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Blogger Bonanza: What does a MMO owe the player? .

Murf’s Blaugust Challenge

As part of my own Blaugust challenge on Murf Versus, I made a plea to other participants to write a post highlighting some of their favorite posts on their own blogs. The idea was to aid me in finding the best way to introduce more readers to their blogs, especially if they weren’t reading them already or missed some of their older posts. Rather than just list their lists or highlight only a small part of them, I am instead going to focus on one respondent at a time and highlight every post they themselves highlight.

For week three, today we focus on Missy, over at Sparks in in the Horizon.

In her first post, Missy admits that she’s filthy casual, but also admits how flexible she is when it comes to what a MMO demands of her.
If you have doubts about her freedom to express that last opinion, then maybe you need to open your mind to her second post, one about freedom of speech.
Finally, Missy is well known for her eye for lovely screenshots, and she doesn’t disappoint in her third post.

Survey (Still) Says

Though there are plenty more of you who I would like to take my still-running blogger survey, we only have one new entry since last week: The Iron Dagger.

All MMOs

This week so a lively bunch of discussion about the MMO genre, its past pitfalls, and where it may find success again.

I Have Touched the Sky starts us off about loot currency versus RNG in MMO gearing.
Through Wolfy’s Eyes worries about community in MMOs and the need for others.
Similarly, The Iron Dagger worries about the inconsistencies of solo-based leveling and group-based endgame.
Of course, even catering to groups only has its pitfalls: Gamer By Design expresses that perfectly in a post about how hard it can be to maintain the same rate of progress with a friend.
Another developer, Psychochild’s Blog talks about making competitive play interesting.
Mylex, over at Gamer’s Decrypted, decries his need to do everything in single-player RPGs, which seems to happen to most of us in MMOs, as well.
In the first of two great Healing the Masses posts, Eri has an issue with systems that are too open in character development because of the conflict between the idea of what her character should be and how useful that theme actually ends up being.
In her second post, she rants about intentionally stupid fantasy races.
Leo’s Life discusses the evolving approach to alts in newer MMOs and RPGs.
Contains Moderate Peril has a few thoughts on the value of lore in games, particularly The Lord of the Rings Online.
In a continuing series about RPG classes, Tankquisition takes a personal look at the Mage archetype.
Self plug time: Murf Versus featured a post called DPS is Dumb, and had to follow up with a second post entirely to cover the great responses that came in.
Finally, Syp sends us off with a post about buffoonery over at Bio Break.

World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft had a resurgence of posts this past week. While I could’ve doubled the featured posts with Alternative Chat’s great posts, I decided to focus in on a set of posts that reveal just had odd World of Warcraft’s perceptions seems to be right now amongst its biggest fans.

Alternative Chat guests over at Gamers Decrypted where she discusses her relationship with World of Warcraft in intimate detail.
She also had a chance to write on her own blog over at Alternate Chat about rogues and Blizzard’s PR problems.
Gamer By Design has a worthwhile response to that previous post.
Rambling thoughts about WoW still has doubts about Blizzard, and considers if they have lost their way.
Aspect of the Hare manages to focus on the positive with four reasons to keep playing WoW.
Tobold’s Blog has a few thoughts on garrison’s, their future, and how they’ve done so far for him.
Finally, Blessing of Kings makes a return to World of Warcraft only to hope that some of Warlord’s quest design doesn’t stick around for the next expansion.

Guild Wars 2

It looks like Guild Wars 2’s recent changes are working. Two bloggers decided to take the plunge now that the game is F2P, and its usual blogging fans haven’t quit writing about it yet.

Bhagpuss invades the list with a post over at Inventory Full about zone invasions in Guild Wars 2 and other MMOs.
However, The Iron Dagger has a less pleased look on his face after the recent invasion.
Pixelkaffe launched an invasion of her own when she jumped into Guild Wars 2 recently.
Similarly, Pleasant Gamer now considers himself a Guild Wars 2 newbie.
Why I Game takes us out of Tyria with a long discussion on the game’s fractals.
Though it’s a shameless plug for us on MMO Games, my once blog round-up rival (Liore of Herding Cats) has joined us and wrote about Guild Wars 2. You can find that post here.

Star Wars: The Old Republic

I imagine the interest in all things Star Wars will only go up as this year goes on. The Old Republic continues to attract new fans and rekindle the passions of older fans. The more I read, the more I become somewhat interested in giving the game a fair shot.

The Bonanza’s own progenitor, Belghast, has been playing a lot of SW:TOR over on Tales of the Aggronaut. In this first post, we learn that healers aren’t always required. In this second, he talks about heading into a trap.
Tyrannodorkus recently had some fun editing The Old Republic’s well-beloved cutscenes.
A bit less fun, For a Few Credits More has tales of woe in SW:TOR’s PvP.
We leave far, far away with a plea from Zerneblog to join a (likely) awesome guild.

Final Fantasy XIV

It was a quiet week on the Final Fantasy front. People are either too settled into their own grooves, or desperately waiting for new places to go.

Surprisingly, Nomadic Gamers only recently journeyed Heavensward.
And while one advances on, Herding Cats is ready to be done with leveling altogether.
Finally, Eorzea’s next top model has graced us all over at Pizza Maid.

Other MMOs

Each week, I continue to be surprised by how many other MMOs get played, and how many posts are written about those experiences.

Ect MMO celebrates a Champions Online anniversary.
MMO Gypsy shares her first impressions of Dragon Nest and seems impressed.
The Ancient Gaming Noob takes us deep into the deep space wilds of Eve Online.
Aywren at Clean Casuals has some highlights to share, including some time in H1Z1.
JVT Workshop grinds an axe about Neverwinter Online’s newest grind.
Ramblings of a MMO Gamer Guy journeys into Archage for the first time.
Sagacyte’s Digital Adventures has fallen back in love with Destiny.
Gamer Girl Confessions goes for the gold in WildStar.
Inventory Full talks about setting suns, rising ones, and EverQuest Next’s future.

Diablo III

The argument that Diablo III is a MMO seems more and more valid the more posts I read about how people approach playing the game.

Aspect of the Hare wants to convince everyone to give Diablo III the chance it deserves.
The Ancient Gaming Noob is convinced enough to finally play the game.
Leo’s Life has already been playing, and has a few thoughts on the game’s scaling.

Other Games

This week was almost nothing but anniversaries, nostalgia, and quality reviews.

If Diablo III isn’t enough Blizzard for you, Mama Needs Mana also needs some favorable RNG in Hearthstone.
Me Vs Myself and I celebrate’s the original Playstation’s anniversary with his favorite games.
United We Game celebrates the original Mario’s anniversary instead.
Speaking of Nintendo, someone over at Clean Casuals bought a Wii U: find out who and why.
Not to leave nostalgia out for the classic big three altogether, Mr Luvva Luvva boots up House of the Dead 2 on his Dreamcast.
Psyche Plays has some praise for the game Soul Axiom.
The new Disney Infinite gets reviewed by Keen of Keen and Graev’s.
Same genre, Tanking Mage has ended a tryst with Skylanders.
In An Age reviews the new smash hit, Metal Gear Solid V.
Meanwhile, Gamer Crash talks about the emergent nature of the new MGS game.
Cary continues to play Chrono Trigger over at Recollections of Play. Check out the series so far.
Thalen Speaks takes a speaking tour in New Vegas this summer.