Category Archives: Rift

Rift: On the doorstep to 50

Posted on March 28, 2011 by SynCaine

Things are progressing nicely in Rift. I’m currently halfway through level 47, while others are just a few bars away from 50. We also have a nice ‘second core’ of people around the 20s and 30s. A few more members … Continue reading →

Posted in Combat Systems, Inquisition Clan, PvP, Rift | 9 Comments

Amateur hour

Posted on March 25, 2011 by SynCaine

The kids, they grow up so fast. Shadow’s post before the one linked above was his original (even weaker) attempt, and while it’s pretty fail at a FBW starter, it does (slightly) manage to raise one question: if you’re a … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogroll, Darkfall Online, EVE Online, PvP, Rant, Rift, World of Warcraft | 22 Comments

One hit wonder blogging

Posted on March 24, 2011 by SynCaine

As readers here might remember from my yearly blog review posts, the busiest day for this blog was way back on September 6th, 2007, thanks to the BBC’s tech site link-quoting one of my posts. As with most of these … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogroll, Rift, Site update | 10 Comments

Bring back the server queue

Posted on March 23, 2011 by SynCaine

Last Sunday night I logged into Rift and waited in a three or four minute queue. In vent I joked about how this is totally unacceptable, but in a way it validated the fact that I was on a populated … Continue reading →

Posted in MMO design, Rift | 6 Comments

Souls > Trinity

Posted on March 22, 2011 by SynCaine

If everyone can be a tank/healer/dps, do you still have a holy trinity? Games with skill systems, rather than class systems, don’t have the holy trinity problem. You don’t stop a fleet action in EVE because your tank is afk, … Continue reading →

Posted in Combat Systems, Darkfall Online, EVE Online, MMO design, Rift, Ultima Online, World of Warcraft | 21 Comments

The real Rift review

Posted on March 21, 2011 by SynCaine

I did not want to do a formal review of Rift until I hit 50, but seeing as this continues to get more and more out of hand, a character at 42 will have to do. So this review is … Continue reading →

Posted in Combat Systems, crafting, Inquisition Clan, MMO design, PvP, Rift | 31 Comments

The anti-WAR/AoC/Aion factor

Posted on March 18, 2011 by SynCaine

Somewhat following up on my previous post about Rift and the different perceptions of the game between current players and those on the outside glancing in, I think the game’s momentum will continue in the months to come due to … Continue reading →

Posted in Age of Conan, Aion, Rift, Warhammer Online | 8 Comments

PAX thoughts: Future of MMOs panel

Posted on March 18, 2011 by SynCaine

My favorite panel from PAX was a MMORPG.com-hosted discussion attended by a number of high-profile MMO devs (Massively has the breakdown). It was a good, open talk on various MMO topics, and while some PR-speak was uttered, overall the devs … Continue reading →

Posted in Guild Wars, Mass Media, MMO design, Rift, SW:TOR, Ultima Online, World of Warcraft | 4 Comments

Wishing Coin Lock had gone live a few hours earlier… (Updated)

Posted on March 18, 2011 by SynCaine

In a funny (but not ha ha funny) twist, my Rift account was hacked last night, just hours before the Coin Lock went into effect. While the hacker did a good job of selling all my gear and items, they … Continue reading →

Posted in Rift | 19 Comments

I sense a Rift in your guild

Posted on March 17, 2011 by SynCaine

It seems the self-sacrifice that EuroGamer made for the good of our community is being forgotten, and it’s getting embarrassing. It’s been just over two years since the infamous “5 minute MMO review”, and yet here we are today, with … Continue reading →

Posted in beta, Blogroll, EQ2, EVE Online, Guild Wars, Mass Media, MMO design, Rant, Rift, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 26 Comments