April 2004

• [BIZ] Playas Pay to Spread the Luv Michael Tresca
• Mogi from Newtgames Olivier Lejade
• Client side simulation dienw
• • Client side simulation Nate Combs {Home}
  • • Client side simulation Thomas Tomiczek
  • Client side simulation Amanda Walker
  • Client side simulation Artur Biesiadowski
  • Client side simulation Byron Ellacott
• [Devops] Initial meoww cleanup J C Lawrence
• Middleware (was Sun's Sim Server and Gordon's 10 Reasons (thefirstone :)) Michael Sellers
• • Middleware (was Sun's Sim Server and Gordon's 10 Reasons (thefirstone :)) Tess Snider
  • • Middleware (was Sun's Sim Server and Gordon's 10 Reasons (thefirstone :)) Amanda Walker
  • Middleware (was Sun's Sim Server and Gordon's 10Reasons (thefirstone :)) Derek Licciardi
• Announcement: Community Work Symposium - May 21 T.L. Taylor
• Middleware ceo
• [NEWS] Final Fantasy XI debut on PS2 in US kennerly@sfsu.edu
  "A Fantasy That's Never Final"
  Chris Kohler. Wired /archives/meow?group+ April 5, 2004.
  
  http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,62910,00.html
  
  <EdNote: Copy below>
  
  --<cut>--
  A Fantasy That's Never Final
  By Chris Kohler
  02:00 AM Apr. 05, 2004 PT
  
  "r u a ps2 n00b?"
  
  How to answer? Should I admit that I am indeed a second-class
  citizen, an untouchable in the city of the bourgeoisie? The March 23
  release of the PlayStation 2 version of massively multiplayer online
  role-playing game Final Fantasy XI has brought a fresh influx of new
  players to the game. To the many high-level warriors and red mages
  running confidently around the virtual world of Vana'diel, players
  who have been immersed in Final Fantasy XI since its late-2003
  release for personal computers, this influx is a pox on their fair
  city, an irritating mass of unwashed immigrants who beg for free
  money from the rich and ask annoying newbie questions all day.
  
  But PS2 gamers have a similar sense of we-were-here-first
  entitlement -- Final Fantasy has been a predominantly
  console-oriented series since it first appeared on Nintendo's
  Famicom in 1987. And indeed, in Japan Final Fantasy XI made its
  debut exclusively on the PS2, the PC version being a mere
  afterthought in the land where console gaming reigns with an iron
  fist. As far as the PS2 crowd is concerned, PC gamers are the
  usurpers and squatters, encroaching on their territory; the world of
  Moogles, Mythril and Materia is their turf.
  
  And this situation is, in some way, exactly what Final Fantasy XI's
  designers set out to create.
  
  Final Fantasy XI's release on the PlayStation 2 marks the fourth and
  final major step in Square Enix's master plan to create an MMORPG
  that puts the focus on a worldwide, diverse community. This idea is
  more radical than it sounds. Yes, Final Fantasy XI borrows the very
  basics of its game play from successful PC MMORPGS like Ultima
  Online and Everquest -- the goal being to kill monsters of gradually
  increasing difficulty to build up your character's level and amass a
  horde of virtual treasure. But in Final Fantasy XI, you can't do it
  by murdering the weak -- there's no player killing. And you can't do
  it alone -- after the first few hours of leveling up, expanding your
  horizons becomes nearly impossible without a party of friends to
  help you.
  
  So right off the bat, you're encouraged to make friends. The cities
  of the game are so vast that at first, merely navigating them is
  virtually impossible without asking directions. And every time I
  tried this, I was bowled over by the friendliness of perfect
  strangers -- every person I ever asked for help didn't simply tell
  me where to go but actually led the way, taking time out of whatever
  they were doing to "physically" bring me to my destination.
  
  On my second day, a stranger named Tarukun walked up to me out of
  the blue to give me a Linkpearl, which is like a little magical
  walkie-talkie connected to a master device called a Linkshell. Any
  player with a pearl can chat in real time with other players who
  have pearls of the same set. The group that I was invited to, the
  TinyTornados, is exclusively for TaruTaru, the diminutive
  Hobbit-like race of magical creatures to which my player character
  belongs.
  
  My tiny cousins offered to answer any and all questions I had about
  the game. There is, I found out, a certain team pride among us few,
  proud players who chose to be neither a muscle-bound swordsman nor a
  curvy cat-girl. And it was in this circle of new friends that I was
  asked, right off the bat, if I was one of the new arrivals fresh off
  the PS2 boat. I hesitated, but finally figured there was no harm in
  answering "Yes."
  
  "o. so how do u type?"
  
  A good question, and one that points to the difficulties inherent in
  not only setting up a persistent online experience that lets players
  on different platforms and in different countries play in the exact
  same space, but even putting an online role-playing game on the
  PlayStation 2 in the first place. Unlike Microsoft's Xbox, the
  PlayStation 2 doesn't ship with an internal hard drive, so the $100
  FFXI package includes a 40-GB one. Physical installation of the
  drive is surprisingly easy -- it connects to a $40 network adapter
  (not included, but required) then slides into a bay in the back of
  the console.
  
  That's the easy part. Now you've got between two and three hours of
  software installation, registration and character creation standing
  between you and game play. The FFXI software comes factory-installed
  onto the drive, but after you fiddle with the settings and get your
  PS2 to recognize your dialup or broadband Internet connection,
  you've got to download all the software updates from Sony's servers.
  
  "Boo hoo," mock the PC gamers. Indeed, for that crowd a two-hour
  setup process is the best-case scenario. PC gamers tend to see a
  game that refuses to run as a challenge, whereas console gamers
  demand refunds. What's more, console gamers want it all for under a
  few hundred bucks, not the thousand-dollar supercomputers needed to
  run the PC version of FFXI, which is a surprisingly taxing piece of
  software. So FFXI's installation process might be daunting to a
  group used to true plug-and-play, but it's about as smooth as can be
  expected at this stage.
  
  But as my new TaruTaru buddy suggested, the thing that PS2 players
  need to think about that PC players take for granted is how to
  type. You could use the on-screen virtual keyboard, picking out
  letters with your standard PS2 controller. But why, when any USB
  keyboard will work? Even better is the dual-function controller
  released by Logitech that puts a full-size keyboard into a PS2
  controller. It's a bit awkward at first, but less so than juggling
  two separate input devices.
  
  If you must use only a standard controller, though, there's an
  in-game menu of key phrases that you can scroll through as an
  alternative to hunting and pecking. And since Japanese players share
  the same servers as Americans, there's an auto-translate function
  for those key words. What the American versions of FFXI lack is
  Japanese text input for the growing number of young Final Fantasy
  fans who can speak the language. This effectively removes any
  possibility of meaningful conversation between the two groups and
  renders Square Enix's vision of a truly international community
  nearly pointless.
  
  This is frustrating. But in most other ways Final Fantasy XI is a
  fascinating and fulfilling experience. It's becoming progressively
  more difficult to argue that online game aficionados represent a
  shut-in group of socially awkward devil worshippers when Square
  Enix's bold experiment in community-based role-playing game play
  rewards players for being outgoing, considerate and generous.
  
  Final Fantasy XI for the PlayStation 2 is rated T for Teen.
  
  It is available now from Sony Computer Entertainment America in a
  $100 package that also includes a 40-GB hard disk drive
  (required). The PS2 Network Adapter ($40) is required but not
  included. A USB keyboard is strongly recommended, but not
  required. After the first month of play, a $13 fee is charged per
  month.
  --<cut>--
• Random Placename Generation Matt Chatterley
• • Random Placename Generation Joshua Hughes
  • Random Placename Generation Ben Hawes
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• Sun's Sim Server and Gordon's 10 Reasons (thefirstone :)) Mike Rozak
• Middleware Luca Girardo
• Habitat Redux Mirjam Eladhari
• MUD-Dev Convention Report David Kennerly
• Licensed setting MMOGs Matt Mihaly
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  • Licensed setting MMOGs Matt Mihaly
• [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Matt Mihaly
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• Player Justice Freeman, Jeff
• Licensed setting MMOGs Taylor Daynes
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• [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Jeff Fuller
• Dangers of Middleware Mike Rozak
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• [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Matt Mihaly
• [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! John Buehler
• • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Amanda Walker
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  • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Marian Griffith
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    • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Douglas Goodall
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• [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! John Buehler
• • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Matt Mihaly
  • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! John Buehler
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• Sun's Sim Server and Gordon's 10 Reasons (the firstone:)) Thomas Tomiczek
• • Sun's Sim Server and Gordon's 10 Reasons (thefirstone:)) David Kennerly
• [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Jeff Fuller
• • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Matt Mihaly
  • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! J C Lawrence
  • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! John MacQueen
• [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Brian Hook
• • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Travis Casey
  • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Jeff Fuller
  • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Brian Hook
    • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Jeff Fuller
      • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Kevin N Shallow
• Paranoia Ragnar Lonn
• Player Justice Amanda Walker
• • Player Justice Paul Schwanz
• Less constrained environments Chris Duesing
• • Less constrained environments John MacQueen
• MMOG money-making clients ceo
• • MMOG money-making clients Koster, Raph
  • MMOG money-making clients Valerio Santinelli
• [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Otis Viles
• • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Paul Schwanz
  • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Paolo Piselli
    • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Otis Viles
      • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Amanda Walker
      • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Vincent Archer
        • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Jeff Fuller
          • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Thomas Tomiczek
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          • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
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            • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! J C Lawrence
        • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Brian Miller
        • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! John Buehler
          • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Chris Duesing
      • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Paul Schwanz
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        • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Amanda Walker
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• Middleware (was Sun's Sim Server andGordon's10Reasons (thefirstone :)) Matt Chatterley
• MudDev FAQ - part 2 Marian Griffith
• Gay Characters in Videogames Michael Tresca
• • Gay Characters in Videogames Tess Snider
  • • Gay Characters in Videogames Darksuit
  • Gay Characters in Videogames Matt Mihaly
  • • Gay Characters in Videogames Michael Tresca
    • • Gay Characters in Videogames Jon A. Lambert
      • • Gay Characters in Videogames matt@ironrealms.com
  • Gay Characters in Videogames Douglas Goodall
• MUD-Dev Digest, Vol 11, Issue 10 kihyun {GTA Interactive}
• Player Justice Freeman, Jeff
• • Player Justice Paul Schwanz
• Licensed setting MMOGs Ian McDonald
• • Licensed setting MMOGs Christopher Allen
• [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Ryan S. Dancey
• • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Otis Viles
  • • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! baar@imperian.com
  • [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! J C Lawrence
• R: [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Ghilardi Filippo
• [BoardGameDesign] Fog of War (to Robert & dr1010xltd) (fwd) J C Lawrence
• Online economies was [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Brian Hook
• PvP vs. PvE was [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Brian Hook
• [News] Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy! Eric Random
• Kaczynski's Law Freeman, Jeff
• • Kaczynski's Law Michael Sellers
  • • Kaczynski's Law Freeman, Jeff
    • • Kaczynski's Law Michael Sellers
      • • Kaczynski's Law Jon A. Lambert
        • Kaczynski's Law jfreeman@soe.sony.com
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          • • Kaczynski's Law Freeman, Jeff
            • Kaczynski's Law Freeman, Jeff
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    • Kaczynski's Law Mike Rozak
    • • Kaczynski's Law Michael Sellers
  • Kaczynski's Law cruise
  • Kaczynski's Law Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt
  • Kaczynski's Law Mike Rozak
• Playing catch-up with levels [WAS Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy!] Byron Ellacott
• • Playing catch-up with levels [WAS Virtual goods--Oh, the controversy!] Steven King
• PvP vs. PvE Rob C
• notes from MUD Dev conf and GDC Mirjam Eladhari
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• Playing catch-up with levels Byron Ellacott
• • Playing catch-up with levels Amanda Walker
  • • Playing catch-up with levels Craig Huber
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            • • Playing catch-up with levels Matt Chatterley
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• DESIGN: Active and Inactive currency Freeman, Jeff
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• Story Generators Douglas Goodall
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• MUD-Dev Digest, Vol 11, Issue 19 Chanur Silvarian
• Playing catch-up with levels Jeremy Gaffney
• MUD-Dev Digest, Vol 11, Issue 19 Threshold RPG
• Bringing in friends Pat Ditterline
• • Bringing in friends Amanda Walker
• [biz][tech][dgn][soc] Ten MMOG's you don't want to do... ceo
• • [biz][tech][dgn][soc] Ten MMOG's you don't want to do... Freeman, Jeff
  • [biz][tech][dgn][soc] Ten MMOG's you don't want to do... Eli Stevens {WG.c}
  • [biz][tech][dgn][soc] Ten MMOG's you don't want to do... Sean Howard
  • [biz][tech][dgn][soc] Ten MMOG's you don't want to do... Mike Rozak
  • [biz][tech][dgn][soc] Ten MMOG's you don't want to do... Nathan Yospe
• Playing catch-up with levels Steven King
• • Playing catch-up with levels Byron Ellacott
• Playing catch-up with levels Threshold RPG
• MUD-Dev Digest, Vol 11, Issue 23 Alex Chacha
• Playing catch-up with levels Sean Howard
• • Playing catch-up with levels John Buehler
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