Being a Chinese female who games and has lived in China for 10+ year, there are a few things I'd like to point out.

1. In traditional Asian societies, women and children are regarded as having less social importance than men. This was true even for early US history when women and slaves counted as 3/5 of a white male. While China is gradually changing this particular stigma of women, it doesn't change the fact in many areas (especially rural areas, where education is limited), women are still viewed as property. It's very probably that you could be forced to prove your gender, if that stigma is strong enough to inhibit you to act submissively.

2. Each society has its own warped perceptions. China has 3000+ years of history of imperial rule. Even as Mao liberated China from the Japanese and later the Nationalists, he wanted China to be ruled by the laborers, the foundation of the country. However, because of his brilliant military strategies that freed China from foreign oppressors, the people put on a pedestal and willingly gave him political power. On the one hand, the masses gave away power to the government, and on the other hand, the government liked power and would not relent it. With 1.4 billion people, China will continue to keep a relatively tight reign on its people so that there would not be mass chaos.

3. The verification of gender is a business policy. The article gave no indication as to how the Chinese government reacted to this policy. Private business is very sketchy in China, because China is not yet a state of law. There are too many human factors involved, so much so that one day your business may be approved for something and the next it could be taken away. If this policy has the backings of the government, then it would be relatively easy to enforce. No matter what China lacks, it certainly does not lack people or in other words, cheap labor. A system of monitoring could be easily set up.

4. China has long since been operating under Communism, whether you view as a form of government or a economic practice. The country has prospered from limited capitalism. Its people are enjoying greater freedoms, specifically -  the pursuit of happiness through personal wealth. There is the understanding that political ideology and spiritual or religious pursuit are done in the privacy of one's home, without disrupting the public. Without much support for public growth of morality through religious or philosophical doctrine, China is spiraling down the ugly path of materialism without ethics.

The Western market has nothing to fear about a gender verification on gaming servers here. Quite simply, there is no cultural support for such a blatant breach of privacy.

There also isn't a need for reading too much into what type of avatar a player chooses. Games are designed with entertainment in mind. It should be fairly obvious that a character will be created for either maximum kill effect or to be visually pleasing. There is nothing wrong with either style of choosing an avatar. It's when people reading too deep into something that is designed to liberate us from reality that reality creeps back into the games.

Originally posted by razerblade29

Originally posted by Terranah

Next thing you know they will start asking people who play muscular, athletic good looking characters to provide proof.  I mean...we wouldn't want some ugly person playing an attractive character, or some fat guy playing a muscular toon.  That would be false representation right?  Or some short guy playing a tall toon. 

 

Basically what is going on here are some very, very horny game developers who probably haven't had sex in a very, very long time.  If they are asking for people to send in pictures of their genitals I think they shoud be investigated, ESPECIALLY if the gamers are minors.  Sounds like pediphelia central over there. 

 

 

Well it is China after all

Do you realize that a lot of child prostitution rings are run out of the US? These kids, especially females, are either kidnapped or sold and then smuggled into the US to fuel prostitution ring on the North American continent.

Oy... I seem to have incited some heated responses. Sweet.

1. I merely pointed out that this is another ploy for a Blizzard to generate income. I did not say that this is not norm business model. But for the sake argument, there are not-for-profit organization out there, and Blizzard is most certainly not one of them.

2. I have not known any players who had wished they could change the race of their characters, so I cannot defend or refute the claim that Blizzard is simply giving the players what they want. Although what I will say is that as a gamer, I would have done my homework before selecting a race to play. In my opinion, while being to switch faction is very cool, especially if you find out your fiends play the opposing and you wish to join them; However, changing other specifications of a character simply encourages bad habits for bad players.

3. It's one thing to find creative ways to generate income, but I still believe the focus should be on the game itself, rather than always giving into what players want. As a previous article on the "Hype Train" has mentioned, it is impossible to appease every player, and a game that does will suffer the consequences for it, because you can bet that it won't meet the success that WoW has achieved. I want a game that is distinguishable from another.

Just another way for Blizzard to make money... It was faction not too long ago, and race not too long from now, who's to say that changing gender/class may not be possible for the future.

Personally, I'm tired of gaming companies cooking up creative ways to squeeze you for revenue. If their focus is on building a good solid game that will keep players interested and spreading to other players, they wouldn't have to think up ways to generate income.

While this article is insightful, it proposes no action plan.

From the comments on this thread, many readers are already aware of the hype train. Therefore, this article offers no newsbreaking information for most of us gamers.

With no concrete action plans proposed, there won't be any changes to where this hype train is going. Neither the author nor others offered any real solution to marketers on stopping the hype yet still achieving the aim of generating interest in their games. Unless we as gamers stand firm on "enough is enough", marketers will just keep shove games in our faces, while the same failing miserably as the final disparage greatly from how we played them in our heads.

I did find myself agreeing with another post, and that is developers should stand firm on keeping the game the way they had it meant it to be played, rather than trying so hard to please every MMO gamer that it gets lost in the sea of the vast number of games out there trying to do the exact same thing.

There are so many things to gripe about:

1. Honestly, how many more hours do kids need to spend with their eyes glued to a computer screen. Not only is it very bad for their eyesight, but it diminishes the value of having interpersonal communication with real live people.

2. How many more venues do parents need to spend more money. Kids are very impressionable to advertisements, and this not-so-friendly competition to have the hip and the cool only equates to more unpleasantness as parents "fight" off the spending splurge of their children for virtual goods.

3. If it were up to me, I'd much rather encourage kids to play on the Nintendo Wii, with games like Wii Sports or Brain Academy; games that are more positive towards their development, whether it is encouraging physical activity or challenges them mentally or teaches them how to be social with live people.

I'm just glad to see that this game still generates buzz... with something that's seemingly so minuscule as a WoW holiday.

Here's my two cents:

1. Most people have already stated my preference, which is to wait a few weeks for most bugs to be fixed. The other reason why I wait is for the starting to clear out a bit, so there will be less lag and less frustration as that 1 creature you need to kill gets killed many-a-times before you get to it; and there will be those annoying people who will camp it, just to kill steal.

2. The best of both worlds scenario: Once the waiting period is over, if the game is very popular, there's a good chance that new servers will open up. Join the new server and it will be like playing the game at launch with all its mayhem, but more polished.

The ideas presented look fun! Not only is it not asking a lot from the developers, but I absolutely love the thrill and intrigue of uncertainty and an element of wild and uncontrollable.

Thought 1: Being able to bribe vendors sounds like a fun idea, especially when we know there are players out there who like to take risks, and probably with gold to burn too. I think it would even more "realistic" if the bribe wasn't always gold. Items needed to bribe vendors could be drawn from lore, as to what traditionally is valued/needed by that particular class or in the specific area.

Thought 2: Daily quests should include variety, whether it's changing the items required in a turn-in or simply have a mystery reward as an option. I especially like the looting rum idea; got a good hearty laugh out of that one. "But why is the rum gone?" lol... Ghost hunting sounds intriguing too.

Thought 3: Having uber gear to pwn your opponents isn't the only factor that should attracts players. In fact, I think quite a few players now are disillusioned by how quickly the gear they work to obtain become obsolete as the next patch introduces even "better" armor and weapons. I am one who believes that players should be able to brag about rare items obtained through random reward through things that they are already doing. Players should be rewarded for making discoveries: pathways linking places or some secluded corner who one travels to because it's out of the way. Recipes or gear (even if it's just for show, mostly) from dailies mystery reward option could be unique, and it would draw players to compete and keep trying. Of course, to keep players from exploiting unique recipes, the items made should be binding or can only be made every so often and/or at certain times.

Anyway, these changes would definitely draw me back in the game ;-)

Symphonic Rain? It is RPG (sort of) that uses the full keyboard to play music as you unlock more songs through character progession.

Symphonic Rain Wiki page

The game has the feel for Step Mania because your score is based on how accurately you hit each key in a precisely timed manner. Difficulty level is set on how many lines on the keyboard you use. It is a rather fun game as there are several paths to choose. By unlocking different endings, you gain access to play the game from a different perspective, and there's also a secret level/ending.

www.youtube.com/watch

The lag is pretty bad in the video, but it shows more clearly the gameplay portion of the game than how detailed I can try to explain it.

That's too bad the leveling system is kind of obsolete. I wonder if the game limits which level of difficult of game you want to play given your level, as in a level 25 players can't play in beginner, but I guess not.

The game is fun for short periods of time. You get that burst drive to do well on a particular song or random through the limited selection of songs before the same melodies sink and stay in your head. The arrow keys are a bit small, and it's very different than Step Mania or DDR, because they are across the screen. I think the arrows are a tad too small, but that's just my opinion.

This is different than your cookie-cutter model of an MMO, if it can be called that. With only 6 people per battle, I wouldn't really classify this game as an MMO, because you are not playing on a massive scale. The game might seem a bit slow if you are constantly waiting for that last person to click ready or for the room to be full.

The idea of multi-player Step Mania is kind of cool, because it's never been done before. Even DDR is only two-player. However, there are still kinks to be worked out if the developers hope for any kind of retention.

I'm intrigued with their PvP arena, where gear will become obsolete. Instead, the kills will go to a skilled player.

This is a very interesting look at WoW, because the suggestion here is not the norm for the game, and I think it has potential if the details and logistics would be worked out.

My thoughts on this is as follows:

1. PvP in the broader WoW world, as in outside of battlegrounds and arenas carry very little meaning or impact. The contested territories always stay that way, and the players do not have influence over it. The only significance it carries is that once you are in a contested territory, you are automatically flagged on PvP servers.

2. My idea of for the particularly type of endgame as described by the OP would be a combination of Alterac Valley and Arathi Basin. It is like AV because once you capture a town, the town NPCs would be friendly to you and guards will fight on your behalf. It is like AB because the opponents can re-capture, and thus there's real struggle. The incentive lies in protection from guards as well as discounted price from vendors. At the end of a given period, Blizzard can post statistics on the percentage of contested territories each faction hold to spur some competitiveness in players.

If players feel like their actions can influence the game, they would be drawn to the game.

Very well done.

This article is insightful into mods that would enhance raid healing, but also lists options for people to consider. I would think that most of these mods would apply for other healing classes also.

Originally posted by Shreddi

If these changes are in addition to and not replacing then who cares?   Only the jealous/selfish few would care less if they add casual content to the game.  As long as they dont replace or take away the content already there and expected in the game.  Otherwise so what if others dont have to punish themselfs the same as you did?  They should give a badge or something who do complete the more difficult content to be fair.   Like a no whimp badge.   And im sorry I had to laugh at "the good player" doesnt get respect.   Come on man its a mmo.  Its not like were making as much as a tennis pro playing quake or other FPS requiring dead on reflex and hard core practice hours like other sports.   I sure the hell cant compete with that lot and put in more hours than most and I  "get no respect".   Should start a comedy bit but that lines been taken.   Mmo's are a second life to some I understand but expecting respect from a toon for flashing epic bling is taking things a little too far. 

I don't equate having epic bling with respect. Having gear only means you are a part of a compotent guild, one has been coordinated enough to get through the content in which those pieces are dropped. It does not, however, say anything about the skill level of the individual player. Although you do get a glimps of that by the kinds of enchantments and jewels the armor has.

By respect, I mean as a competitive player, you feel challenged and inspired to play the game and/or play with/against that particular player. In a guild that would this player has position of authority or leadership. In gameplay, it would mean that player makes smart decisions that contribute to the success of whatever he/she is doing. This is what makes me respect a player.

Originally posted by gorillaz951

Originally posted by djFEVA

Many discussion and debate is centered on terminology. Thus far, there hasn't been any undisputed definition for what it means to be a casual gamer vs. a hardcore gamer vs. a skilled gamer vs. a veteran gamer. There's aspects that people have put into each category that may apply for another.

I think a casual gamer is someone who logs relatively few consecutive or total hours during any given week due to whatever reason that they are not playing the game. A hardcore game is someone who plays religiously, treating the game as their happy job. I do not equate skill with time logged, and I think that's the root with a lot of negative connotation of the word casual and hardcore. A skilled gamer is someone who is able to maximize the potential of their character, gaining respect as a good player from their fellow teammates as well as their opponents. A veteran gamer is someone who has stayed with the game for a set amount of time (whether it'd be BETA or launch), and it is regardless of how many hours they log on average per week.

In my humble opinion, no player falls into just one box. It's unfair to force that issue, just like all the bashing WoW has got for trying to incorporate all of those types of players into the game. Whether or not they are doing a good job, well, that's not for me to say since I stopped playing about 2 years back.

I will say that from what I've been following up with recent activities in WoW, there are many disgruntled players, and there are still many who rave about the game. Ultimately it comes down to money. As long as there is a "healthy" number (aka giving Blizzard their revenue cow), WoW will continue to its imperfect and quite frankly impossible to perfect way of keeping our eyeballs glued to the computer screen.

Very nice post! I understand your point and this can be put into many other games as well.
 

But you forgot one category that is slightly important: the incompetent gamer.

These are the players you see in-game making poop and Chuck Norris jokes in a trade chat. These are the players kill stealing your monsters for an important quest you have to do and then laughing at you. These are the players corpse camping you when they are 70 or so levels above you! This is the REAL Problem WoW has with me. I have played many other games and by far WoW has the worst community voice ever; a fat 11 year old spamming "n00b" in your message box as he hammers you to the ground. It's hard to even consider them "Players".

lol, I was trying to be nice, and stay non-political about the players that drive you absolutely crazy... whether it's total lack of understanding in how they play their character or other above things that you've mentioned already.

Many discussion and debate is centered on terminology. Thus far, there hasn't been any undisputed definition for what it means to be a casual gamer vs. a hardcore gamer vs. a skilled gamer vs. a veteran gamer. There's aspects that people have put into each category that may apply for another.

I think a casual gamer is someone who logs relatively few consecutive or total hours during any given week due to whatever reason that they are not playing the game. A hardcore game is someone who plays religiously, treating the game as their happy job. I do not equate skill with time logged, and I think that's the root with a lot of negative connotation of the word casual and hardcore. A skilled gamer is someone who is able to maximize the potential of their character, gaining respect as a good player from their fellow teammates as well as their opponents. A veteran gamer is someone who has stayed with the game for a set amount of time (whether it'd be BETA or launch), and it is regardless of how many hours they log on average per week.

In my humble opinion, no player falls into just one box. It's unfair to force that issue, just like all the bashing WoW has got for trying to incorporate all of those types of players into the game. Whether or not they are doing a good job, well, that's not for me to say since I stopped playing about 2 years back.

I will say that from what I've been following up with recent activities in WoW, there are many disgruntled players, and there are still many who rave about the game. Ultimately it comes down to money. As long as there is a "healthy" number (aka giving Blizzard their revenue cow), WoW will continue to its imperfect and quite frankly impossible to perfect way of keeping our eyeballs glued to the computer screen.

I thought this article was going to be an interesting read, since I played a hunter, but it was quite a disappoint no matter which perspective you look at it. Aside from a lack of knowledge about the different races and how that would affect gameplay, this article offers neither insight into the hunter class in general nor is it an informative personal viewpoint from the author.

I enjoyed the beginning the article, when a term was defined, and what seemed to be the reason for this article. However, I find it lacking in pointing out those common Hunter follies. It wasn't until I read comments posted by other players that I truly understood the term of huntard. Some of those stories are pretty funny, and it raises the question of "how have you survived this long?"

I do have my peeves about this article too.

There's more than one way to max out the potential of a class. There's different strategies for leveling, which was covered in more details, as well as end game content such as PvE (raiding) vs PvP (arena). Like the previous post has mentioned, there's two ways of playing PvE, and you'll find that there's differing opinions in how to play PvP as well.

P.S. - I applaud those who play outside-the-box and gain respect for it. It shows that you are willing to take risks, take the time to learn to class and a different strategy than what's considered the norm, and has done a good job of it.

Having been a former WoW player, I have a shameful confession: I don't know that much about the lore behind the warcraft series. I never played any of the other Warcraft games, and while I tried catching up with the booklet that came with my game, it had too many holes for me to be truly enthralled in the story.

I would like to point out that just because a game has lore, doesn't mean the game is centered around it. Sure you see lore woven into the game via dungeons and names of bosses/NPCs, but how much does that your actions in the game or the action of those AI impact the overall story? I didn't notice that much of a difference.

Most players are so immersed in level grind, rep grind, gear grind, and whatever else "busy work" WoW has thrown at you to compell you to feel like competing, like I was at one point, that I'd go as far as saying who gives a rat's ass about how what we are doing relates to lore. We just want to work towards to next shiny purple loot or horde lots of gold or pk everything in sight during PvP.

Call me outrageous for making that claim, but out of the millions of WoW players (let's just say in NA), I've only a handful of people respond to the lore portion of the thread.

It has been interesting catching up on the deep storyline behind Warcraft. It kind of compells me to visit the actual RPGs in the series

Having played WoW a few years back, I recognize that there are addicting aspects to the game. With what I read of the new features of the game since I quit, it would seem that WoW developers has certainly taken measures to ensure member retention. I don't think it's necessary to name how WoW can sap your life, if you let it.

The article is an interesting read, although gaming addiction is nothing new. Rather than blindly trying to "cure" people; instead, more focus should be aimed at those who are more at risk. Not everyone sinks into addiction in the same way or to the same degree, so identifying factors in other aspects of a player's life that would lead to likelihood of addiction is more effective, because those are curable/preventable social phenomenons. I think it's going to be very difficult to discourage addictive behavior. However, if you take away some of the factors that encourages addictive gaming tendencies, then you have already won half the battle.

As a player, I would be offended if a random character claiming to be a psychologist implies that "You need help". Not all players are addicts, and only those (for the sake of sticking to the point) who are motivated to change their own lifestyle will benefit from psychological help via cyberspace.

An ounce of prevention > a pound of cure.