Staring

If you need something to read aside the mess coming out from the GDC (including Rich Vogel -SWG Exec Producer- moaning and panting over World of Warcraft) you should try Mobhunter. Because it’s really good:

Everquest: Goblins of Norrath?

What do we get instead of great red wyrms roaming the lava-crusted wastelands? Goblins. Lots and lots of goblins. Yes, they are the most well animated goblins I can recall seeing outside of a Peter Jackson film. Their slick skin reflects in the setting sun of Sol. They listen to the approaching footsteps of adventurers. They gnash their little razorsharp teeth in anticipation. And even if you are a 70th level adventurer with 10,000 hitpoints and a sword from the God of War, they can still open a can of old fashioned goblin whuparse.

What do they feed these things? How can a goblin with fingernails shorter than my short-hair cat hit me for 1200 points of damage? How can a group of adventurers that challenge the darkest demons of Torment get torn apart by scampering little hairless gnomes?

A level 50 expansion should have level 50 beasts. This doesn’t mean taking a sewer rat and giving it a 1400 flurry. This means digging out the old D&D monster manual and finding the baddest beasts that a pizza-eating DM ever threw against his obnoxious friends. Hydras, Werewolf Lords, Beholders, Mind Flayers, Ogre Mages, Umbur Hulks, Wraths, Liches, Demon Knights; those are beasts that remind you that you’re level 50.

For seventy levels I hunted in Norrath’s great lands. I have traveled to countless worlds and fought the strongest avatars of the unholy Gods of the lower planes. I wear armor and carry magical items that could fund kingdoms if sold. I killed my first dragon when I was level 46; twenty four levels ago. Last night, I was killed by an 80 pound goblin wearing a loincloth.

Please, no more rats, no more bats, no more spiders.

I’m glad to see SOE’s team supposedly filled with experience, talent and fancy ideas fallin on its ass on the most basic design level. There isn’t something simpler or more glaring than that.

This while recurring topics keep coming up:

Where should the line be drawn on what you can and can’t do in a game you pay for initially, and continue to pay for every month? If people are stupid enough to buy a game’s currency for hard cash, why shouldn’t that be a legitimate activity? Rather than ban the accounts, why do Blizzard not change the game mechanic?

Already answered.

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