www.Tobold.com
Tobold@GMail.com
A blog with my thoughts regarding games I am playing and other stuff in life. Please read my Terms of Service
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Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Not a WoW blog
If you look at the top of this page, you will find the title of this blog "Tobold's MMORPG blog". This title is supposed to tell you in the shortest possible form what this blog is about. It has the name of the author, me, Tobold. It has an possessive apostrophe showing that this is mine, a personal thing. It describes the subject matter as being MMORPG. And it says that this is a blog, and not a fansite, or news site, or portal. Note that "World of Warcraft" or "WoW" are suspiciously absent from this title. Because this is not a WoW blog. So please stop complaining every time I write about LotRO or other games.
Yeah, I know I have over 3,000 visitors a day now, and writing about WoW played a significant role in me getting so many people here. But I'm not getting any revenue from these visitors, and if writing about another game decreases that number, so be it. This blog is as much a personal diary of what I'm playing as it is a public service. And right now I'm playing Lord of the Rings Online, and not so much World of Warcraft. Just because I wrote a lot about WoW, and you found this blog due to my WoW posts, doesn't mean I have any obligation to continue writing about that game.
World of Warcraft is a very good game, and I still would recommend it to anyone who wants to try out a MMORPG for the first time. I played WoW since the September 2004 beta, more than 3,000 hours, longer than any other game I ever played, and the game is great fun and has enough content to occupy a player for many, many months. But it doesn not have enough content and variety to entertain me forever. Blizzard has many laudable qualities, but speed isn't one of them. For my kind of player, the "middle-class" between hardcore and casual, the people that play a lot, without being focused on raids, Blizzard isn't adding content as fast as we consume it. There is a huge initial pool of content, but if you constantly draw more from that pool than Blizzard adds to it, at one point you hit rock bottom and there is nothing left. That this process took me over 3,000 hours shows how great a game World of Warcraft is. But if Blizzard insists to focus on adding raid content that doesn't interest me, I'm taking my time, my money, and my blog elsewhere, at least until the pool of content replenishes with content patches and expansions.
Lord of the Rings Online isn't any better than World of Warcraft. And I have a strong suspicion that the initial pool of content is smaller than WoW's. But as I am new to LotRO, the pool is still full for me, and will take at least a couple of months to empty it. And for all the weak spots that Turbine has as a MMORPG developer, the speed at which they add new content has been one of their strong points since Asheron's Call, back in the last millenium. Although I took a lifetime subscription, I don't foresee to play LotRO forever. This isn't going to become a LotRO blog either. I might look into Age of Conan later this year, and I'll certainly try Warhammer Online in 2008. And who knows what other games that catch my eye in between.
It is very likely that I will play MMORPGs for many, many years to come, and I plan to always blog about the game that I am playing at that moment in time. Plus you get posts about MMORPG-related subjects, comments on major news on different games, on computers, non-MMORPG games I tried, and even the odd not game-related post. I like to post about game design, especially game economics. And all that from the perspective of a player, not a developer. And that is all that I can offer. I totally understand that you prefer to read about the game that you are currently playing, but as both you and me might change game any time, I can't guarantee you to write always about the game you are interested in. And I'm very aware that this is just one of many blogs, so if you want to read about a game I'm not writing about (or not writing about any more), it should be easy to find another blog to read. Believe me, it's better I post my happy thoughts about LotRO than negative posts about a game that isn't so much fun to me any more.
- posted by Tobold @ 9:43 AM Permanent Link
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Keep up the good work!!!
Love your style of writing and the width of your subjects you write about. Write what you enjoy, Whether I agree or disagree with your post i always find it informative and well thought out.
Love your blog, it's a daily thing to look at for me, No matter what games you move on to. Who knows i may end up on them too...
Love your style of writing and the width of your subjects you write about. Write what you enjoy, Whether I agree or disagree with your post i always find it informative and well thought out.
Love your blog, it's a daily thing to look at for me, No matter what games you move on to. Who knows i may end up on them too...
# posted by 
: 2/5/07 11:13
: 2/5/07 11:13
still you tag your posts with wow so they keep coming ;) j/k
anyway, what i was wondering. when i have a burnout of a certain game i normally switch totally from genre. so when i'm getting bored with wow i need to play some sci-fi heavy laser,cars,robots stuff.
i know it's a bit silly of me, but i want to be fooled that a laser is more than a different texture ;)
do you have the same, or you don't mind. you just play fantasy? as long as it's a different game?
anyway, what i was wondering. when i have a burnout of a certain game i normally switch totally from genre. so when i'm getting bored with wow i need to play some sci-fi heavy laser,cars,robots stuff.
i know it's a bit silly of me, but i want to be fooled that a laser is more than a different texture ;)
do you have the same, or you don't mind. you just play fantasy? as long as it's a different game?
Bah, people dont get it. I am here BECAUSE you write about other MMOG's as well. Whenever you stop writing and just post a note "sorry, no new, busy playing MMOGxyz" then its time to switch to that one.
Can't wait for you rcomments on Conan or Warhammer
Can't wait for you rcomments on Conan or Warhammer
you just play fantasy?
No, I play everything that is good. But in the past the non-fantasy games I played, like Anarchy Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Earth & Beyond or EVE just weren't as good as the fantasy games. I'd love to play a non-PVP relative to EVE, with a better mining system, the same brilliant economic system, and lots of quests.
But thanks for giving me an idea for a subject to write about in the future. :) I'll elaborate this a bit more.
No, I play everything that is good. But in the past the non-fantasy games I played, like Anarchy Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Earth & Beyond or EVE just weren't as good as the fantasy games. I'd love to play a non-PVP relative to EVE, with a better mining system, the same brilliant economic system, and lots of quests.
But thanks for giving me an idea for a subject to write about in the future. :) I'll elaborate this a bit more.
Completely agree with what you said. Some people just get so tied up in their own little worlds that they can't believe that you would want to write about something else. They appear to forget that you don't get paid for any of this and that you're writing just for the fun of it :)
# posted by : 2/5/07 12:12
: 2/5/07 12:12
I recently found your blog and, tbh, is great. I like your ideas and, belonging to the group you've called middle-gamers, I really share most of them. I quit WoW a bit ago too, and now I'm thinking about trying LotRO.
But the truth is, I really would like to see something different, and I hope that time and a bigger target audience will allow the market to allocate different games for different consumers, while keeping them profitable. Your blog is a very good way to keep myself updated about this evolution, and I really want to thank you for taking the time to write this. Keep the good work! :)
But the truth is, I really would like to see something different, and I hope that time and a bigger target audience will allow the market to allocate different games for different consumers, while keeping them profitable. Your blog is a very good way to keep myself updated about this evolution, and I really want to thank you for taking the time to write this. Keep the good work! :)
I was reading here before you went all crazy about WoW. Having never played WoW and in all likelihood never will, I still didn't mind all the WoW posts. And there was always other things posted too.
Now that I am playing Lotro too I have to say it is quite interesting to read somebody else's experiences of the same game.
Now that I am playing Lotro too I have to say it is quite interesting to read somebody else's experiences of the same game.
# posted by : 2/5/07 12:22
: 2/5/07 12:22
A WOW diary and nothing else would be pretty boring.
How you find so much to write about, is beyond me.
I'm sure my own blog would be so boring "last night I fished for an hour, hung around the AH, and joined a PUG that never got going".
Don't think too many people would be reading that everyday!
How you find so much to write about, is beyond me.
I'm sure my own blog would be so boring "last night I fished for an hour, hung around the AH, and joined a PUG that never got going".
Don't think too many people would be reading that everyday!
# posted by : 2/5/07 12:23
: 2/5/07 12:23
I've seen some of the complaints and it's nonsense. Maybe you should make a disclaimer page or put one on your sidebar :)
I play wow, strictly, but I do enjoy reading about the other games that you are playing. Mainly because you give a very detailed and accurate "review" of in-game content. With almost daily "Journal" Entries and other types of posts, you keep a good amount of content that is enjoyable to read.
If the day comes that I deceide to play LoTRO, I'll have a better idea of what I want to play thanks to your views.
Thanks for the site Tobold, keep up the good work.
I play wow, strictly, but I do enjoy reading about the other games that you are playing. Mainly because you give a very detailed and accurate "review" of in-game content. With almost daily "Journal" Entries and other types of posts, you keep a good amount of content that is enjoyable to read.
If the day comes that I deceide to play LoTRO, I'll have a better idea of what I want to play thanks to your views.
Thanks for the site Tobold, keep up the good work.
# posted by : 2/5/07 12:46
: 2/5/07 12:46
I'm sure my own blog would be so boring "last night I fished for an hour, hung around the AH, and joined a PUG that never got going".
But there is a dozen subjects to write about in that evening! Why isn't fishing more skill-based in WoW? How does fishing interact with the other tradeskills? How much money can you make in "risk-free" fishing, compared to "risky" fighting mobs? Isn't it interesting how Blizzard got rid of all the fishing bots by making fishing less profitable? What goods did you buy and sell in the AH? How did the market for these good evolve over the lifetime of the server? How did the Burning Crusade change the prices? Do you think gold farmers have a major influence on these prices? Why do PUGs so often fail to get going? Is it that the class mix in the game as a whole is reflecting people's preference for soloing, and then this mix fails to form a good group for instances? Why is it always the same classes that seem to be missing in a PUG?
If I just wrote what happened to me, this blog would be pretty boring. The interesting thing is how what happens relates to game design, and the behavior of other people. Given how human behavior tends to follow certain paths, most notably that of least resistance, how would game design need to change to turn some bad game feature into a good one? It is not about what I do while playing, it is what I *think* while playing that makes people read this.
But there is a dozen subjects to write about in that evening! Why isn't fishing more skill-based in WoW? How does fishing interact with the other tradeskills? How much money can you make in "risk-free" fishing, compared to "risky" fighting mobs? Isn't it interesting how Blizzard got rid of all the fishing bots by making fishing less profitable? What goods did you buy and sell in the AH? How did the market for these good evolve over the lifetime of the server? How did the Burning Crusade change the prices? Do you think gold farmers have a major influence on these prices? Why do PUGs so often fail to get going? Is it that the class mix in the game as a whole is reflecting people's preference for soloing, and then this mix fails to form a good group for instances? Why is it always the same classes that seem to be missing in a PUG?
If I just wrote what happened to me, this blog would be pretty boring. The interesting thing is how what happens relates to game design, and the behavior of other people. Given how human behavior tends to follow certain paths, most notably that of least resistance, how would game design need to change to turn some bad game feature into a good one? It is not about what I do while playing, it is what I *think* while playing that makes people read this.
And it's not even what you think while playing that makes us come back, it's that you, Tobold, put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard, in this case) and you do so in a manner that makes us enjoy reading what you write, so we return for a second helping, and a third, and so on.
Even posts about you buying a new car were interesting, at least to me, because I learned something new about other cultures.
Even posts about you buying a new car were interesting, at least to me, because I learned something new about other cultures.
Look at this picture, it's a map and very funny ! and to keep all your readers satisfied, WoW is on it (if you look well) !
Lunedust
Picture : http://www.xkcd.com/c256.html
Lunedust
Picture : http://www.xkcd.com/c256.html
# posted by : 2/5/07 15:16
: 2/5/07 15:16
Amen Tolbold, Amen. Keep up the good work. I love your LotRO entries and everything else.
# posted by : 2/5/07 15:25
: 2/5/07 15:25
How about a topic (LotRO and WoW related) comparing fishing with farming.
It seems there are some similarities between the two and how Blizz 'solved' the bot fishing problem.
And I started reading for the WoW stuff and decided to give LotRO a shot based on reviews here. I blame Tolbold for my increasing lack of sun! ;)
It seems there are some similarities between the two and how Blizz 'solved' the bot fishing problem.
And I started reading for the WoW stuff and decided to give LotRO a shot based on reviews here. I blame Tolbold for my increasing lack of sun! ;)
# posted by : 2/5/07 15:35
: 2/5/07 15:35
Tobold,
Actually, I appreciate the "LOTRO Journal" tag. I just skip those, since they are typically LOTRO-specific. If (or when) I pick up LOTRO then I'll probably start reading them (unless they are spoilers for stuff I haven't yet encountered).
As long as there is some discussion of MMO issues, or some WoW content, I'll likely continue to visit. I also like the reviews of other MMOs.
However, as you appear not to be playing WoW at all anymore, I would expect that you will become increasingly detached from WoW. For example, I guess that it's likely that you'll lose the ability to do firsthand reporting on WoW content, such as evaluating the new 70 areas that are opening in the 2.1 patch, or progress in the new raid content, or be in a position to comment firsthand on the effects of tweaks / nerfs to WoW. That divide may be magnified by your immersion in a start-game leveling environment, while much of the WoW population is in end-game mode.
What I'm finding interesting is that people seem to be under the impression that "old" WoW is "dead". In contrast, I stumble upon changes to "old" Azeroth content probably weekly; just yesterday an alt did a Thousand Needles quest line that was a huge pain the last time around (drop rate plus difficult-to-find mob), but has been nerfed to make it easier; which IMO is good, since the last quest in the line -- using a robot to steal water from an Alliance moonwell -- was (for me) one of the most memorable quests in the run to 60.
Doeg
Actually, I appreciate the "LOTRO Journal" tag. I just skip those, since they are typically LOTRO-specific. If (or when) I pick up LOTRO then I'll probably start reading them (unless they are spoilers for stuff I haven't yet encountered).
As long as there is some discussion of MMO issues, or some WoW content, I'll likely continue to visit. I also like the reviews of other MMOs.
However, as you appear not to be playing WoW at all anymore, I would expect that you will become increasingly detached from WoW. For example, I guess that it's likely that you'll lose the ability to do firsthand reporting on WoW content, such as evaluating the new 70 areas that are opening in the 2.1 patch, or progress in the new raid content, or be in a position to comment firsthand on the effects of tweaks / nerfs to WoW. That divide may be magnified by your immersion in a start-game leveling environment, while much of the WoW population is in end-game mode.
What I'm finding interesting is that people seem to be under the impression that "old" WoW is "dead". In contrast, I stumble upon changes to "old" Azeroth content probably weekly; just yesterday an alt did a Thousand Needles quest line that was a huge pain the last time around (drop rate plus difficult-to-find mob), but has been nerfed to make it easier; which IMO is good, since the last quest in the line -- using a robot to steal water from an Alliance moonwell -- was (for me) one of the most memorable quests in the run to 60.
Doeg
# posted by : 2/5/07 15:59
: 2/5/07 15:59
Well, to be honest, I would prefer if you swithced "Tobold's MMORPG Blog" into "Tobold's Gaming Blog". I just finished NWN2, and wouldn't have minded reading your comments on that game ... or exploits of your PnP D&D group ... or ...
# posted by : 2/5/07 16:03
: 2/5/07 16:03
I've been reading this blog over my first cup of coffee at work for almost a year now, and in my opinion Tobold, some of your best posts have been non WOW Journal entries. The thoughts on this blog (whether they are WOW related or not) are entertaining, as well as informative which is why I enjoy it so much. Screw the fanboys who don't appreciate a non WOW post. Keep up the good work.
I actually found this site when looking for Lotro information lol. Was pleasently surprised to find that you had played wow and have enjoyed your posts on both! I'm currently playing lotro so am more interested in that but I do have some high level wow toons and friends who still play that game. Makes for a good read because you spell out your thoughts so well. Also I like the ideas you have for MMORPG's and how they could be better. I also look forward to those other games you mentioned (age of conan, warhammeronline) so am going to be following this well thought out blog for a while probably.
# posted by : 2/5/07 17:18
: 2/5/07 17:18
When I found and started reading your blog, you were playing WoW and I had already gotten bored and moved back to EQ2. I still read it daily, because I like what and how you write. As it happens, I picked WoW back up after BC, and will be playing it for the next several months, BUT, I also am a lifetime subscriber to LotRO, and will be playing that for the next several months.
As you said, this is your blog, not the blog of your readers; I at least will remain a reader so long as you continue to write in an interesting and informative fashion, whether or not I play what you play.
As an aside, your posts on Puzzle Quest finally broke me down and I installed the PC demo. I have since ordered the DS version, as it was total gaming crack. :)
As you said, this is your blog, not the blog of your readers; I at least will remain a reader so long as you continue to write in an interesting and informative fashion, whether or not I play what you play.
As an aside, your posts on Puzzle Quest finally broke me down and I installed the PC demo. I have since ordered the DS version, as it was total gaming crack. :)
I agree with wolfgangdoom, your blog and a hot cup of coffee are a perfect way to get the day rolling. The depth of you posts is what keeps people like us coming back. Whether it be about WoW, LOTRO, your 2 year computer upgrades, economics, business trips, etc. I read this blog because you can express your well thought ideas concisely, and you do it often.
I really appreciate your posts as well. I just don't know where you get the time to post so much... :P Thanks for the posts!
# posted by : 2/5/07 19:21
: 2/5/07 19:21
I must've missed it, but sounds like you were in the same situation as the gucomics guy. He got bored making just EQ comics and started making non-EQ comics. Some people complained loudly. Eventually he posted a poll and the resounding vote was for him to draw about whatever he wanted.
It's your blog, and I was playing EQ when I first started reading. You have a good writing style that I enjoyed to read, although the content confused me. When I was playing WoW, it made more sense, but your style is well suited to even general reading.
It's your blog, and I was playing EQ when I first started reading. You have a good writing style that I enjoyed to read, although the content confused me. When I was playing WoW, it made more sense, but your style is well suited to even general reading.
# posted by : 2/5/07 21:32
: 2/5/07 21:32
im not gonna lie, i barely read your blog posts anymore because the only thing that really interested me was your WoW posts. LoTRO is a pretty wack game and i have no intention of trying it or hearing about it. All i hope is you start playing WoW again lol.
# posted by : 2/5/07 22:37
: 2/5/07 22:37
Since I play and will continue to play other MMOs than just WoW the actual game mechanic side of things, even if they don't apply directly to the game I'm playing at the moment, are really interesting.
This is especially true since one thing you can be sure of is that really popular new features added into existing successful games will, to some extent, show up in future games. Questing for experience points, for example, is probably something that will remain as a static aspect of future MMOs for quite some time. On the other hand, randomly generated quests (like those in SWG), while a theoretically good idea, in practice it ended up being boring and repetative, and something I have not seen much of since that game.
By examining and having intelligent conversations about the actual game mechanics behind the simple stuff, you can expand your knowledge, and see what is to come, and what to look for in games you want to play.
This is especially true since one thing you can be sure of is that really popular new features added into existing successful games will, to some extent, show up in future games. Questing for experience points, for example, is probably something that will remain as a static aspect of future MMOs for quite some time. On the other hand, randomly generated quests (like those in SWG), while a theoretically good idea, in practice it ended up being boring and repetative, and something I have not seen much of since that game.
By examining and having intelligent conversations about the actual game mechanics behind the simple stuff, you can expand your knowledge, and see what is to come, and what to look for in games you want to play.
As you just point it out: The apostrophe in the name of your site is actually wrong. Apostrophes are used in 2 ways: First, if it clarifies a posession where the name ends in "s", like in "Thomas' blog". Second, if there's something missing, like in "it's", which is actually "it is". The right name should be "Tobolds MMORPG Blog".
# posted by : 3/5/07 07:54
: 3/5/07 07:54
@Thomas Michael - I am no English scholar but I am pretty sure "Tobold's" is correct. Apostrophe has a third use - to signify possessive of nouns. More here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_apost.html
On the original subject of the post Tobold - keep up the good work I say. No matter how good wow or LOTRO or any other mmorpg is we don't want one game to rule them all. I like reading about lots of games even if I never play them.
Which reminds me - my wife and daughters are addicted to an mmorpg called club penguin. It is the next WOW I reckon :D
On the original subject of the post Tobold - keep up the good work I say. No matter how good wow or LOTRO or any other mmorpg is we don't want one game to rule them all. I like reading about lots of games even if I never play them.
Which reminds me - my wife and daughters are addicted to an mmorpg called club penguin. It is the next WOW I reckon :D
I verified with Wikipedia and some other English grammar sites that the possessive apostrophe goes right where I put it.
I know this is a tad early, and you did mention you getting into it later on this year, but I was ondering what your initial impression with the sudden wave of MMO's coming out? I remember when if you had two MMO's coming out within a year of each other, it was considered flooding the market. But with a WoW expansion, WAR, LOTRO, another Guild Wars expansion and (the one I cannot wait for) Age of Conan, we are experiancing a veritable golden age of MMO's. We now have so many options within this once niche genre that the consumer is able to enjoy a more specific game type, able to cater to a specific audiance. Now, is this just an inflation we are experiancing for a short period of time, or will we be able to sustain multiple MMO's on the market at the same time because of an increase in the size of the consumers?
# posted by : 3/5/07 21:42
: 3/5/07 21:42
Keep writing on WHAT you want Tobold. I'm a WOW player (tempted by LotR, but think I'll still wait for Warhammer). It's still very good reading and analysis, and I enjoy them. WOW folks can just go to wowinsider.com.
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# posted by : 4/5/07 04:25
: 4/5/07 04:25<< Home
