The (re)launch of ArcheAge Unchained is of significant interest to certain parties who are hoping that this “do over” finally will propel this sandbox to the recognition and glory that it deserves.
MMO blogger Mailvatar was on the front line of the launch, and he has a few words to say about the flawed — but fun — experience: “The bottom line of this is that PvP-oriented players get all the action they crave, questing exclusively during peace-time is also an option, and if you, like us, prefer a healthy middle ground you can have that too.”
We’ve got plenty of other community opinions coming your way in this week’s column, including discussions about BlizzCon, Vanguard, Elder Scrolls Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Fallen Earth, and Lord of the Rings Online!
Misdirections: Blizzcon expectations
“Blizz is undoubtedly still stinging over the reaction to Blitzchung, and in some quarters the resentment has not gone away. So for one thing, Blizz may be hoping to distract from the outrage that still simmers by making some blockbuster announcements.”
Inventory Full: Checking in on Vanguard
“It’s been a while since I checked in with the Vanguard Emulator. I like to take a look every few months to see how it’s coming along. The danger is that once I log in I end up playing just as though it was a live game. And really, it might as well be.”
Endgame Variable: Elder Scrolls Online’s Glenumbra and Stormhaven
“The most interesting part of playing, to me, was discovering that there are a whole lot of NPCs in Glenumbra and Stormhaven voiced by the dudes of Critical Role. I heard Matt Mercer’s, Liam O’Brien’s, and Taliesin Jaffe’s voices over and over again. Not from Critical Role, but I also heard Courtney Taylor a lot, who is instantly recognizable to me as the voice of the female protagonist in Fallout 4, which I heard a lot in working on my podcast.”
SWTOR Commando: Looking back on three years of Knights of the Eternal Throne
“And of course there was Galactic Command. Not going to re-hash that story yet again! Let’s just say that it was quite a disaster at launch; it was probably the period of time in which I was the most unsatisfied with SWTOR gameplay-wise that I’ve ever been, and it made several good people I knew leave the game for good. Boo!”
24 Hours in MMOs: Looking back at Fallen Earth
“It was never about the leveling though — not really. In this game, more than in any other MMO, leveling was rarely the objective, it was just something that happened while I was enjoying the game, and I’m glad I went back to that playstyle before the end. I made it to 45, not 55, but in doing so I was reminded of all the reasons why this game remains one of the best MMOs I’ve ever played, and if it does return one day I’ll be there, ready to continue exploring the world of Fallen Earth.”
GamingSF: LOTRO’s varied class design
“I have a level dinged Captain that I’d love to catch-up to my main as a more solo-friendly character for more difficult content and as a more flexible guild character since Captains are full hybrids (i.e. can be tank, healer or dps). So far I’ve failed to connect with her though, as learning 95 levels worth of abilities isn’t easy in later content and I haven’t yet broken through my feelings of guilt over potentially replacing my faithful Champion as my main.”
Every day there are tons of terrific, insightful, and unusual articles posted across the MMO gaming blogosphere — and every day, Justin reads as many as he can. Global Chat is a sampling of noteworthy essays, rants, and guides from the past few weeks of MMO discourse.
