What i'd like to see in ...

a future mmo.

A wilderness area that is so far away from civilization, that you need to build a camp (similar to UO) to log out. This wilderness may contain something grand, it may not. It needs to be a good 30 min run without stop to get there. For a long time, there may be nothing but trees, or endless expanse.. but it has to be out of the way. WoW had some areas like this like Azshara, but is cheapened (people would argue: "accessible") by the fact that they had flightpaths. Warhammer Online had easter eggs usually in untravelled areas such as Lairs. The creation of recall stone, flight paths and teleporters, has made the mmo world a much smaller place. No longer does one have to plan a trip to a certain area in great detail as it will take quite a while to get there. We just go to the city and there normally is some sort of quick travel option that gets us there in a blink with no danger. It will not take a half hour, or an hour of pure trekking to get there. There are normally large towns every 10 minutes, logically placed too, incase you want to do something there or log off.

I like in Torchlight how you have the option of using your pet to take your extra goods back to town to sell everything for you and depending on how deep you are, the longer it will take. I don't remember which game implemented this, but I think merchants should only buy good from you if it's in their line of business. And if it isn't, then they either don't take the goods or buy it at a reduced amount.

I also like the idea of wandering merchants in Torchlight. They're very few and far between, but they are a god-send, as you don't constantly need to send your pet away and can possibly buy some helpful items from them. If implemented in a new mmo, i'd like to see either friendly wandering npcs vendors, weak attackable but empty npc merchants, or semi-powerful attackable npc merchants with ok loot (similar to Fallout 3). Once again though, they are found far in the wilderness, have slightly higher prices, possibly unique gear, and far and few between.

Ugh. Palin and Tea Party-ers scare me for a future America. I'll stay in Canada thanks.

Back in business

So! The vacation is over. Work starts in a few hours. I'm sorta relaxed; atleast more than 2 weeks ago.

I was originally playing DDO and having a blast with my friend Capo.. he had his melee cleric and I had my ranged rogue. Later I created a beast of a fighter and cut down baddies by the dozens. But then Capo started playing many other different games (you should have seen his collection when we both worked at EB Games).. tried a different mmo called Shin Megami Tensei and he stopped altogether. It didn't make much sense since he spent alot of money in the cashshop for Turbine Points and didn't use it all up, but I suppose it'll wait there until he comes back.
I was a bit upset that I didn't have a friend to play with and didn't really want to pug, even with guildies and their flying airship. I spent only about 20$ buying enough points for the Drow race and the Favored Soul (high mana cleric/healer).. and the game lasted 2 months.. and I could come back to it if I ever wanted. So its not that bad.

I bought Torchlight (as well as the X-Com bundle) on Steam most recently; X-Com brought back memories of researching like crazy, being unable to repulse the aliens, world governments cutting back funding and an eventual invasion of my base. On my first try after last playing it over 10 years ago, I won the first mission.... only to have Steam crash, causing my game to crash. Fyi, there was no auto save 10 years ago. I tried it one more time, but found the graphics and game far too old to play again... atleast for right now. I really hope in the future they make a new X-Com with updated graphics, storyline, research trees etc etc. Yes yes, there is the new X-Com game... but that looks like it was set in the 70s and its FPS.

My gf was able to get ahold of my Torchlight anddddd loves it. And now I can't really play, but thats alright. You read all the reviews, yes, its a good game, exactly like Diablo 2 but with some differences, and missing multiplayer. Per my last entry, Torchlight 2 is in development with added multiplayer.

At the start of September i'll list out the games i'm looking forward to that should be releasing; there is still nothing in August (game-wise) worth talking about.

Back

Back from a relaxing vacay; I was intending on writing some entries on Monday, but there are too much good vids and links:

A new Heroes of Might and Magic....
http://kotaku.com/5616482/hey-theres-a-new-heroes-of-might--magic-game
http://kotaku.com/5616648/might-and-magic-heroes-vi-might-be-magic
Can't wait.. I need more turn-based strategy games!

Cosplay fix here.


I purchased Torchlight via Steam a few weeks ago.
So freaking addictive; just like Diablo 2.. but better.

And just like the vid says, the thing that was missing that would have made this game the next Diablo.. or until Diablo 3 would come out, was: Multiplayer.

I just can't do it; I can't play Dragon Age: Origins for a second full playthrough. I finished the core game with my female evil rogue.. and have an aoe mage 3/4 of the way.. but I just can't do it again.

In case you can't view it.. go here