Archives for tdg category
We gamers do love our nods to other media. From the earliest days of gaming and software, the easter egg has been a staple, something hidden without mention in the recesses of code. These days, we’re as likely as not to have entire areas devoted to a drawn-out reference, or in some cases an entire element of gameplay added mostly as a long-standing joke. Some games have elevated the art of reference almost to an art form, with major storyline characters introduced as a sort of extended cameo from their original media.
Of course, that’s also the problem with references: it can sort of cheapen the game you’re playing if it’s subtle, and it destroys immersion if it’s mind-shatteringly overt. So what do you think? Do you like little snuck-in references to books and movies, or do you like your world to be totally consistent? Do you prefer it when the inspiration is kept under the radar, or would you rather just have the whole thing out in the open? What’s your favorite instance of a game calling back to something else?
Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor
The Daily Grind: How do you like your references? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted on November 20th, 2009 at 8:00am by Eliot Lefebvre
Filed Under: culture, easter-eggs, humor, opinion, references, tdg, the-daily-grind
While not everyone in the world celebrates it, today is Halloween for many of us! Time for tricks and treats, spooks and silliness. It’s also a fantastic time to catch up on the holiday events in our favorite games. From going after the Sinister Squashling in World of Warcraft (again) to smacking down hordes of the Infected in Fallen Earth, there’s tons and tons of content to be had for the holiday.
This morning, we thought we’d ask you what Halloween event you liked the most – and which have you come to hate? Personally, I loved Trick-or-Treating in City of Heroes, racing up and down the street triggering doors, pounding bad guys with friends, and trying to land all the temporary costumes. The one that drove me nuts was trying to get the aforementioned Squashling in World of Warcraft, as the drop never seemed to happen when I was around. (I did dig the broom mount, though.) Let’s hear from you on which you thought were best and worst! Drop your tricks and treats in MMO merriment into our commenty space below!
Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind
The Daily Grind: Happy Halloween! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted on October 31st, 2009 at 8:10am by Krystalle Voecks
Filed Under: events, halloween, halloween-2009, holiday, opinion, tdg, the-daily-grind
Those of us that have been playing MMOs for quite some time have probably developed more than a few skills in the process. It’s pretty much inevitable, after all — while you might not be able to learn to dance from a boss fight, you can at least get a good sense of how to move and work as a group, just by way of example. And we all know that learning to play the holy trinity of MMO roles (tank, healer, and DPS) can be ported over to a variety of other games, since odds are high there will be an equivalent.
Today’s question, however, is asking about when you’ve reached beyond other games and have been able to apply your game skills to a real-world problem. Do you have an easier time handling budgets from all the time spent stat crunching? Are you able to be more diplomatic from dealing with random party members over and over? Maybe you just have an easier time reacting in stressful situations, or a better system for remembering obscure details. Whatever the skill, let us know about how it’s boosted you in real life. (Of course, the ability to actually shoot fireballs or fly would be pretty useful in real life — and if you’ve figured out how to bring over some of those skills, please share.)
Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Education
The Daily Grind: Where else do your MMO skills come in handy? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted on October 29th, 2009 at 9:00am by Eliot Lefebvre
Filed Under: culture, education, inspiration, learning, opinion, skills, tabula-rasa, tdg, the-daily-grind
Sometimes we all take a break from an MMO, even if we’re still enjoying parts of it. Other times, we’re deciding on a purchase or wondering whether or not to come back, and it requires a lot of observation and research. It can be hard to know if it’s time to come back to an old game or give a new one a chance, and often we’ve all got that upcoming title to obsess over. The biggest chore can be time management, where that wonderful thing known as life makes you choose just one game from a couple potentials.
So what game are you watching patiently while hoping for a patch or expansion to fix issues preventing you from being able to subscribe to it? Or for that matter, what upcoming game can’t you stop reading up on and obsessing over because it looks like the very thing you’ve been wanting from your MMOs.
Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind
The Daily Grind: What game do you watch the most, but don’t currently play? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted on October 28th, 2009 at 9:00am by Kyle Horner
Filed Under: hype, opinion, taking-a-break, tdg, the-daily-grind, upcoming
Today is the launch of Runic Games‘ Torchlight, although you probably know them best as the guys who worked on Mythos. The MMO version of Torchlight isn’t out for another 18 months or so, but you can get a taste of it as of today, which is of course the game’s release date — imagine that!
Not only is the game developed by the former Mythos team, it’s also headed by Max Schaefer and Erich Schaefer, co-designers of Diablo and Diablo II. Speaking of those games, we hope you liked their music, because the same man who wrote it worked on Torchlight as well. The pedigree is definitely high, and from our hands-on experience it shines through exceedingly well.
So will you be getting Torchlight? At the low price of $20, it’s not a hard sell considering the quality of the game. Plus, with full mod tools being included in that price, free fan-made content should be falling down from the heavens in no time flat.
Filed under: New titles, Opinion, The Daily Grind
The Daily Grind: Getting Torchlight? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted on October 27th, 2009 at 9:00am by Kyle Horner
Filed Under: diablo, diablo-2, diablo-ii, perfect-world, runic, runic-games, steam, tdg, the-daily-grind, torchlight, torchlight-mmo
