Here’s a fun thought: What if we aren’t actually playing MMOs? What if we’re just sitting in front of blank screens, creating fantasy worlds with our imaginations and keeping ourselves company with phantom figments? What if they’re about to cart us away right now?
Oh, probably not. Probably. Either way, reader Mjcbarnes has great fun with her imaginary friends in-game. “Attached is a screenshot from Neverwinter’s alpha,” she submitted to One Shots. “For a time there was a bug where you could have more than one of your companions out at a time. It was awesome running around with two companions like a proper party. Here’s my rogue Nora with her dire wolf and a kobold companion. I took so many screenshots of the three of us. It was the best bug for cool screenies.”
Sometimes you don’t have to seek out that perfect screenshot — it just comes to you. Reader Wratts had this happen and managed to hit the print screen button to preserve the moment.
“I wanted to send in an ArcheAge screenshot,” he said. “This is one I took around holiday time. It was the first time I saw a GM-generated snow event. I just happened to be in Auroria around the burning forest. The combination of flaming trees, falling snow, and a new continent to explore really made me want to do a cap.”
My call for alpha and beta screenshots did not go unanswered. Not only did we get Mjcbarnes’ above, but we also got reader Siphaed’s adventures through Guild Wars 2’s beta tests. Remember back when that was the hottest ticket in town? And now the expansion’s beta is? We are just gaming in circles here.
Siphaed sets the stage: “This is in a alternate version of Metrica Provence where they set up the Hunger Royal event for players to participate in. This is the original version that Southsun Survival was based off, although this one’s freedom and lack of Karka made it all that much more special. I was the 4th to last person to survive; I ended up starving alone in a swamp where the Hylicks roam. Good times.”
Ralph the Wonder Llama makes me laugh. Here’s what he wrote to me: “‘Your screenshot challenge of the week is to send me more dragon pictures! Seriously, anything at all with a dragon theme will be great! Please, fill my in-box with dragon pictures!’ What? That’s not the screenshot challenge of the week? But I could have sworn! Well, I’m pretty sure that’s what I heard… and I’m rarely ever wrong. Many moons ago my warrior was making use of TERA’s local taxi service in Darkquaver Woods when I snapped this screenshot. The sunlight and the clouds and the mountains and the trees made for a really beautiful image, I thought. And then of course there’s the dragon. And I know how much you love dragons! So I just had to share!”
For my It Came from the Comments Section, reader Xephyr has just one word for you: Cantha. CANTHA. Cantha cantha bo-bantha banana-fana-fo-fantha. Me mi mo mantha. CANTHA!
What’s the screenshot challenge for this week, you ask? We might have done this one before, but I like it, so here it is again if so: Take and submit your favorite pics of MMO starting zones and explain why you love them so much.
Every week, One Shots shines a spotlight on the best community screenshots from your MMO adventures. If you have a great pic to share, email it to justin@massivelyop.com with the subject “One Shots.” Make sure that the picture is over 880px wide and comes with a description or story!
