older, public executions, how NCSOFT properties are doing, and yet more conjecture on Wildstar’s subscription-to-f2p transition. Welcome to Casual Core Radio, where we talk about MMOs and we’re not sure how we’ll find time to do more than seven daily zones each week.

MMO News

Money Money Money
http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/05/12/square-enix-profits-double-thanks-to-mmo-and-mobile-titles (and WTF is up with that hair… it’s full-on JRPG-level height.)

It’s not newsy, but it’s interesting – Diablo III is often described as kind of almost-an-MMO.  Turns out, it WAS almost an MMO.
http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Diablo-3-Was-Almost-An-MMO-71858.html

Near and Dear to my heart… MMOs and Working Adults.
http://news.mmosite.com/content/2015-05-13/das_tal_fixing_sandbox_mmos_for_busy_adults.shtml
Catering to the casual? Yeah. The casual who used to be hardcore, aka the casual who now has WAY MORE MONEY to spend.

Ok ok, we know about WoW and it’s 3 million sub drop. Enough already. Let’s talk about 6.2 and the new Bonus Activities feature.
http://www.youthhealthmag.com/articles/15605/20150511/world-of-warcraft-gameplay-patch-6-2-blizzard-mmorpg-lost-3-million-subscribers.htm
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/18985406/patch-62-preview-bonus-events-and-adventure-guide-5-7-2015

ESO on the Console. The company that loves console RPGs is finally putting it’s MMORPG on consoles, and it’s releasing June 9th.
http://www.vg247.com/2015/01/21/elder-scrolls-online-no-subs-ps4-pc-xbox-one/
http://www.vinereport.com/article/elder.scrolls.online.console.release.date.console.versions.offer.improved.version.of.glitchy.pc.version.of.tamriel.unlimited/203.htm

Guild Wars 2 Cheater’s toon is publicly shamed and executed. Then all of his toons are deleted.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/guild-wars-2-hacker-publically-executed-mmo-cheating-1500648
https://youtu.be/h_hS_XNpg30

SWTOR – Irony in the extreme. The second part of the Sixth Line story starts with ledge crawling. Funny, that’s how the now defunct exploit worked.
http://www.swtor.com/info/news/blog/20150428

To end on the money note: NCSoft Earning Report – Lineage 1 still kicking ass. WildStar, not so much. All the rest – doing ok.
http://global.ncsoft.com/global/ir/earnings.aspx
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/9683/What-We-Can-Learn-from-the-Latest-NCsoft-Earnings-.html

WildStar, Guild Wars 1 and 2, AION, and all NCSOFT properties subject to a now-complete extended maintenance.
https://forums.wildstar-online.com/forums/index.php?/topic/126026-extended-ncsoft-maintenance-13-may-2015/#entry1316861

WS Coming to Steam
http://massivelyop.com/2015/05/13/rumor-wildstar-is-coming-to-steam-and-might-be-going-f2p/
https://therepopulation.com/index.php/news/188-15-2-1-build-update

 

MMO Community

Money – Pink Floyd

For the Love of Money – Bulletboys

Price Tag (because why not?)

 

If I Were A Dev

How would you handle advancement mechanics?

JOE:

For basic experience – Levels with, as we’ve mentioned, have no real cap. Just max-ed skills. Maybe levels that don’t end, maybe no levels listed. A bit TSW-like or WildStar-like. Tough to say. Also, the ability to start a character at above the starting zone area like Age of Camelot and WildStar once you’ve already maxed a character.

Crafting – traditional leveling with recipes and rewards, but with the possibility of gaining crits by using more materials or special materials. End-game crafting gear would be JUST AS GOOD as end-game instance gear, and all gear can be modded by crafters, as we’ve already mentioned..

Factions – a classic reputation system. To make crafting valuable but not cookie-cutter, there would be materials and even recipes  gated by both level and reputation.

 

DREW:

No levels, just minor quality of gear differences, and slots for skills. Skills unlock through achievements.

Skills from crafting achievements that consume crafting materials

PvP renown, infamy, and honor. Renown is from raid-v-raid kills, Infamy is from piracy and ganking (large power disparities or raid-v-solo), and Honor is from killing high-Infamy players.

Pick a faction and move up in it, doing missions for them (or killing players from enemy factions), seals for your player-run faction that allows the leader of the faction to pick which crafting materials to make the seal, thus draining the economy of too-prevalent crafting material

 

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This week’s end music is Qeynos from Everquest 2