For MMO blogs that only cover a single game, an announcement of an upcoming content release is like a mini-Christmas all to itself. This was definitely the case for Going Commando, which got to peel back all the delicious layers of Star Wars: The Old Republic’s reveal of Update 6.3: The Dark Descent.
“Update 6.3’s story update will once again be delivered in the form of a flashpoint, continuing the Darth Malgus storyline and taking place in the ruins of the Jedi enclave on Dantooine. I was quite giddy to hear this, considering that I’ve (somewhat to my own surprise) become quite a Malgus fangirl ever since Jedi Under Siege!”
Read on for more fan essays covering games such as LOTRO, Valheim, and RIFT!
“In any case, I do not consider Valheim’s present state to be a particularly compelling argument for ‘exploration.’ Am I literally ‘traveling in or through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it?’ Yes. But if procedurally-generated emptiness is what floats your boat, allow me to introduce you to No Man’s Sky, (vanilla) Starbound, and another small indie title called Minecraft.”
The Ghar Station: The future of RIFT
“Will RIFT close down? While Gamigo says no, we have seen what happened to Defiance. If RIFT is now in a similar position, it may survive a few more years without new content before eventually being closed down. Things can always turn around and Gamigo may at some point decide to invest in new content, but if we look at the way Gamigo operates as a company this seems unlikely.”
Tales of the Aggronaut: Life without the auction house
“This morning I am going to do my best to explain how selling items with other players works in Elder Scrolls Online given that I just stated that there is no auction house. I am still very much figuring all of this out myself and I am certain that somewhere in this post I am going to make factual errors just due to lack of experience with the system.”
The Nosy Gamer: Two weeks back in Black Desert
“I have to admit, the slower I progressed, the more I just clicked through the text of the story. I do know that I’m chasing after a well-dressed witch. A very powerful, well-dressed witch.”
MMO Juggler: Crafting in Elder Scrolls Online
“What blew my mind was this system allows a crafter to improve quest items. I received a blue staff from a quest and wondered if I could improve it to purple. I figured I could walk through the crafting UI and back out if it looked like that would destroy my item, and I didn’t even expect to get that far – I thought I wouldn’t be allowed to select a quest item.”
Gamer Reverie: Learning LOTRO’s emotes
“This variety of visual cosmetic is a handy way for players to express themselves in all manner of in-game experiences: breathe fire at an enemy, blow a kiss to your crush, salute your captain, slap someone with a fish. All of these are examples of emotes you can collect and use in Lord of the Rings Online!”
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.
