D*C MMO, home of The SnarkCast» champions-online http://www.dc-mmo.org Home of the SnarkCast Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:24:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 2009 grimthorn@dc-mmo.org (Grim and Netgoth) grimthorn@dc-mmo.org (Grim and Netgoth) posts 1440 http://www.fortheloveofgame.com/gfx/dcpodcastrssimg.jpg D*C MMO, home of The SnarkCast» champions-online http://www.dc-mmo.org 144 144 http://www.dc-mmo.org/feed/podcast SnarkCast - The Next Episode Catch up with Grimthorn and Netgoth as they snark on about all things MMO. Also including Dragon*Con MMO track news. DragonCon, mmo, mmorpg, informational, Dragon*Con, gamer, geek, snarky, NSFW Grim and Netgoth Grim and Netgoth grimthorn@dc-mmo.org no yes SnarkCast #10: More Sequels than Police Academy and Ten Times Funnier http://www.dc-mmo.org/2010/03/snarkcast-10-more-sequels-than-police-academy-and-ten-times-funnier/ http://www.dc-mmo.org/2010/03/snarkcast-10-more-sequels-than-police-academy-and-ten-times-funnier/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:30:19 +0000 Grim http://www.dc-mmo.org/?p=1191 This edition of the Snarkcast is a little longer than normal, and we go a bit further in-depth into certain issues than we usually do, but we hope you enjoy it.

(Opening music, courtesy of …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, [...]]]> This edition of the Snarkcast is a little longer than normal, and we go a bit further in-depth into certain issues than we usually do, but we hope you enjoy it.

(Opening music, courtesy of …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, “Isis Unveiled”)
]]> http://www.dc-mmo.org/2010/03/snarkcast-10-more-sequels-than-police-academy-and-ten-times-funnier/feed/ 0 57:17 This edition of the Snarkcast is a little longer than normal, and we go a bit further in-depth into certain issues than we usually do, ... This edition of the Snarkcast is a little longer than normal, and we go a bit further in-depth into certain issues than we usually do, but we hope you enjoy it. (Opening music, courtesy of …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, “Isis Unveiled”) D*C MMO, Podcast Grim and Netgoth yes no Season’s Greetings from DC*MMO http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/12/seasons-greetings-from-dcmmo/ http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/12/seasons-greetings-from-dcmmo/#comments Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:00:07 +0000 Grim http://www.dc-mmo.org/?p=1126 Yeah, I know. We haven’t been as diligent as we should be in updating the site with the latest and greatest news in MMO land. On the other hand, we’re too busy playing them to write much.

In preparation for our next SnarkCast and because Krystalle can be, at times, a moderating influence on [...]]]> Yeah, I know. We haven’t been as diligent as we should be in updating the site with the latest and greatest news in MMO land. On the other hand, we’re too busy playing them to write much.

In preparation for our next SnarkCast and because Krystalle can be, at times, a moderating influence on me, I have prepared a Christmas “Naughty or Nice?” list of stories, people, and things that have happened in the past year. Don’t expect anything even remotely “correct” or “political”.

Nice
World of Warcraft’s 3.3 patch
The new content is nice, but the LFG tool has made dungeon groups fun again. I don’t think I’ve seen a wait time longer than 10 minutes for a dungeon. I love to bag on WoW on the SnarkCast, but I must give credit where it is due. 3.3 has me playing again… a lot.

Fallen Earth

The folks at Fallen Earth have come up with a rather nifty game set in a Post Apocalyptic American Southwest. (Grand Canyon, to be specific)  If you’re in the mood to check out a game that departs from the average fantasy-based WoW clone, I highly recommend this one.  It’s from a small, independent studio so there are some warts in the game, but the community is tight-knit and the in-game customer service staff is responsive.  Enjoy.

Sony Online Entertainment

SOE has a lot going on.  There is a new EQ expansion out there (16!!!), more EQII content on the way, and Free Realms has gotten off to a very good start.  That, and Brenlo and the gang are lots of fun to hang out with at Dragon*Con.

Ok, enough of the syrupy sweet, here comes the “coal in the stocking”…

Naughty
Aion

A craptacular grindfest which is packaged in eye candy is still a craptacular grindfest.  The fact that NCSoft, a studio which seems all-too-eager to pull the plug on MMO’s that don’t make enough money for them, is behind it leads me to believe that this title won’t have much staying power. (Tabula Rasa, anyone?)

MMO’s which are basically LAN-party sized games with a giant chat lobby.

Ok, so it isn’t Guild Wars’ fault that so many new games are adopting this approach, but for the love of Curt Schilling, can we stop calling games that are chat lobbies for 5-10 player “dungeons” MMORPGs?  Raiding Temple of Veeshan with 300 players is Massive.  Raiding Molten Core with 40 players is Massive.   Sitting in a chat lobby until you can mash together a 5 man group in order to run a dungeon is NOT Massive.  If you can’t get out of the quest hub and explore the world, it’s not an MMO.  If “the world” is instanced to the point that you have zero chance of randomly encountering another player in it, it is not an MMO.  It can still be a great game, but call it something else.

Champions Online

Ok, so I was super stoked about buying this game.  So much so that I got the 6 month subscription (thus guaranteeing me a place in the Star Trek Online beta, which I am currently enjoying)  I played it for about a week, then realized… Grind-tacular snorefest.  The comic book style graphics are interesting and the game has a world of promise, but do us all a favor.  Reduce the level cap by half and cram what content you have into those levels.  Gaps in content make levelling an endless chore.  If I wanted that, I’d have stayed in Everquest.  I hope Star Trek Online is listening…

As always, this is just my opinion.   I can’t help it that I’m right.

Merry Christmas!

-Grim

P.S. as an added bonus, and because I’ve mentioned her in just about every SnarkCast we’ve done, here’s a Christmas pic of Samantha.

]]> http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/12/seasons-greetings-from-dcmmo/feed/ 0 Oh, and another sign that we’re getting close… http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/08/oh-and-another-sign-that-were-getting-close/ http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/08/oh-and-another-sign-that-were-getting-close/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:42:51 +0000 Grim http://www.dc-mmo.org/?p=1009 You may see this plastered somewhere around the convention.  When I tell you that we can always use creative talent, this is why.   I actually had to do this bit of [...]]]> You may see this plastered somewhere around the convention.  When I tell you that we can always use creative talent, this is why.   I actually had to do this bit of photoshoppery myself.

flyer_final_small

]]> http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/08/oh-and-another-sign-that-were-getting-close/feed/ 3 SnarkCast #4: The Next Generation http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/07/snarkcast-the-next-generation/ http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/07/snarkcast-the-next-generation/#comments Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:27:39 +0000 Grim http://www.dc-mmo.org/?p=1000 Yeah, I realize that I’m going to run out of sequel titles to use in these posts and that I’ll be repeating myself soon.  I’ll deal with that problem when I get there.

It’s been a crazy week in the land of SnarkCast, and Krys and Grim have already been overtaken by events given that we recorded [...]]]> Yeah, I realize that I’m going to run out of sequel titles to use in these posts and that I’ll be repeating myself soon.  I’ll deal with that problem when I get there.

It’s been a crazy week in the land of SnarkCast, and Krys and Grim have already been overtaken by events given that we recorded this podcast before:

  1. The Dragon*Con Staff Meeting last weekend.
  2. Blizzard was allowed to partially re-launch WoW in China.

Oh well, them’s the breaks.  In any event, enjoy the podcast (show notes are included after the jump).  Thanks for listening, and we’ll be recording a new podcast very soon.

(Opening music, courtesy of …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, “Isis Unveiled”)
]]> http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/07/snarkcast-the-next-generation/feed/ 1 55:47 Yeah, I realize that I'm going to run out of sequel titles to use in these posts and that I'll be repeating myself soon.  I'll ... Yeah, I realize that I'm going to run out of sequel titles to use in these posts and that I'll be repeating myself soon.  I'll deal with that problem when I get there. It's been a crazy week in the land of SnarkCast, and Krys and Grim have already been overtaken by events given that we recorded this podcast before: The Dragon*Con Staff Meeting last weekend. Blizzard was allowed to partially re-launch WoW in China. Oh well, them's the breaks.  In any event, enjoy the podcast (show notes are included after the jump).  Thanks for listening, and we'll be recording a new podcast very soon. Intro WRUP? (Also known as "What are you playing?") AOC's "come back" promotion http://community.ageofconan.com/wsp/conan/frontend.cgi?func=publish.show&template=content&func_id=2926&table=CONTENT WoW's legal trouble in little China http://www.jlmpacificepoch.com/newsstories?id=152539_0_5_0_M Global Agenda Beta starting on July 24 http://www.globalagendagame.com Professor Griefer & CoH http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/loyola_university_professor_be.html CoH: Issue 16 announced http://www.cityofheroes.com/news/game_updates/issue_16/issue_16_overview.html Cryptic"Nemesis Online, can we start calling it "CoH 2" now? http://www.massively.com/2009/07/16/cryptic-could-make-champions-counterpart-nemesis-online Eurogamer does re-review of Darkfall, rates it 4/10 http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/darkfall-online-second-review http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/darkfall-online-review Why MMO's are like Men/Women http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/07/12/mmorpgs-are-a-lot-like-women/ http://divagoth.com/2009/07/12/why-mmos-are-like-men-a-reply/ Dragon*Con News Storytelling in MMO's panel is added TERRY FREAKIN' GILLIAM IS COMING!!! DC*MMO T-shirts in da house (Opening music, courtesy of ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, "Isis Unveiled") D*C MMO, Podcast Grim and Netgoth no no Oops, sorry! http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/05/oops-sorry/ http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/05/oops-sorry/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:10:51 +0000 Grim http://www.dc-mmo.org/?p=893 I know I promised you guys more frequent updates.  Consider this a mini-update until I have time to write a real one later this week.

Voltaire is confirmed.  You may resume breathing. (And V, if you’re an MMO fan, we would LOVE to have you MC a few contests for us.  Otherwise, *I* might have to do [...]]]> I know I promised you guys more frequent updates.  Consider this a mini-update until I have time to write a real one later this week.

  • Voltaire is confirmed.  You may resume breathing. (And V, if you’re an MMO fan, we would LOVE to have you MC a few contests for us.  Otherwise, *I* might have to do it again this year.)

We are co-hosting a very special panel with the Space track this year.  It seems that NASA did some work on an MMO in the recent past, and even got to the point where they brought in Timothy Zahn to help with the game design.  Since we just happen to have Les Johnson from NASA and Mr. Zahn at Dragon*Con this year, we thought it might be a neat idea to discuss the MMO that might have been.

Our Snark Cast is officially on hiatus until my lovely and talented co-host returns from E3 and recovers sufficiently to put up with me once again.

To end things, I thought I would post an old pic that was rediscovered in Ol’ Chumbucket’s archives recently.  Behold, a picture of the infamous “Meridian 59 Guy” panel!

(From left to right, Alihja-babe, Grim, Crumpster, and "Meridian 59 Guy")

(From left to right:  Alihja, Grim, Crumpster, and “The Meridian 59 Guy”)

First off, let me say that Brian “Psychochild” Green is a super nice guy, and I’m glad that he has kept M59 going strong after 14 years (launched in late 1995, went public in 1996) and we wish him nothing but the best.  However, this was an Everquest panel.  The other three people you see at that table are/were EQ players.  The subject was EQ and the focus was on game design elements of EQ.  If Brian started a sentence with words other than “In my game, Meridian 59…” we are unaware of it.  It was one of the more infamous (funny in retrospect) panels that we had ever run.  Despite all of that, he did have some really good insights into game design that have since become part of the mainstream, more or less.  Remember, back when we did this panel 4 years ago, WoW was the new kid on the block and wasn’t the monster MMO that it is today.  We only had 3 WoW panels that year, as opposed to an entire day devoted to WoW this year.

Maybe later this week, I’ll post a “history in pictures” of the MMO track and you can see just how far we have come in 7 years, bearing in mind that we weren’t an official track at Dragon*Con until last year.

]]> http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/05/oops-sorry/feed/ 2 Champions Online In Stores July 14th, 2009 http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/04/champions-online-in-stores-july-14th-2009/ http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/04/champions-online-in-stores-july-14th-2009/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:38:27 +0000 Michael C. McGreevy http://www.dc-mmo.org/?p=863 Our good friends over at Cryptic Studios have finally announced a release date for the eagerly anticipated Champions Online!  All of you spandex loving gamers will be be able to start fighting crime in Millennium City on July 14th!

I know there’s a lot of spandex loving Dragon*Con attendees out there who are eagerly anticipating this one [...]]]> Our good friends over at Cryptic Studios have finally announced a release date for the eagerly anticipated Champions Online!  All of you spandex loving gamers will be be able to start fighting crime in Millennium City on July 14th!

I know there’s a lot of spandex loving Dragon*Con attendees out there who are eagerly anticipating this one (at least, if their panels last year were any indicator), and I have to admit that the recent announcement of the “swinging” travel power has me itching to put the tights on again myself.

Hey, what can I say?  I have an affinity for a certain web-slinger.

With Dragon*Con happening just over a month after the release we’re really hoping that Cryptic decides to join us again this year and give us the insider scoop to their new MMO hotness!

]]> http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/04/champions-online-in-stores-july-14th-2009/feed/ 1 DC-MMO Update – March 30, 2009 http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/03/dc-mmo-update-march-30-2009/ http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/03/dc-mmo-update-march-30-2009/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:28:00 +0000 Grim http://www.dc-mmo.org/?p=735 Welcome to the first weekly installment of the DC-MMO Update.  Now that we’re about 5 months away from Dragon*Con, and preparations are underway in earnest, it makes sense for us to keep everyone up to date on where we are.

So, with no further ado, here’s where we stand.

We will definitely be back in the Sheraton this [...]]]> Welcome to the first weekly installment of the DC-MMO Update.  Now that we’re about 5 months away from Dragon*Con, and preparations are underway in earnest, it makes sense for us to keep everyone up to date on where we are.

So, with no further ado, here’s where we stand.

We will definitely be back in the Sheraton this year, specifically in the Athens and Augusta rooms.

The following companies have already confirmed that they will be participating in Dragon*Con this year:
Sony (EQ, EQ2, Star Wars Galaxies, DC Universe Online, Free Realms, The Agency)
Funcom (Age of Conan, Secret World, Anarchy Online)
CCP (EVE Online)
Adventure Quest (AQ Worlds)
Gaia Interactive (Gaia Online)
Wardog Studios (Force of Arms)
Cartoon Network (FusionFall)

We are still in talks with the following companies:
NCSoft (City of Heroes, Guild Wars)
EA/Mythic (Warhammer Online)
Cryptic Studios (Star Trek Online, Champions Online)
Bioware (Star Wars: The Old Republic)
Blizzard (DUHHHHHH)
38 Studios (Copernicus)
Frogster Interactive (Runes of Magic)

We are planning additional panels on topics such as
Guild Management
Dead MMO’s
Free MMO’s
WoW Lore (with authors Richard A. Knaak and Keith R.A. DeCandido)
The state of MMO gaming (with representatives from several MMO companies)
The Guild, starring Felicia Day (not nailed down yet, but we’re working on it)

Of course, we are also planning a series of parties/events for our night time sessions…
Quest Givers (yes, we’re doing the weekend-long live action quests again!)
Kickoff Party on Friday Night
World of Warcraft Trivia Contest
Hardcore MMO Trivia Contest (all games)
WoW Olympics (Gnome Tossing, Dodgeball, Dance Contest, Emote Contest, etc)
Kingdom of Loathing Party
Sony Party (EQ, EQ2, SWG, etc)

We are also working on getting all of the MMO games that we will be discussing included in the computer gaming lab in the Hilton so that you guys can try out some of these games on your own time.  As with all convention preparations, things can (and often do) change at the last minute, but this is a snapshot of where we are as of right now.  We have our 12th, and final, staff member on board for this year and we plan on moving very quickly to finalize our plans for this year so that you guys will have plenty of opportunity to get ready for an outstanding Dragon*Con this year.

If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, please contact us and let us know about it.  If you’d like to buy a shirt to help us out, that would be great too!.

]]> http://www.dc-mmo.org/2009/03/dc-mmo-update-march-30-2009/feed/ 0 About http://www.dc-mmo.org/about/ http://www.dc-mmo.org/about/#comments Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:56:59 +0000 Grim http://www.dc-mmo.org/?page_id=2 DC*MMO is a year-round community of gamers and fans of the MMORPG Programming Track at Dragon*Con. Rather than update a Facebook page, a LiveJournal page, a Twitter feed, a MySpace page, and a hundred other sources of information, we created this site as the official source of all news and information of interest to the [...]]]> DC*MMO is a year-round community of gamers and fans of the MMORPG Programming Track at Dragon*Con. Rather than update a Facebook page, a LiveJournal page, a Twitter feed, a MySpace page, and a hundred other sources of information, we created this site as the official source of all news and information of interest to the DC*MMO community.

Who are we?

DC*MMO has a dozen staff members who work year-round to prepare for each year’s Dragon*Con. In addition to maintaining this website, we have to research new games (yes, playing games is part of the job), talk to community relations staff, come up with contests and prizes, and most of all work the convention itself and make sure our guests and fans get where they are supposed to go. It’s fun work, but it never ever ends.

A partial list of the games that we cover includes:

• Age of Conan
• Anarchy Online
• AQ Worlds
• Champions Online
• City of Heroes
• DC Universe Online
• EVE Online
• Everquest
• Everquest 2
• Force of Arms
• Free Realms
• Gaia Online
• Guild Wars
• Kingdom of Loathing
• Lord of the Rings Online
• Pirates of the Burning Sea
• Second Life
• Star Trek Online
• Star Wars Galaxies
• Stargate Worlds
• Tabula Rasa
• Vanguard
• Warhammer Online
and, of course…
• World of Warcraft

If there is a game that you would like to see us cover, of if you are a game developer who wants to participate in Dragon*Con, please Contact Us and let us know.

]]> http://www.dc-mmo.org/about/feed/ 0