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Monday, November 19, 2012
Dragon's Tale
I get a number of requests every week by e-mail from people who want me to promote their game or website or (increasingly) Kickstarter project. Most of these requests I decline, especially if they smell of somebody trying to make a quick buck. So under normal circumstances a mail promising "the first MMORPG gambling game; Dragon's Tale" would have gone directly to the spam folder. The reason I write about the game anyway is because it is made by Andrew "Pharaoh" Tepper, the man behind A Tale in the Desert. And if there is one thing you can be sure about with a game made by Andrew Tepper, it is that it isn't made to make money. His projects are all huge social experiments. And thus I strongly suspect that Dragon's Tale is a social experiment as well. Even if it involves gambling for real money.
On closer inspection the "real" money turns out to be Bitcoins, the world's weirdest currency. Which is a social experiment in itself, with all the resulting downsides included. So in Dragon's Tale you will be able to take your Bitcoins and use them as currency in a persistent 3D virtual world full of gambling mini-games. The good news is that Andrew Tepper is good at designing mini-games: I would still claim that the smithing mini-game in A Tale in the Desert is the best crafting mini-game ever devised in any MMORPG.
The press release says: "Like most MMORPGs, players are guided through a series of level quests. However in Dragon's Tale, there is no fighting. Players advance by completing gambling challenges to unlock new areas, games and abilities". I'm not sure how that will work, or if it is even a good idea. And of course the graphics are of about the quality we've already seen in A Tale in the Desert, which isn't exactly top of the league. But at least Dragon's Tale is obviously very different from standard MMORPGs. And you can start playing without having to deposit any real money, a bit like in a Free2Play game.
Dragon's Tale will enter beta during the month of December. So if you are interested in something *very* different, you might want to check this out.
On closer inspection the "real" money turns out to be Bitcoins, the world's weirdest currency. Which is a social experiment in itself, with all the resulting downsides included. So in Dragon's Tale you will be able to take your Bitcoins and use them as currency in a persistent 3D virtual world full of gambling mini-games. The good news is that Andrew Tepper is good at designing mini-games: I would still claim that the smithing mini-game in A Tale in the Desert is the best crafting mini-game ever devised in any MMORPG.
The press release says: "Like most MMORPGs, players are guided through a series of level quests. However in Dragon's Tale, there is no fighting. Players advance by completing gambling challenges to unlock new areas, games and abilities". I'm not sure how that will work, or if it is even a good idea. And of course the graphics are of about the quality we've already seen in A Tale in the Desert, which isn't exactly top of the league. But at least Dragon's Tale is obviously very different from standard MMORPGs. And you can start playing without having to deposit any real money, a bit like in a Free2Play game.
Dragon's Tale will enter beta during the month of December. So if you are interested in something *very* different, you might want to check this out.
- posted by Tobold @ 10:26 AM Permanent Link
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The landscape, graphics, and many of the gaming elements are identical to A Tale in the Desert. It looks to be a newer version of ATITD. The old ATITD has gotten quite stale and I think this is a way for Tepper to refresh his game.
"The first MMORPG gambling game"? I think not: Project Entropia (now Entropia Universe) is nearly a decade old!
Most games involve the use of money put *into* the game is some form. Do those Gee/Funzion games also have the money *out* of the game function which would make it real gambling, as opposed to just Free2Play?
Are you opposed to capitalism, Tobold? Are people supposed to create things that people like for no reward?
I am opposed to gambling, as it has been shown to be a regressive tax, hurting those with the least money the most. I'm perfectly okay with capitalism and paying for games in other ways.
"Get rich quick" schemes all either don't work at all, or involve some sort of scam. I wouldn't publicise either.
I am a consumer myself and I write for other consumers. The consumer getting good value for money is one important criteria in selecting what product to promote. The best products are those that give good value for money for the consumer while also making a good profit for the producer, because then the company stays alive and makes more good products.
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I am a consumer myself and I write for other consumers. The consumer getting good value for money is one important criteria in selecting what product to promote. The best products are those that give good value for money for the consumer while also making a good profit for the producer, because then the company stays alive and makes more good products.
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