Carlo Lacsina
Teacher by day, Dark Knight by...... night. Huge (maybe even massive) MMO fan. Loves playing Black Desert Online, FFXIV, and GW2! Super social, really chatty, and always happy to talk about MMOs!
First impressions of Caravan Stories: More a gacha game than an MMORPG
When I was in college, my algebra professor once told me to curb my enthusiasm because inevitably, some thing or other will disappoint me....
PAX West 2019: Examining mental health and community in upcoming MMO Destiny’s Sword
Eager players packed the Washington State Convention Center at this year's PAX West, each greeted with games ranging from high-profile triple-A titles to more...
Desert Oasis: Hunting for the best grindspots in Black Desert
Of all things, the one thing about Black Desert that everyone can agree on is that there's a grind. Players who choose this game...
PAX West 2019: A first dip into Elder Scroll Online’s Dragonhold DLC
The Elder Scrolls Online community event in Seattle at this year's PAX West was one of many firsts for me. For one, this was the...
PAX West 2019: Elder Scrolls Online’s Rich Lambert on performance, LFG, and dragons
"Oh man! A new Skyrim!?" proclaimed an eager con-goer as I waited outside The First & Bell in Seattle. As I entered, the venue...
Desert Oasis: First impressions of Black Desert on the PlayStation 4 (and the PS Vita too!)
I needed a break from Black Desert after that disappointing enchant session I recounted in the last edition of the Desert Oasis column. A few...
The Soapbox: No, the MMO genre is not dead – but it could use a little positivity
One of my favorite idioms is "dead as a doornail." It always reminds me of the time I got sent out of my 10th...
Desert Oasis: The sad saga of enchanting in Black Desert Online
One of the hallmarks of our genre is the inherent heartbreak it's capable of creating within us. Whether we're doing a corpse run in...
Desert Oasis: A guide to open PvP and grindspot etiquette in the world of Black Desert
Back in my classic Guild Wars days, I was so happy to have the scrimmage system. It was a great way to solve arguments....
PSA: Level up your Black Desert Shai by July 24 for serious in-game rewards
As I write this, I'm scrambling to get my Black Desert Shai leveled up to 58. Why? Well if you get your Shai to...
Desert Oasis: Taking a swing with Black Desert’s Tamer and her bō staff
When I first started playing Black Desert, it was because I wanted to play a Dark Knight. From her animations, armors, and that sweet...
Desert Oasis: Finding the Shai’s place in our Great Valencian Black Desert
Black Desert is no stranger to controversies. Whether because of the addition-and-removal of its battle royale or its enchantment mechanics, it does a pretty...
Desert Oasis: First impressions of Black Desert’s new Shai class and her skills
The announcement of Black Desert's Shai class earlier this month really caught me off guard. Sure, I thought a snow globe sprawled on advertisements...
Desert Oasis: Comparing Black Desert and Blade & Soul’s design philosophies
One of my favorite MMO stories is how I got into Black Desert in the first place. It was right after I tried out...
Desert Oasis: In praise of the charmingly chaotic Black Desert community
One of my favorite dishes is dinuguan (dinu-goo-ahn). It's a pork dish covered in a sauce with the consistency of curry and the dark...
Desert Oasis: How AFKing in Black Desert is more productive than you think
You know what I enjoy doing in MMOs? Not doing anything. I fancy myself an AFK enthusiast. Finding a nice, scenic spot to park...
Desert Oasis: A post-mortem examination of Black Desert’s defunct Shadow Arena
Last week was such an intense week for Black Desert. The community took a blow when news broke out regarding Black Desert’s second major...
Desert Oasis: Understanding and critiquing Black Desert’s RNG systems
One of the main critiques readers made about my first Desert Oasis column last month was that I did not mention Black Desert's random...
Desert Oasis: Reframing player perceptions of Pearl Abyss’ MMO Black Desert
Hello and welcome to our revival of the Black Desert column! The Desert Nomad decided it was time to reroll for the new meta, and...
