In this special edition, the Elf and Dwarf document their first steps, literally into Northrend. Listen along as they sail across the sea and wander into the first zone, do their first quests and give their first impressions.
Standard Podcasts [43:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (902)This week the hunter pair brings a review of Will Wright’s new(er) game Spore. Well, after they do some news from Azeroth, comment on the zombie plague, look into some new castings in the realm of sci/fi fantasy and other tidbits, plus some email. And of course the email bag has at least one email on how to write a book…
Standard Podcasts [74:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (680)That’s right to mesh with our Halloween theme, the Elf and Dwarf talk about the classic RPG Vampire the Masquerade. First comes some news (well a LOT of news) from the fantasy/ sci fi worlds including info on Pushing Daisies, the JLA movie, WoW news, and oh yeah, Dumbledore is gay. Then usual quick email segment (the Dragonlance Trailer is out there!) and then Ady does a book review!
Standard Podcasts [90:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (2785)So where do you start when you make a character? This episode is one part article review (thanks to the folks at WoW Insider) and one part RP advice column. In addition to our Topic of the Week, we talk about news, goings on, and Adeldia uses her own Bully Pulpit to talk about the challenges facing those that help adopt animals. Oh and there’s a new contest/ poll for the show!
Standard Podcasts [80:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (1557)http://www.wowinsider.com/2007/10/04/is-blizzard-exploiting-wow-players/
The case is made in a new paper that MMO’s exploit their players by failing to provide real entertainment but instead by stringing them along with very carefully planned rewards, often not relevant to what the player wants but what the player percieves they need. For example you “grind” through 10 levels from 30 to 40 in WoW, not because you are actually enjoying playing those levels but becuase there is a planned prize (Mount for example) waiting for you at the end of the grind.
And you PAY for the priveledge of this grind. The case made in the original article (go back a few links through WoW Insider) is that this is not only exploitive but borderline unethical. The initial author makes the case that a game should be fun at all turns and that the carefully planned rewards should be part of that fun. Instead MMO makers learn the thresholds people have for monotony and tedium and provide just enough incentive to start the next “grind”.
With all the talk about changing XP for the 0-60 game in WoW or the talk in other MMO’s about “grind levels” I’m forced to wonder if perhaps there might be something to this.
What do you think?
News bits: A director has been found for the JLA movie, Californian’s can now buy any video game at any age, WoW shuts down erotic role play guild. Topic of the week: How do you tell your friends and family you’re geek? Do you establish the level of acceptance first? How do you feel about being outed? Oh, and in email we respond to a letter about games to books/movies.
Standard Podcasts [68:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (1382)If you don’t follow the Wife Aggro Podcast you should hop over there and give a look. Sethanon and Ragemore (as in ‘whine less, rage more’) have invited Rorlins to sit in a few times to talk about various gaming issues. It’s a very well done show and worth checking out. Especially if they invite Rorlins back again.
http://www.wowinsider.com/2007/09/17/blizzard-disbands-extreme-erotic-roleplaying-guild/
Yep an extreme erotic RP guild got nailed. Apparently Blizzard is NOT okay with people using their game to particpate in, and encourage what would be illegal actions in the real worlds in their game world.
Harkens a bit to the various slash fic and similar “mature” fanfic circulating which was recently purged from Live Journal.
| ||
