Comments on: Seven Levels of Tabula Rasa

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By: Guido

Guido — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:21:41 +0000

Oh, and something I want to mention that TR really doesn’t advertise, an awesome feature really: Instances scale. So while it might pose some challenge to a full group of 6 people one level, when you go in 1-2 levels later on your own you’ll meet way less monsters and be able to solo the instance. That of course (together with the fact that there’s no special loot tables for bosses, and thus instances aren’t a means of grinding gear but actual story elements mainly) adds to the flexibility.

And groups of 3-4 are way more fun for instances anyway.

By: Guido

Guido — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:18:57 +0000

Nice post :) Just two things…

* Strafe-dancing: Yep, the more stationary you are, the more damage you do – your targeting reticle has those three dot-like things around it, those move in when you stand still (or crouch), the further in they are the more damage you do, and you get a bonus for crouching. Nevertheless, positioning is important, as both you and the aliens can take cover and will take less damage then.

* Addiction (a thing that came up in the comments) – I was addicted to WoW, and spent way too much time there, but TR (at least so far) feels entirely different. Remember how WoW was while you levelled? It’s quite similar, only there’s no rush at all to get to the endgame simply because there isn’t very much “endgame” yet anyway. So you can easily take your time, and log in and out whenever you want. And friends getting ahead of you might happen, so far our guild’s coherence really wasn’t hurt by that yet though.

Just random thoughts :)

By: Zell

Zell — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:45:44 +0000

There’s a fine line between ‘addicting’ and ‘bloody fun’ and I don’t think it’s Blizzard’s responsibility to walk it. Even if it were, I think they come down on the right side; people play WoW because they want to impress their friends, not because the world’s designed in an especially addictive way.

Now, remember the old DIKU text MUDs? There, you had to pay a maintenance fee to just keep your gear persistently, so if you didn’t log in for a while you lost your stuff. THAT’s addicting.

By: Piratepete

Piratepete — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:21:49 +0000

TO expand slightly on my point, at the position I am in now I wouldn’t recommend anyone take up Wow heavily, and if my daughter wants to get into MMO’s when shes older then I would definitely think twice about letting her do that. However what I would really like to know is if Blizzard built that level of addiction (or the mechanics to create that level of addition) into their game, or if it has taken them by surprise. Would I be cynical if I said I thought it was designed in in purpose.

I should also state that I played a feral Druid, making the time to get any decent kit exponentially longer than all other classes (up to BC)

By: Kieron Gillen

Kieron Gillen — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:57:35 +0000

Leo: Kneel when you’re in the right position, clearly, gut with a shotgun, getting as close as possible is the best way to do damage.

By: Kieron Gillen

Kieron Gillen — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:56:54 +0000

Pete: I agree, in short. I thought it was happening this year, but I suspect it may just be the leading edge.

By: Leo

Leo — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:15:46 +0000

FOOL!

The more you move as you shoot, the less damage you do!

That is only true of guns where you need to aim, and not guns like the shotgun. And possibly the chaingun, I dunno – I went specialist. Because mummy always told me I was special.

By: Mr Pink

Mr Pink — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 10:16:39 +0000

I think that’s a really good point Pete. As a recovered WoW addict I read about new MMOs and often feel drawn to try them out. I’ve also managed to get offers places on a couple of betas recently, which I applied for whilst still in the grips of the MMO obsession, but have had to resist the lure. The thing is, I know that if I start playing I will really enjoy it, and that will mean I am drawn to play it a lot. But the crucial difference between an MMO, and say something like TF2 (my current addiction) is that the time demands aren’t the same. When I leave a game of TF2 I don’t feel like I’m missing anything, like the world is getting on without me. And if I don’t play TF2 for a few days I don’t worry about how far ahead of me my friends are.

Basically, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to play another MMO because the time demands would have severe repercussions on the rest of my life. Whether this is something that other gamers feel, I don’t know.

By: Piratepete

Piratepete — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 09:13:43 +0000

I think there is an undercurrent developing in every set of comments in this blog I have read regarding MMO’s. There are those who embrace a new MMO, but equally, there seems to be a number of people who either say;

“Well I would like to play but I don’t have the time due to work/wife/commitments etc”

“I don’t want to play it because I would lose myself in it like Wow/EVE etc”

or a combination of both.

Do you think that due to the way MMO’s are constructed that if you lose yourself in one you realise how addictive they are, and in my case potentially damaging to real life, and that turns you off joining another one. Or would you gladly lose yourself in them given the time/resources/divorce required? Or is it purely that most gamers want to be the best at something and have now realised that to do that in a MMO and get the achievements first does not actually require skill but purely time commitment, and the right players arund you?

Would you agree that there may be an MMO backlash at some point amongst gamers?

By: Cruz

Cruz — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 09:02:06 +0000

Alec stream-of-conciousness writings ftw.

Regarding the lore in the game, at the moment I’m dabbling in Guild Wars, despite not being particularly fond of the game mechanics, simply because of the lore. Sure, Ruric is a nub Leeroy type, but I do wish to find out how near death he’ll get to next. You are totally right about the TR story (if you could call it that). I have no sense of place, and not a glimmer of expectation of what lies beyond the first area or planet.

By: po

po — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:33:30 +0000

F.E.A.R. should have HL2:EP2 like achievements for destroying every Dell in the game.