There seems to be a huge amount of optimism, and suggestions, posted in the official, and unofficial MWO forums following the announcement of the sale of the game to "The Right People". While I too feel this, and look forward to seeing what changes come, I am advising patience and caution.
Patience because even if they immediately begin to turn everything around to the way the community has been politely suggesting for months (with ropes, torches, and pitchforks in hand), it will take time. Given the nature of the changes, quite a bit of time.
Due to school demanding my time (in between my job and kids) I haven't played in a while. (Weeks) I'm done now. (MBA) But I hadn't played because I felt the game was stagnating. I am going to keep up with the updates and see where this goes though. I feel the same optimism the rest of you do.
I also advise caution. Just because the right people own the game does not make the things they (and we), want economically viable. Remember many have already given up on the game, and may not ever return. As far as MMOs go this one is Medium, not massive, Multi-player, Online. Smaller player bases make some features cost more than they could ever return. I don't work for them and am not privy to their numbers, but I suspect if the things we wanted were economically viable, they would be done already.
In any case there is the old Hollywood adage: "Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick which two". This applies to most things. Now you could argue we had none of the above before, but even best case scenario: a good, fast game won't be cheap. A cheap, good game won't be fast, and a fast, cheap game won't be good.
So be optimistic, but be patient with the new owners. And don't be surprised when not as much changes as you were hoping for. Good Hunting.
Showing posts with label gaming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gaming. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
The likely and unfortunate sale of Minecraft
There are currently rumors that Microsoft is in talks to buy Mojang/Minecraft. These sources (Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg) also state that Notch is the one who initiated the talks. I would say that these rumors are likely true. This is not based on the reputations of the reporting companies, (Although they are right an alarming percent of the time), but on recent events.
Allow me to explain. Notch and the rest of the team have expressed, in recent months, their displeasure at being harassed and second-guessed bu certain types of server owners. These are the ones who sell items on their servers that are free in the game. Not original content, game features. This meant they were not only completely unethical (Selling someone else's content without licence), but also violating the End User Licence Agreement. (EULA).
There was a big to-do over this "sudden" enforcement, with many of these server-owners, which represent a truly small minority of server operators, making a big stink over being told they can't sell someone else's work. It was at this point some despairing tweets came out of the development team.
Then we have the takedown of Bukkit. If they were to sell the game, a site that allowed the downloading of nearly identical content would obviously need to be eliminated. This all adds up to a picture that either a sale of the game or company is about to happen, or some other, very major announcement is coming. Also likely not good.
The writing is on the walls. As of my writing 16,646,675 copies had been sold. If each major update (1.1, 1.2 etc.) sold for 15 dollars (and a few cent) they would make back the 2 Billion dollar price. This is assuming no other content is sold in game, (it would be) and no money from merchandise, (which there would be). This would also give Microsoft (or any purchaser) access to the player base.
I believe this will happen, and it saddens me that the greed of a small few, will wreck things for the vast majority.
Fingers crossed anyway. I have never wanted to be wrong so badly.
Allow me to explain. Notch and the rest of the team have expressed, in recent months, their displeasure at being harassed and second-guessed bu certain types of server owners. These are the ones who sell items on their servers that are free in the game. Not original content, game features. This meant they were not only completely unethical (Selling someone else's content without licence), but also violating the End User Licence Agreement. (EULA).
There was a big to-do over this "sudden" enforcement, with many of these server-owners, which represent a truly small minority of server operators, making a big stink over being told they can't sell someone else's work. It was at this point some despairing tweets came out of the development team.
Then we have the takedown of Bukkit. If they were to sell the game, a site that allowed the downloading of nearly identical content would obviously need to be eliminated. This all adds up to a picture that either a sale of the game or company is about to happen, or some other, very major announcement is coming. Also likely not good.
The writing is on the walls. As of my writing 16,646,675 copies had been sold. If each major update (1.1, 1.2 etc.) sold for 15 dollars (and a few cent) they would make back the 2 Billion dollar price. This is assuming no other content is sold in game, (it would be) and no money from merchandise, (which there would be). This would also give Microsoft (or any purchaser) access to the player base.
I believe this will happen, and it saddens me that the greed of a small few, will wreck things for the vast majority.
Fingers crossed anyway. I have never wanted to be wrong so badly.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Multi Core Support and Minecraft
It was recently suggested in a tweet by Dinnerbone (Tweet) that Minecraft would be possibly be altered to support multi-core processing. Like many of you I said: "Finally!" But this brings me to a topic that can't be denied. Multi-Core, despite being the norm in computers for some time now, is not supported by many online games. Look up another game you play. Odds are it isn't supported.
The reasons for this are legion, but all boil down to not wanting to exclude people with older, or less powerful systems, and trying to optimize across a near infinity of hardware profiles. While I can see the logic of these, it is a point of frustration for many. The fact is that the hardware available on the market has passed by the needs of the vast majority of users.
If you are old enough, you remember having the list of games that you were "so going to buy" the minute you got a better machine to play them on; because your current battle station didn't pack the gear to run the newest games. When is the last time that happened? I'm guessing sometime back when people still used the word "Millennium" a lot.
Back to the topic at hand. There will be many hands up right now asking why this particular non-issue is being addressed ahead of some real problems, missing features, or other content. Those are the same questions that are asked in every online game, when any feature is announced.
The good news is that the developers take the community's interests to heart. They do listen, and one gets the impression that they care. Look up the forums for Mechwarrior online to see what the other side of the coin looks like. While they have reformed, of late; historically their draconian policing of the forums is the stuff of legend. Or at least a case study in how to turn people away from your, otherwise excellent, product.
I sit here typing this on an Asus ROG laptop that I have only ever come close to maxing out playing The Sims 3. (Meh). So any time a developer says they are going to optimize for multi-core, I get excited. I want that feature for every game. I just don't expect it.
The reasons for this are legion, but all boil down to not wanting to exclude people with older, or less powerful systems, and trying to optimize across a near infinity of hardware profiles. While I can see the logic of these, it is a point of frustration for many. The fact is that the hardware available on the market has passed by the needs of the vast majority of users.
If you are old enough, you remember having the list of games that you were "so going to buy" the minute you got a better machine to play them on; because your current battle station didn't pack the gear to run the newest games. When is the last time that happened? I'm guessing sometime back when people still used the word "Millennium" a lot.
Back to the topic at hand. There will be many hands up right now asking why this particular non-issue is being addressed ahead of some real problems, missing features, or other content. Those are the same questions that are asked in every online game, when any feature is announced.
The good news is that the developers take the community's interests to heart. They do listen, and one gets the impression that they care. Look up the forums for Mechwarrior online to see what the other side of the coin looks like. While they have reformed, of late; historically their draconian policing of the forums is the stuff of legend. Or at least a case study in how to turn people away from your, otherwise excellent, product.
I sit here typing this on an Asus ROG laptop that I have only ever come close to maxing out playing The Sims 3. (Meh). So any time a developer says they are going to optimize for multi-core, I get excited. I want that feature for every game. I just don't expect it.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Your broken mob farm: or How I learned to stop worrying and love the changes.
I never will tell someone that their opinion is invalid. But I will make the people complaining about their mob farms being broken love the new changes... Well, like the new changes... Maybe "accept" is a better word.
Minecraft was always intended to be a game of horror survival. That means you live, but just barely. That means with enough hard work you might have an adequate shelter. With enough work, you might even be safe for long stretches of time, despite the constant threats. It does not mean that farming dangerous creatures is something you should expect.
"Hey jerk" I hear some of you saying, "there is a large community who play this game just to build things like mob farms and automation."
Yes. Yes there is. Why I have even been known to indulge in creative-mode building myself. I will not say you are playing the game wrong, as there is no wrong way to play it. But your complaint about having to redesign your slime farm is misplaced.
First, Mojang is merely correcting things that were not right in the first place. A creature that spawns in swamps should be able to survive in them. Second, there are other designs which will still work, so you can still farm them. Third, and most importantly, as a designer you should be relishing the opportunity to redesign something. It's part of the fun of the game.
OK, that was a stretch. Having something randomly broken, that you have put a great deal of time and effort into, is really annoying. But to be fair, this was done to improve the game, not to break your stuff. I despise command blocks. They make designing things too easy. But I tolerate them in the game because they did improve it in many ways. Not any ways I use, but still...
The real reason that anyone complaining about changes in Minecraft should accept them is that, unlike every other company out there, Mojang has yet to charge for expanded content. They are not breaking your slime , or golem farm, just to charge you extra to make it functional again. By changing the game, for free, they are creating a new user experience, generating renewed interest, and keeping the game challenging. Isn't that why you're still playing in the first place?
Minecraft was always intended to be a game of horror survival. That means you live, but just barely. That means with enough hard work you might have an adequate shelter. With enough work, you might even be safe for long stretches of time, despite the constant threats. It does not mean that farming dangerous creatures is something you should expect.
"Hey jerk" I hear some of you saying, "there is a large community who play this game just to build things like mob farms and automation."
Yes. Yes there is. Why I have even been known to indulge in creative-mode building myself. I will not say you are playing the game wrong, as there is no wrong way to play it. But your complaint about having to redesign your slime farm is misplaced.
First, Mojang is merely correcting things that were not right in the first place. A creature that spawns in swamps should be able to survive in them. Second, there are other designs which will still work, so you can still farm them. Third, and most importantly, as a designer you should be relishing the opportunity to redesign something. It's part of the fun of the game.
OK, that was a stretch. Having something randomly broken, that you have put a great deal of time and effort into, is really annoying. But to be fair, this was done to improve the game, not to break your stuff. I despise command blocks. They make designing things too easy. But I tolerate them in the game because they did improve it in many ways. Not any ways I use, but still...
The real reason that anyone complaining about changes in Minecraft should accept them is that, unlike every other company out there, Mojang has yet to charge for expanded content. They are not breaking your slime , or golem farm, just to charge you extra to make it functional again. By changing the game, for free, they are creating a new user experience, generating renewed interest, and keeping the game challenging. Isn't that why you're still playing in the first place?
Thursday, January 23, 2014
There.com
I recently had received an email informing me that my old avatar on There.com was able to be resurrected, with all my stuff. For those of you who do not know, There.com was an online community, like second life, but it took place on islands, and mostly had an islander theme. I wasted more time than I care to admit on that game.
I think the right word is game. You made an avatar, you could fly a hoverpack, ride a dune buggy, pilot a hoverboat, ride a hoverboard, shoot a paintball gun, you know, game.
But then again, you mostly chatted, bought clothes, (which back in the day included Levi's and Nike's) interacted with friends, some of whom you had only met playing there.com, and who actually lived in other countries. You could design clothes to sell, then trade your Therebux for real currency. Mostly you converted real currency to Therebux to buy things, because seriously, hoverboard.
I got in on the beta, (class of seychelles), and had a lifetime membership, but had been a long time since I had played. In fact I stopped pretty much the day I jumped into the Minecraft beta. The company actually shut down the game in, or around 2008. Apparently they had started back up. Anyway, I decided "what the hell?", and downloaded the client. Within minutes I was back on my favorite island, but my items would take another day or two to load.
I was skimming the FAQs and came across something that talked about payment, apparently there is now a fifty cent charge for test play. That is good because the game was subject to a lot of griefing. That charge would prevent most of it. Also it was now an 18+ community, that would prevent the rest.
Buried in the FAQs was a line about still honoring the lifetime memberships. Sweet. So I waited a day or two and logged in, jumped on my favorite board, and raced away.
This game, online community, whatever; in its day was so crowded that whole areas would not load for minutes at a time, as servers raced to keep up. There were cross country buggy races that had hundreds of participants. There was an online concert. (I forget the band). There were houses that could be rented but none were available. Everywhere you looked were people, porta-zones, things to do and people to talk to.
Now however, you might run into a group of three others on any given night. No one flies, drives, or walks anywhere. They just stand and chat. I think membership is like 10 bucks a month. I thought: "this will pick back up. Surely they started with the beta members, and are just beginning to fill up." Nope. They've been up for a while now. It's still entertaining, but what good is a social venue with no people?
There.com was exiting. There.com was a great place to hang with friends. There.com was a good way to spend a Saturday night.
There.com was.
And it could be again...
The core game, community, whatever, is still solid. Users can still create new items and sell them. The community is, as it was then, very helpful and supportive of new entrants. They will loan you any item you want to use, and you can level up without ever owning something. It is still amazing to tool around on a hoverboard and see the astounding amount of detail that was put into the islands. It is still a rush to do a time trial on a buggy course. It is a ton of fun when you meet someone new, and teach them chat commands ('chicken). The game still has the unlimited potential it always did, but what it lacks, and no one knows why, is advertising.
The owners are not pushing it. They don't seem to care if it makes money. That is great, but the community is much better with more people. So here is the advertising they refuse to do. Try the game for 50 cent. If you don't like it, all you're out is half a bottle of Coke. If you do, you have a club to hang out in, a board to ride, and people to meet. If I see you, I'll even lend you my favorite hoverboard. It's better than facebooking.
I think the right word is game. You made an avatar, you could fly a hoverpack, ride a dune buggy, pilot a hoverboat, ride a hoverboard, shoot a paintball gun, you know, game.
But then again, you mostly chatted, bought clothes, (which back in the day included Levi's and Nike's) interacted with friends, some of whom you had only met playing there.com, and who actually lived in other countries. You could design clothes to sell, then trade your Therebux for real currency. Mostly you converted real currency to Therebux to buy things, because seriously, hoverboard.
I got in on the beta, (class of seychelles), and had a lifetime membership, but had been a long time since I had played. In fact I stopped pretty much the day I jumped into the Minecraft beta. The company actually shut down the game in, or around 2008. Apparently they had started back up. Anyway, I decided "what the hell?", and downloaded the client. Within minutes I was back on my favorite island, but my items would take another day or two to load.
I was skimming the FAQs and came across something that talked about payment, apparently there is now a fifty cent charge for test play. That is good because the game was subject to a lot of griefing. That charge would prevent most of it. Also it was now an 18+ community, that would prevent the rest.
Buried in the FAQs was a line about still honoring the lifetime memberships. Sweet. So I waited a day or two and logged in, jumped on my favorite board, and raced away.
This game, online community, whatever; in its day was so crowded that whole areas would not load for minutes at a time, as servers raced to keep up. There were cross country buggy races that had hundreds of participants. There was an online concert. (I forget the band). There were houses that could be rented but none were available. Everywhere you looked were people, porta-zones, things to do and people to talk to.
Now however, you might run into a group of three others on any given night. No one flies, drives, or walks anywhere. They just stand and chat. I think membership is like 10 bucks a month. I thought: "this will pick back up. Surely they started with the beta members, and are just beginning to fill up." Nope. They've been up for a while now. It's still entertaining, but what good is a social venue with no people?
There.com was exiting. There.com was a great place to hang with friends. There.com was a good way to spend a Saturday night.
There.com was.
And it could be again...
The core game, community, whatever, is still solid. Users can still create new items and sell them. The community is, as it was then, very helpful and supportive of new entrants. They will loan you any item you want to use, and you can level up without ever owning something. It is still amazing to tool around on a hoverboard and see the astounding amount of detail that was put into the islands. It is still a rush to do a time trial on a buggy course. It is a ton of fun when you meet someone new, and teach them chat commands ('chicken). The game still has the unlimited potential it always did, but what it lacks, and no one knows why, is advertising.
The owners are not pushing it. They don't seem to care if it makes money. That is great, but the community is much better with more people. So here is the advertising they refuse to do. Try the game for 50 cent. If you don't like it, all you're out is half a bottle of Coke. If you do, you have a club to hang out in, a board to ride, and people to meet. If I see you, I'll even lend you my favorite hoverboard. It's better than facebooking.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)