It’s been a while since I wrote WIHILA Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, and those articles are not a prerequisite for this one (but you’re welcome to go have a read anyways if you haven’t yet). Now that I’ve spent some time (understatement) playing the final release , I’d like to draw some lessons about basic mechanical system design from what has easily been the most engaging part of this game: the crafting.
You have probably gotten accustomed to my formula by now. What do I expect from Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn? Stuff a lot like previous Final Fantasies and similar games, but with an MMO twist. What do I expect from Elder Scrolls Online? Stuff a lot like previous Elder Scrolls games, but with an MMO twist. What do I hope for from both of them? That they do it well, as has been demonstrated is possible by successful examples mixed and matched from said previous games. Might the games have shots of creative brilliance? Of course, and I hope they do, but I’ll leave that as a task for the developers, and be pleasantly surprised if they deliver. Continue reading
Welcome to Part III of a four-parter about the elements I hope I like in two big upcoming MMORPGs: Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, and Elder Scrolls Online. Part I introduced my overall expectations, perspective, and the topics I wanted to discuss, while Part II delved into Character Customisation.
Welcome to Part III of a four-parter about the elements I hope I like in two big upcoming MMORPGs: Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, and Elder Scrolls Online. Part I introduced my overall expectations, perspective, and the topics I wanted to discuss, while Part II delved into Character Customisation.
Last time, I left off with a bit of a cliffhanger (okay, maybe more like a mild step-hanger). In that post, I talked about how it’s not enough for an MMORPG to be a place to game with friends, I want it to be a place for good gaming with friends (I’m greedy like that). I even highlighted some of the general elements which I consider necessary for a good game in this kind of genre (character customisation, combat and pacing through the world) and what I expect from each one. Continue reading
There are a few big titles in the MMORPG space coming soon (beta tests running or being organised as I write this). I’m looking at Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and Elder Scrolls Online as, potentially, the representatives for (good) modern game design in the genre (though a quick shout out to Dragon Quest X, on which I will also be keeping an eye). That’s a pretty hefty forecast, and needs more than a little clarification and qualification, so let’s begin at the beginning: where I’m coming from as a gamer.
Turn Based Living 