Editorials

How much of an MMO is button smashing and how much involves actual skill? This installment is an investigation of how armor choices and shield employment can yield more combat decisions.

I like stats as much as the next person (probably more), but when warfare is boiled down to raw probabilities, battlefield skill disappears. The building of the best stat base becomes much more important than any sort of tactical competency. Instead of seeking a skill based work-around, games come up with new statistical probabilities.

In this installment, Jonathan Steinhauer looks at the last MMO class archetypes, the Healer, and why this role at least is solidly developed.

The archetypal concept of the tank assumes that PvE opponents have the mental capacity of cattle. Instead of a monster intelligently attacking what would make his enemy most vulnerable (the Healer) or what is the greatest actual threat (the DPS), it attacks the one opponent that isthe smallest real threat and the hardest to kill: the Rodeo Clown... er Tank.

In this week's RoleCraft, Jim Moreno looks at the issue of player housing in MMOGs and how it can shape one's roleplay experience.

Starting a new series on the archetypal MMO classes, Jonathan Steinhauer begins by looking at DPS and the issue of hitting versus damaging.

This week on RoleCraft, Jim Moreno looks into how roleplayers can prepare for an adventure - Research, Plan, Go!

In this edition of RoleCraft, Jim Moreno wonders about a crucial element in tabletop gaming missing from the MMO - the Dungeon-Master.

In this installment, Jonathan Steinhauer takes a look at the weapons of fantasy MMOs and how they have all become identical.

On this week's RoleCraft, Jim Moreno wonders how exactly one can define roleplaying in an MMO due to the absence of a key player in tabletop RPing - the Dungeon Master.

Jonathan Steinhauer takes a look at roleplaying and why he has such a hard time fitting it into the MMO genre.

In this week's RoleCraft, Jim Moreno tries his hand at role-writing, telling the story of one particular Blood Elf in the World of Warcraft.

In this week's RoleCraft, Jim Moreno tackles Blizzard's recent debacle with the RP-PvE realm, Wyrmrest Accord.

Game designers face many challenges, and one of the largest of these is balance. Yet curiously, one facet that seems to garner a much smaller degree is the economy. That isn't to say MMO economics don't get a great deal of attention but as they stand the balance is more reminiscent of a band-aid than any real resolution.

Four of Sony Online Entertainment's blockbuster MMOs have arrived on Steam. Everquest, Everquest 2, Vanguard, and Pirates of the Burning Sea can now be digitally downloaded/accessed via Steam. See the official notice by clicking below.

This week in RoleCraft, Jim Moreno looks back at the RP scene in one of the very first MMOs: Ultima Online

In many of my recent articles, I've proceeded from the assumption that real life comparisons with games are a logical and natural concept. Apparently, I am mistaken. I have been told that the game is fantasy or sci-fi and that means it's not supposed to be real. Yet one of the great strengths of the genres is their link with the human experience.

A look back at the RoleCraft articles for the year of 2008.

Retired Vanguard players have received a nifty stocking stuffer from the folks at Sony Online Entertainment: All accounts that have been inactive for 45+ days have been reactivated through the end of January. Grab the nitty gritty details...

Everything that exists, both in fiction and in reality, has links to what has come before so nothing is truly original. The adage "there is nothing new under the sun" holds true. In order to achieve something that is measurable, I will investigate originality in the sense of what is commonly called new IP.

Fans of Sony Online Entertainment's many MMOs now have a "world hopper's guide to the holidays". With a single click, players have all the holiday happenings in SOE worlds. Check it out!

In this week's RoleCraft, Jim Moreno celebrates holiday celebrations in MMOs by looking at how RPers might tackle religion in a game.

Not a game to be "left out in the cold" (har dee har har...), Vanguard players will soon enjoy the holiday Feast of Gloriann. Packed with wintery treats, quests and a festive look, you can check out the details after the jump.

Vanguard players will have a chance to test out new character classes on the test server. All races will see new classes come into the game. Check out what's on the way after the jump.

Vanguard players will be treated to the Harvest Day Festival beginning Wednesday, November 19th. The festival includes four new quests and new raid mobs. Check out more of the details by clicking below.

When Tolkien, the father of modern fantasy, wrote "The road goes ever ever on," MMOs took him at his word. A large part of online gaming consists of traveling from one point to another, but when it takes so much time to get anywhere, frustration mounts. If I'm picking up a book or alt-tabbing to web surf or check e-mail instead of playing the game, there is something wrong with the dynamics.

In this week's RoleCraft, Jim Moreno looks at how the new WoW Achievement system could affect roleplaying.

Character stories area told in MMOs so frequently we often don't even recognize them for what they are. They will exist whether there are active world stories or not. Such tales survive even if they are completely ignored by the devs. But as with all things in gaming, with proper attention character stories can be made stronger.

In this week's RoleCraft, Jim Moreno looks at other RP-centric sites around the Internet.

Matrix Online, Everquest, Vanguard, Legends of Norrath, Everquest 2 and Star Wars: Galaxies have plans to scare the stuffin' out of players this Halloween season. In game events, themed quests, and trick-or-treating are just some of the fun in store. Check out the rest!

In this week's RoleCraft, Jim Moreno looks at the options RPers have when dealing with the old MMORPG standby - the expansion pack.

Former Vanguard players are being invited back to the game with a reactivation promotion. Players whose accounts have been inactive for more than sixty days can reactivate for free. Check the details by clicking below.

In this week's "RoleCraft," Jim Moreno looks at the difficulties of scheduling RP events with an established group, and some of the solutions involved.

Vanguard servers have now been loaded with Update 6. The latest patch comes with a literal boatload of bug fixes, enhancements and changes. Check out some of it by clicking below.

Vanguard's official site has news about Game Update 6, set to hit servers as early as next week. See what they have in store for players by clicking below.