Here are the two most common, critical issues of game developers in the MMORPG space: They’re unable to contain scope and go “big game hunting” They’re lagging behind broader industry trends I’m going to unpack these in detail. The good…
Blog Archives
Elder Scrolls Online Trailer and High Level Design
Tonight I watched the Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) trailer that was shared on Tuesday by game publisher Bethesda Softworks: Pretty entertaining trailer, but it immediately opened up some questions. Is this a 3-faction game? (Yes.) Are there going to be…
Posted in Elder Scrolls Online, Game Design, Guild Wars 2, PVE, PVP, Video, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft
Mana Bars: Good or Bad Game Design?
Mana bars are the long-standing resource implementation for casters in MMORPGs. In this article, we’ll look at the implications of mana bars on game balance and mechanics. But first, let’s consider why mana bars were (probably) created. I’ll use the…
Posted in Cleric, Game Design, Guild Wars 2, Mage, PVE, PVP, RIFT, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft
My Take on Ascended Gear in Guild Wars 2
If you play or follow Guild Wars 2, you’ve probably heard the uproar regarding the introduction of Ascended gear with the big Lost Shores update that was released on November 15th. The community has two broad concerns regarding Ascended gear:…
Initial Thoughts on SWTOR’s F2P Model – TaugVlog Ep. 4
I share my initial feedback on the planned F2P model for SWTOR, based on the FAQs and the subscription-vs-free comparison chart provided by BioWare: http://www.swtor.com/free/features http://www.swtor.com/support/helpcenter/6449 This is a huge transition for SWTOR, BioWare, and EA, so hopefully they get…
Taugrim's MMO Blog 