Cataloging the Detritus of my Life
Two years ago I wrote an article for Gamestooge.com on the assassination of Lord British in Ultima On-line way back in pre-historic past of MMOs: 1997.It’s a fascinating little tidbit of videogame history. Today, Cracked.com linked to the story in one of their own stories: The 7 Biggest Dick Moves in the History of On-line Gaming (Lord British’s assassination is #3 on the list). Gamestooge.com’s Editor-in-Chief, Jonah Falcon, informs me that the article is getting a bunch of traffic. So, go me?
I do, now.
I don’t think I’ll be playing Old Republic. I no longer have the excess cash to spend on a monthly subscription or the time to sink into an MMORPG. I just wanted to share the trailer. Star Wars is at its best when it’s true to its pulp adventure roots.
Please use the comments to demonstrate your own ignorance, unfamiliarity with empirical data, ability to repeat discredited memes, and lack of respect for scientific knowledge. Also, be sure to create straw men and argue against things I have neither said nor even implied. Any irrelevancies you can mention will also be appreciated. Lastly, kindly forgo all civility in your discourse . . . you are, after all, anonymous
Found here. I haven’t had that problem so much here… But I’ve been on the internet long enough to have seen conversations that mirror the quote precisely. People do funny things when they think no one is watching.
Despite coming out more than a decade ago Diablo 2 is still the best at what it does. What does Diablo 2 do? It convinces you that wandering around drab areas clicking wildly at badly pixelated beasties is a good use of time. I’ve beaten the game at least twice before (first time as a Barbarian second time as an Assassin) this time I’m going with an Amazon. This time instead of guessing my way through the best way to play the game, I’ve just used the vast accumulated wisdom of those who have been playing the game near non-stop for 11-odd years. Seriously, google “Diablo 2 builds” or “tips” some of these people playing this game down to an exact science.
I don’t know how long this Diablo 2 kick will last. I assume at least until I kill Diablo, maybe I’ll be able to go all the way this time and make it through the expansion as well. I’ve never done that, yet. I’m also playing on-line for the first time (Diablo 2, not video games in general) Nowadays Blizzard deletes your character after ten days of non-activity. That is good incentive to keep playing, especially once a few hours have been invested into the character.
I suppose the real question is why hasn’t the industry been able to replicate the crack that is Diablo 2? No game since has been able to so perfectly ensnare players. No game has walked the fine-line between pleasure and grind as well as Diablo 2. I almost wonder if Blizzard is up to the task with Diablo 3.
I can’t end this post without “thanking” the man who is responsible for getting me to reinstall the game (curse you Bungle! I have a life now! I don’t need this). A poster on the best forums on the internet started a group Let’s Play of the game this month and invited us all to come along. So, thanks Bungle.
PS – my wife hates you now =P
PSS – If any game designer types stop by I’d love to talk to you about how Diablo 2 got so much right in its design. Maybe, together we can figure out just what exactly they did that makes a fairly mindless game so addictive and rewarding.