Category Archives: MMO design

DarkFall patch: PvE love

Posted on May 1, 2009 by SynCaine

While I have yet to really comment on a DarkFall patch, today’s update and design note are a bit more than the usual “fixed some bugs, changed a few % for skill X”. The design note is aimed at new, … Continue reading →

Posted in Darkfall Online, MMO design, Patch Notes, PvP | 7 Comments

“You gotta keep em separated”

Posted on May 1, 2009 by SynCaine

Lum has a post up today breaking down a recent Bartle presentation about game design. F13 community quotes are included in the post, and Lum’s conclusion is that we should be discussing how to merge the gamer-types playing WoW with … Continue reading →

Posted in EVE Online, MMO design, World of Warcraft | 7 Comments

FreeRealms from a distance.

Posted on April 28, 2009 by SynCaine

While I personally have zero interest in playing FreeRealms myself (shocker I know), I am interested to see how it all plays out for SOE given some of FR’s design decisions. FR all along has been marketed as a kid-friendly … Continue reading →

Posted in Darkfall Online, FreeRealms, MMO design, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 14 Comments

Stop blaming the game for your own failure

Posted on April 28, 2009 by SynCaine

In a shock to no one but perhaps himself, Keen is on his way out of DarkFall. The same game that last month was god’s gift is now a “bad game” and “destroying itself”, despite the fact that since launch … Continue reading →

Posted in Darkfall Online, MMO design, PvP, Rant | 29 Comments

MMO games: Why are they more fun in beta?

Posted on April 24, 2009 by SynCaine

If you’ve been playing MMOs for a decent amount of time, it’s likely you have taken part in at least a few beta tests, be they open or closed. If a game really got you interested early, you might have … Continue reading →

Posted in beta, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO design, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 14 Comments

DarkFall: Forumfail

Posted on April 23, 2009 by SynCaine

The DarkFall forums are a near endless source of entertainment. The clan discussion section is basically one giant game of “who can tell the most lies about in-game activities”, a section generally dominated by the Goons in there “anti-zerg” crusade. … Continue reading →

Posted in Darkfall Online, MMO design | 10 Comments

Paid beta: You’re playing it.

Posted on April 22, 2009 by SynCaine

DarkFall is often referred to as a paid beta, and I agree. It has some serious issues, a multitude of minor problems, and countless little nagging annoyances. Despite all that however, it’s still the most engaging and enjoyable MMO experience … Continue reading →

Posted in beta, Darkfall Online, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO design, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 9 Comments

Blizzard table scraps, L2P DarkFall, and the 3rd WAR faction

Posted on April 16, 2009 by SynCaine

Lately I’ve found a few amusing things around the various blogs/forums I read, and now seems like a good time to go over a few things. The first is the general hope by so many that the secret MMO Blizzard … Continue reading →

Posted in Darkfall Online, MMO design, PvP, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 36 Comments

DarkFall burnout: The players or the game?

Posted on April 13, 2009 by SynCaine

While I’m still having a blast in DarkFall (our recent ‘pirate’ adventure on four rafts was hilarious), I’ve been reading some forum posts (I know…) about certain players feeling meh about the game now. According to the post, part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Darkfall Online, EVE Online, MMO design | 28 Comments

Bounty Hunter: The perfect class for solo players?

Posted on April 9, 2009 by SynCaine

The concept of a mercenary guild or individual bounty hunter has always interested MMO fans. The idea of taking contracts from the highest bidder, hunting down a target, and returning to collect your reward is something many fans dream about … Continue reading →

Posted in MMO design, PvP, SW:TOR | 18 Comments