Blizzard founder talks about WoW mobile2009-09-22 00:00:00The MTV Multiplayer site is a very reliable source for original games news reporting. Those MTV guys and gals are well connected, and last week they had the chance to chat with Blizzard co-founder Frank Pearce in the waning moments of the DICE event. Pearce delved into his pocket, pulled out his Blackberry, and began dreaming of a day when World of Warcraft players would be able to chat with their guild from external source...
Dungeon-Mastering the MMORPG2009-09-07 00:00:00In the last edition of RoleCraft, Defining the the game, I defined what exactly a MMORPG is in comparison to an MMOG, and briefly pondered the missing element of a DM (dungeon master) in today's MMORPGs. In this article, I'm going to discuss more about the role of a DM and give some ways I think they could be added to a roleplayer's repertoire.
In case you may not be familiar with the term DM, or game master (GM) if you prefer, it comes from the world of tabletop pen & paper roleplaying games and describes a person who directs the players through whatever adventures they come upon. The DM is the one omniscient person in the game, who knows all the people, places, and things that the players may or may not encounter.
In current MMORPGs, this aspect of gameplay is under direct and strict control of the game AI, and for the most part, does a very decent job. Without question, computer AI is light years behind the human imagination. If you have never sat around a table with a group of friends under the guidance of a skilled DM and roleplayed one of these great games, like Dungeons & Dragons and many others, then your concept of cre...
