Tags >> World of Warcraft
Warning: A true Star Trek fan and avid World of Warcraft player wrote this.
Dedicated Trekkers expect disappointment. The cancellation of the original series in 1969, the disappointing Next Generation movies, a good part of the Deep Space Nine finale, many aspects of Voyager (Janeway feigning tears in half her scenes), every time someone says that First Contact is the best Star Trek movie -- we've been though plenty.
And that includes good and bad Star Trek games, of course, but our hopes for Star Trek Online were understandably high. Most Trek fans liked the last movie, but were left wonder: What happened to the real Star Trek universe? Star Trek Online attempts to answer that question. Could developer Cryptic Studios do the nigh-impossible -- deliver a true Star Trek experience? No doubt they've got the graphics department covered; we all know Cryptic has the skill and technology for a top-notch-looking game. But can they make it fun, and anywhere near as engaging as that other game by Blizzard?
The citizens of Azeroth share a lot of our holidays, so it's not much of a stretch to imagine that they may enjoy the same sports that we do. Well, maybe "enjoy" isn't the right word. Still, I wonder how a game of football would work in the World of Warcraft.
Editor's note: The Facebook MMO Mafia Wars has approximately 14 bajillion players, largely due to its simple play style. To gamers like Sam, this sort of casual game is anathema. But what if you played it like a serious MMO? Could you quickly rise to the top of the leaderboards? Sam finds out. -Brett
If you use Facebook, you've most likely seen the ads for Mafia Wars. The game boasts nearly 25 million active users, and many of them have probably sent you an invite to join. Most of you probably just hide updates from Mafia Wars and the other Facebook games, but I was curious: Could I use what I had learned from decades of gaming to dominate one of the world's most notoriously slow and laborious games?
Have you ever wondered how much your fake item in World of Warcraft is selling for on the virtual market when you are away from your computer? Blizzard has got you covered. Not only does the new and updated WoW Facebook Application let you see your characters, their equipment, and the toons of your friends, but it also promises to eventually allow you to manage your in-game auctions!
The Bitmob Mailbag is back and ready for your questions. If you want to be a part of the fun, submit a query to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
subject: “Mailbag” and we’ll blow your mind with our insightful answers.*
*Bitmob is not responsible for any minds blown while reading the Mailbag. Consult your physician if the Mailbag lasts longer then eight hours. Mailbag not valid in Iowa. Mailbag good while supplies last. Read at your own risk.
 Hey Bitmob,
I've noticed that different editors on the site are free to make their own stylistic choices in regards to editing our pieces. Sometimes, the edited article sounds like the editor wrote it, not the author, and some basic tenets of AP Style seem very flexible, even from one article to the next. Are there any plans to implement universal editing guidelines to maintain consistency between pieces while retaining the author's voice?
- Michael Rousseau
Jason: While it's important to maintain an author's voice, if that voice is stilted, awkward, unwieldy while presenting its ideas, and full of cliché, it's an editor's job to help the author refine that voice so that it's easy to read and understand.
Who knows how Wilhelm would get along without his immortality. It seems like he almost gets himself killed on a weekly basis. But is he willing to tempt fate in order to prove his eternal life?
You wake up, move to your computer, and launch Steam. This has become your routine. This is "normal" to you. Are you addicted to video games or are you simply part of a growing, culturally accepted phenomenon?
With each passing year, we witness a growing number of news stories that chronicle the misadventures of online gaming addicts. These new media dependents participate in video game over-use and obsession, most of them suffering in some form or another. From neglected children to community-assisted suicide, each report becomes more and more farcical. I'm a gamer and so are many of my friends -- but how many of us can the media consider addicted, and is addiction such a bad thing? Let's find out!
Everyone loves a hero -- and great villians, too. But what about the ones that don't quite make the cut? You know, characters who exhibit hero-like or villian-like qualities but don't have the gravitas to seem important. They are the anti-centerpieces, and they don't fall into the realm of grizzled protagonists or shifty usurpers. But some quirk or flaw that makes them memorable.
Fishing in World of Warcraft is about as much fun as it sounds. I've only taken it up recently to give me something to do while I'm waiting for the dungeon queue. Still, our easily amused hero is sure to find some enjoyment out of it.
Editor's note: Jeffrey's theory is that overzealous defense of video games can be damaging to the long-term health of the medium. I've personally jumped to the defense of video games many times. Do we truly need to relax a little to help foster social acceptance of games? -Jay
 Gamers can be hot-blooded about their hobby. They have a deep passion that can lead to some really amazing experiences like midnight launches, all-night marathons, and friendships that only exist because of a game. Of course, the complications of hot-blooded passion often pave a path directly to irrational behavior and a tendency to be overly defensive. If a gamer wants to be defined by his passion, there isn't anything perverse about that. However, the perception of gaming is tarnished when gamers defend it from every misconception and ill-informed pundit.
Robert Ashley made an interesting analogy on the latest episode of his A Life Well Wasted podcast: We all have a four burner stove that represents the passions in our lives. One burner represents family, another represents friends, then a career, and another leisure time. Well, you can't have all four burners turned on high at the same time. You have to choose. We've done the best we can by creating a civilization to give everyone as much time for each burner, but it isn't enough. People still find it odd that there is a huge group that wants to label one of the burners "video games" and turn it up to high. There is nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but screaming at every critic who looks at us funny is not helping and is probably hurting.
Hiya Bitmob. Our name is Kevin John Frank. We are a complicated guy. One could say that we are of three minds. The following article will allow you to meet each one of us separately. In it, each of us takes a turn answering whether the existence of achievements is an achievement for gaming at large. We have taken a few liberties with the format but we hope that doesn't undermine your enjoyment. Cheers.
It's not good enough to just get great gear in World of Warcraft. Nope, you have to get it enchanted, which will make it marginally better for way too much gold. Obviously, something our hero can't pass up.
Video games have been trying to meet standards that the movie industry have set for them since the mid-90s. The truth is, nobody other than producers and studio big wigs need this to happen. Every medium has its own unique strengths. Video games allow creators to build amazing new worlds for their audience to explore, and the level of creativity and interaction available in most games is something that movies never matched. At least until the release of James Cameron's Avatar.
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next > End >>
|
|
