Blogger Bonanza: Survey Says .

Survey Says

Earlier in the week, I put out a survey through various social media channels. In it, I wanted some basic information about various bloggers who have or haven’t been featured on this column. The idea was simple: get official names, titles, pronouns, and see who knew they had already been linked or see who still wanted to be linked. If you are a blogger, I strongly encourage you to take the survey. You can find it here. Not only does it make writing this column a lot easier, but it’s a great way to let me know you want your blog featured.

As a courtesy I promised to anyone who had filled the survey out already, if you answered ‘no’ to the question “To the best of your knowledge, has your blog ever been featured on MMOGames.com’s Blogger Bonanza?”, then I am going to link you today. Some of these blogs have been featured, while others are new to me. I’ve made certain that each one of you is now on my regular blog reading list, so look forward to seeing some of your future posts highlighted here on the Blogger Bonanza.

• Cogitationes Astalnaris
• A Green Mushroom
• Dragons & Whimsy
• Stylish Corpse
• Couture Gaming
• Levelcapped
• Soultamer Gaming
• Aeternus Gaming
• Stars Of The Spiral
• adamantly complacent
• Blue Kae
• Gamers Decrypted
• The Dàchéng Diaries

The offer still stands. You don’t have to write only about MMOs or MMOs the majority of the time either – I am always looking for other content to further round out the round-up. Furthermore, if you have been featured already or don’t think I need your information, I would still appreciate you filling out the survey (again, it’s here). It helps keep me organized, makes sure I am referring to you as you wish to be referred to, and also makes certain you want me linking to your blog in the first place!

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.

This week’s highlight is Wolfyseyes, over at Through Wolfy’s Eyes,whose challenge post included three links:

• In his first post, Wolfyseyes defends dragons, their place in fantasy stories/settings, and their place in his own heart.
• In The Life Pastoral, Wolfseyes makes a call for the calmer, more relaxing, and even admittedly grindy bits of MMOs that doesn’t involve sticking a sword into a monster.
• In Wolfseyes’ final post, he discusses the changing nature of MMOs when it comes to their business models, and how change is both inevitable and understandable.

All MMOs

Every MMO is worth discussing, but some discussions apply to almost every MMO.

• MMOGypsy is a master of MMO music, and she has a quiz (with prizes) for you to take that proves it.
• The Ancient Gaming Noob discusses lifetime subscriptions in MMOs.
• Noctua over at Gamers Decrypted talks about the surprising smallness of cyberspace.
• Through Wolfy’s Eyes has a few thoughts about factions and the true nature of the ‘evil’ side.
• Aeternus Gaming wonders about being a loner in online, social spaces.
• Tales of the Aggronaut feels reentering old MMOs needs some serious work.
• Tyrannodorkus shares some of his favorite MMO memories.

Final Fantasy XIV

FFXIV continues to be a big hit with many bloggers.

• 7 Days a Week is feeling a bit lost in FFXIV, but at least her character is looking better dressed.
• Sparks in the Horizon manages to recruit her brother over to her server.
• Be wary of spoilers, but Aeternus Gaming has some thoughts on The Rising event in FFXIV.
• MMO Gypsy also has a few spoilerish thoughts on The Rising.
• Aspect of the Hare finds the quests in FFXIV to be preferable to World of Warcraft’s.
• West Karana has a well-written post about their experiences fighting Shiva for the first time.

Star Wars: The Old Republic

After a few weeks of relatively few posts, SW:TOR saw a huge uptick in blogging activity this last week, with many bloggers deciding to journey back or feature their continued adventures in the game.

• BioBreak has a really awesome picture book to share.
• For a Few Credits More keeps murdering alts while waiting for the expansion.
• Tyrannodorkus loves with how SW:TOR tells its stories.
• Pixel Kaffe has a review up for her Imperial Agent.
• Sparks on the Horizon opted instead for a Sith Assassin and some PvP.

Guild Wars 2

The new expansion for Guild Wars 2 continues to be divisive, but things are calming down again.

• Endalia features some of her own fanfiction over at Princess in the Castle.
• Inventory Full makes like Tarzan and took some time to swing around in GW2’s new jungles.
• Similarly, Why I Game has some experiences to share about the beta weekend.
• Why I Game also had a chance to talk about some the issues with raiding.
• StarShadow shows off her all-thief adventures in GW2.

Other MMOs

While many of these games often have their own categories, this week, bloggers spread their interests pretty thin across the many available MMOs out there.

• Me vs Myself and I’s EverQuest II adventures continue (and include a very ugly mount).
• 7 Days a Week talks marriage and The Elder Scrolls Online.
• Light Falls Gracefully shares their latest successes in the dungeons of WildStar.
• Light Falls Gracefully also had a chance to further explore Tera and its overt sexualization.
• Alternative Chat talks about the space between raiding and the rest of the World of Warcraft experience.
• Inventory Full goes full steam ahead in City of Steam.
• JVT Workshop starts a series dedicated to A Tale in the Desert.
• Iron Dagger’s Lost Trails series continues with more Lord of the Rings Online goodness.
• LFGyph talks music, atmosphere, and The Secret World’s success at both.
• Gamer Crash looks at a recent legal dispute and ponders about what could have been in Bungie’s Destiny.
• The Ancient Gaming Noob looks back at EverQuest Next, the big announcement in 2013, and how little has been said since.

Other Games

If you’ve come this far, then you may need a reminder that the survey does apply to those bloggers who do write about non-MMOs. Here is proof I will cover some of those posts as well:

• Through Wolfy’s Eyes ponders playing MOBAs. Yes, plural as in ‘any of them’.
• United We Game’s Dina Farmer writes about gaming with her son.
• Also on United We Game, Hatm0nster discusses his top games from PAX Prime 2015.
• Speaking of PAX, Talarian has some fascinating insights about the game he is helping develop.
• In An Age seems quite impressed with the new Metal Gear Solid.
• Tobold’s Blog seems quite impressed with a different game, a fantasy board video game called Armello.
• Healing the Masses only has excitement and hype for Sword Coast Legends.
• A Green Mushroom doesn’t think Evolve is that, well, highly evolved.
• In Diablo III news, adamantly complacent’s obsession with the game continues to yield great posts.
• Leo’s Life also seems quite enamored with Diablo III.
• Mr Luvva Luvva reviews the Resident Evil HD Remaster, and is loving it.
• Cannot Be Tamed ponders the nature of obsessing over game length.

 

Screenshot Safari

Many of the above posts feature some excellent screenshots, but these posts have some of the best:

• Ravalation showcases the color purple across several of her favorite games.
• Mystic Worlds Gaming Blog has a Star Citizen shot that’ll make you wary of committing petty crimes.
• Memoirs of a Lady is a Blaugust survivor, but also survived the level grind in Final Fantasy XIV with a gorgeous looking White Mage.
• Aywren has a funny shot from a recent excursion in H1Z1.
• MMO Gypsy’s High Adventure series continues with yet another beautiful shot of Final Fantasy XIV.

Other Highlights

These two posts didn’t fit into a particular category, so these two blogging gentlemen get a category all their own this week:

• Contains Moderate Peril talks cult movie soundtracks, including classics like The Beastmaster.
• Gaming Conversations with Braxwolf shares a list of podcasts he keeps listening to, including many published by other bloggers who have been featured on this column.