Looking for a Good Web Design Blog?
Great Tips and Information About Web Design and Maintaining a Site.
The other day while doing some research about ways to improve one of my sites I stumbled across a great web design and administration blog. It was a site maintained by Mike Manfrin - Web Developer, with lots of interesting tips and ideas on how to create, market, and maintain websites.
Mike offers a lot of good information for aspiring web designers and those who are new to the industry that are looking for the inside scoop about different ways that people make a living off their websites.
Being in a similar field I am always interested to come across new information from people who are sharing good ideas that help people succeed. Mike not only offers good tips on his blog, but also shares ideas he is working on to help others think outside of the box.
If you are a new web developer, or an experienced admin looking for some creative ideas, and new ways of looking at things I highly recommend you give Mike’s blog a read.
Great EntreCard Power Dropping Tips and Information
An experienced EntreCard dropper knows that you can only drop up to 300 cards per day, and this is the max. Once you have hit this limit you need to wait a day before you can drop more cards.
Now 300 cards may sound like a lot when you are new to EntreCard you will soon realize there are many methods people use to “Power Drop” cards. Power Dropping cards means to hit your max of 300 drops in the shortest amount of time possible.
After searching Google and using some techniques and resources other bloggers have mentioned, I have thrown together a very effective power dropping routine that I would like to share with those who are looking to get the most out of EntreCard.
The method I use allows me to drop 300 cards in 30 minutes flat, without violating TOS rules listed on EntreCard’s website. The authors of the EntreCard site themselves have stated that they do not want EntreCard to take away from people working on their blogs.
I actually have two methods I use depending on what I am trying to accomplish that day. I have a speed method which is good when it’s late, or I am in a hurrey and I am also developing a “Power Follow” method to help get even more out of your drops. Let’s cover the Power Drop method first.
Power Dropping
To power drop people will usually compile a list of blogs which load FAST so they can drop as many cards as possible without page load times, or lag. The author of http://www.powerdropping.com/ has come up with a great list of fast loading sites that are work well for speedy drops.
The only problem I had with his list was most of the links opened in the same Window causing me to go back and reload the page. Another resource on his list had links that didn’t change color once they had been visited so it made it hard to tell what sites I had already been to.
I decided to improve on the excellent work they had already done, and created a new Power Drop list which can be located here. New and Improved Power Drop List
My list is an HTML file you can run on your PC, and every link on the list opens in it’s own Window. All the links will also change color once they have been visited, making it very easy to sort out where you have been.
Using this list, I will usually click on 10 links at a time and open 10 new windows. Then I will drop my card on each site, and use the “Alt+F” “Alt+X” command to close the windows. This method is fast! I can usually drop 10 cards in a minute or less. If you are using FireFox you can do the same thing (although I usually open 1 tab at a time because of how they close) and use the “CTRL+W” option to close the tab quickly.
This way you can burn through a list of 300 sites in about 30 minutes flat. Once you get used to opening 10 windows and using the Alt key options to close them things start to really go fast.
The first 25 links on the list do load somewhat slow. They were additions I made because I had open spots on the list after weeding out slow or broken links, You may want to start at 26 and work your way through for the fastest sites. (The other 25 can be used with my Power Follow method to get more return on your drops)
The next method I use I like to call “Power Following” it works in the same way as Power Dropping but adds a little bit more time onto the drop schedule because you are not dropping on completely optimized sites. There is a reason for this, which provides a big benifit that is outlined in the following section.
Power Follow
This method can actually benefit you more than Power Dropping because it gets you a return investment on the 300 cards you drop. I have started compiling a list of self proclaimed “followers” from the “You Drop, I Follow” crowd. There has been some debate as to how well some of these people return your drops but for the most part I have found people tend to be good followers.
The second list that I am working on (which can be downloaded here as a work in progress - “Power Follow List”) has about 150 people who are more likely to drop a card back to you, if you drop one to them. My recommendation would be to use this list for 2-3 days and then do the Power Follow drops from your inbox on EntreCard. This way you will only be dropping to people who have actually dropped back to you, and after 2 or 3 days you should have a good idea of who those people are.
When you drop from your inbox you can “Right Click” on any EntreCard logo you see that has a custom graphic and choose the “Open in new Window” to open several windows just like you would with the Power Drop list. Anyone that does not have a custom logo will need to be clicked on separately as right clicking will not bring up a menu. (Luckily most people have custom EntreCard logos)
This will once again allow you to perform a bunch of speedy drops. Best of all you will get people dropping cards back to you which will allow you to get more than 300 credits a day.
Once you have gone through your inbox and dropped a card back to everyone (who will now drop a card back to you tomorrow) you can work off the “Power Drop” list to finish the other 150-200 drops quickly. You can get a good routine of daily drops back to your account if you use this method.
Additional Ways to Get Credits
Another thing you can do to get more drops back to your account is setup an optimized HTML page for people who Power Drop to use. (And hopefully add to their list)
Because so many of us run Adsense, Referrals, Amazon Widgets, Digg Plugins etc most blogs can have annoying load times when you are trying to power drop 300 cards. Because of this, some users have setup optimized pages off their blog, which are just plain HTML pages that users can bookmark to drop their card to.
If you do this and let people know about your page it is likely that they will add it to their power drop list, which they will go through on a daily basis. The more people that add you to their list the more credits you will get as they drop their card each day.
Good rules to follow when setting up an optimized page are:
01. Create a page just to feature your EntreCard widget. Please do not put ads on this page. It is very annoying and defeats the purpose of doing this.
02. Put a link under your widget so people can get to the main page of your blog. After all EntreCard is about exploring new blogs so give people a way to check out your site if they want to.
03. HTML pages are preferred because they usually load really fast. I have seen some blogs setup an optimized page by keeping ads and widgets to a minimum but for most of us this isn’t possible, so a separate HTML can be very handy.
Please feel free to add Pseudorant’s optimized EntreCard page to your drop list! It can be located here:
http://www.pseudorant.com/powerdrop.htm
That’s about all the information I have for now. I am pretty new to EntreCard myself but I think it is a really great idea for a service. I wanted to share some of the ideas, and things I have been working on since I joined the site.
As always thanks for checking out Pseudorant. We appreciate the support!
Too Many Business Requirements from End Users
An ambitious project using MSFA failed due to demand-overload
My company started an ambitious project to run our entire ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system as a web application, and they were prepared to throw a lot of time and resources at the project to make it work.
We hired a consultant who had experience managing large scale projects and also had an extensive background with writing web applications. We even hired additional staff solely for this project. Despite all of our efforts, the project still ended up as a costly failure.
Now, there were a number of reasons why the project failed, but I would like to focus on what I believe to be the most significant problem: “too much, too fast.”
First, let me provide a little background on the software that we are currently using for our ERP. It is approximately 10 years old, and extremely limited in what it can do. Although it supports some standards such as SQL (a given for any database application) it has a number of bugs that prevent these features from being usable, meaning complex workarounds are necessary for almost every facet of our business.
There are upgrades for the software that fix these bugs and expand functionality, but since it is an “off the shelf” retail application upgrading all of our existing systems is prohibitively expensive. Especially considering that the most recent version would not satisfy all of our business needs and would only be viable as a temporary solution anyway.
We have done pretty well with what we have available, but it is just not enough. Admittedly, many of the problems we have are not with the software itself but with how we use it (and abuse it).
This project, which we started in november of 2007, was not the first attempt to migrate from our disfunctional ERP system, however it was the first attempt we had made using a proven methodology instead of just “winging it”.
You may have heard of Microsoft Foundations for Agile Software Development (MSFA) before, which is the methodology recommended to us by our consultant.
Part of this process involved defining Business Rules (what the current software does now), Business Requirements (what the new software would be required to do), and Use Cases (examples of how the current software is used).
All of this is intended to give a very clear definition of what functionality in the old system needs to be preserved in the new system, and what it will be expected to do better.
So if we allocated plenty of resources for the project, followed a proven methodology, and had experience from failed projects in the past, then why did this project fail? I believe the reason that had the largest impact was the fact that the end users both defined the business requirements and approved them.
Needless to say, this is a recipe for disaster since end users are focused on entirely different problems than developers are. I’d hate to use a car analogy, but if we were building a car, the end users would be more worried about leather seats and air conditioning, while we the developers are just trying to get the engine and transmission to work together so that we can move forward.
Now don’t get me wrong here, nobody knows more about what a system should do than the end users, since they are the ones who have to put up with it.
Ideally, they could provide a wish list of things they want the system to do and the developers could prioritize them based on how feasible they are. Unfortunately, there were several people at each development team meeting that probably should not have been, prioritizing power windows as more important than having a windshield.
Although this project left a bitter taste in my mouth, I learned a lot from it.
As of today I have been told that the project “isn’t dead, it’s just sleeping”, suggesting that we will pick it up again sometime when there is less going on.
Fortunately, I’m not that naive and I can see that the project as we envisioned it this time around is not only no longer reasonable, but should not even be considered desirable.
What we need is to get back to the source of the problems we are having now, and carefully work out as much of the details as we can before we start hiring additional resources to help.
MMORPG Guide 02 – Races, Classes, & Character Role Details
Part 2 - The Devil’s in the Details?
Welcome back to Pseudo Rant and part two of the MMORPG guide! In part 2 we are going to get into the specifics of MMORPGs and what they are all about. We will cover various topics in detail to give you a better understanding of different aspects in games.
Even if you are an experienced player you may want to read through the following sections because it may give you some insight into a race or class that you have never played before.
While it may be fun to always play a warrior or rogue, you may want to try being a priest or the mage sometime to get the whole experience MMORPGs offer.
Good or Evil, light or dark, black or white? How can you choose if you are uninformed? Let’s take a closer look to help you get the most out of your charcter. After all, the Devil is in the details and we all like to dabble on the dark side every now and again.
Races and Classes
There are two main decisions all players must make when creating a character in almost all MMORPGs. What “Race” will my character be and what “Class“?
Unlike real life, Race will usually determine much more than just the color of your skin. While looks are always important there are some times more factors involved than meets the eye.
Choosing a character that looks the way you want is important because “you” are the one that is going to have to look at that character for hours on end. In this regard I have always found myself creating female characters, because I do not grow tired of looking at them as quickly as I do with male characters. This is just one consideration when creating your character.
The next important consideration is does your character get bonuses or stat boosts based off the race you pick?
All MMORPGs are designed differently so this may or may not be the case.
In games where this is a factor, this may be stated on the character creation screen. It could be as simple as a wording like “Orcs tend to be the strongest of all the races”. Or something as blatant as bonuses or base stats displayed on the screen. Do not always assume that a game will tell you though. Sometimes you may need to check on the game’s website or forums to get all the character details.
A little pre-planning and research into what type of character you are going to create never hurts if you think you will be devoting a large amount of time to a game.
Also keep in mind that you are not locked into one character. Most MMORPGs will allow you to create at least 3 or 4 characters and some will allow you to create between 5 and 10. If you create a character and find out about an advantage that a specific class or race has, decide if it is worth creating a new character to explore this advantage. In some cases you may only lose a few hours of game play which you can look at as the learning curve aspect of the game.
As you can see there are a lot of considerations. There are many more than we have covered here but we are focusing on the top considerations to keep this guide at a resonable length.
Common MMORPG Races
Now let’s take a look at some of the common races found in MMORPGs.
Below is a list of common races that are found in most Fantasy MMORPGs. As I mentioned in Part 1 of the MMORPG guide, a lot of the Fantasy universe is based off mythology so you will see reoccurring themes throughout these games.
Take a look at some of the common races found in these games:
Orc
Troll
Dwarf
Gnome
Elf
Light Elf
Dark Elf
Human
Humanoid
I will keep this list short because this can range quite a bit from game to game, but you will probably see several of these races come up in different games in the world of MMORPGs.
Below is a list of generalized descriptions pertaining to each race. Keep in mind these are common traits that may or may not be related to the race in the game you are playing. This is generic RPG knowledge that seems to come up in a lot of MMORPG games.
Orcs - Commonly known for their strength and endurance. Orcs tend to make good fighters because of their higher strength stats, which lead to an above average attack power. Their high endurance stats lend them selves into creating a formidable opponent on the battle field. Some adaptations of Orcs, provide the race with a Berserk or Rage trait that is good for short bursts of increased power. Orcs are also known for having lower intelligence levels than other races which means they are not usually ideal for magic classes.
Trolls - Also well known for strength and endurance. Trolls are traditionally weaker than Orcs while having better endurance traits. Trolls are usually a close second to Orcs on the battlefield yet their more evenly distributed character stats enable trolls to fulfill more versatile roles in most games. Because of this aspect it is harder to point out a “Con” of this race. It will usually be dependant on the game they are found in.
Dwarves - Dwarves are well known for their strength and their ability to craft and excel at trade skills. Depending on the game, Dwarves can also make formidable tanks due to higher endurance. Dwarves are traditionally thought of as the money makers in games because of their abilities to forage and make the most of their trade skills. Dwarves stat points are usually evenly distributed with a favor towards strength and endurance. Traditionally dwarves are not good magic classes.
Gnomes - While similar to Dwarves in their crafting and trade skill abilites, Gnomes tend to have higher intelligence than Dwarves which lends itself to the possibility of magic classes. Gnomes are to Dwarves, as Trolls are to Orcs. They allow for a more versatile race that can usually branch out into multiple class types because of evenly distributed stat points. Gnomes are not usually known for strength attributes in most games.
Elves - Elf races are usually considered the magic users of most Fantasy MMORPGs due to their high levels of intelligence. Because of this trait it is not uncommon to see elf mages and healers. [As with all of these descriptions they are highly dependant on the game you find the race in.] While Elves do have strength in some MMORPGs it is usually balanced by having lower endurance than other races which makes them act as damage dealers more than tanks.
Light Elf - Light Elves are a variation of the standard Elf race that will usually have an increased ability to use magic, especially Healing magic and spells. [Light Magic / White Magic] Light Elves tend to be the weakest physically of the Elf race, while their light magic tends to be the most powerful in games. Because of their very low survival rate Light Elves tend to work best in groups providing support magic or healing, and dealing ranged damage to monsters through the use of spells or bows.
Dark Elf - Another variation of the Elf race is the Dark Elf. Dark Elves tend to be magic users also, although they usually specialize in black magic for the purpose to dealing damage to their enemies. Dark Elves do not usually have healing abilities, and may have an entirely different set of magic available to them because of this. In some Fantasy MMORPGs dark elves are well known for their high damage output making them ideal rogue or assassin classes As with all Elves, Dark Elves do not have very high endurance traits. This makes their survivability lower than other tank or rogue races.
Human [Humanoid] - The last common race found in almost all Fantasy genres is the human or humanoid race. When I say “humanoid” I am referring to any other named race that shares the appearance of standard humans and whose stats are well rounded like a humans stats.
Humans tend to be the most well rounded race in almost any game you play. Because of this trait they usually have the highest potential toward different classes in a game. Like the saying goes “Jack of all Trades, Master of none”. This applies to humans in the sense that while they are usually the most versatile race, they normally cannot excel in specific fields as well as other races.
For example, in Linage II humans could become rogues, archers, warriors, gladiators, mages, etc. Compared to Dark Elves humans could never deal quite as much damage as a Rogue or Archer. Compared to Light Elves they could never attain the same mastery of magic. Compared to Orcs they could never match the endurance of an Orc fighter.
This idea carries over into numerous games with Human classes. They are usually the most well rounded which makes them easy to play and good for getting your feet wet in MMORPGs. But because they are such a generalized class do not expect them to excel in any specific area.
Humans are usually given good racial bonuses to make up for fact that they can feel “generic” at times, when compared to other races in games.
For more detailed information on races check the following links which provide a very large, and indepth overview on “Races”:
Races - A Long List - Part 1
http://www.listology.com/content_show.cfm/content_id.23046/World-Building
Races - A Long List - Part 2
http://www.listology.com/content_show.cfm/content_id.23047/World-Building
As with all the examples listed above, race is always specific to the game you are playing. Always research a race before choosing it to ensure you have all the information that is available to you.
Some people reading this may think my examples are based off World or Warcraft of Lineage II. This is not the case. These are generalizations I have come to find in numerous MMORPG and single player RPGs. The traits I have used in my examples tend to be those that are the most universally applied throughout the genre.
[If you have anything you would like to see added or amended please let me know and I will review it to be added to the guide.]
Common RPG Classes
Now lets discuss the most important factor in character creation [IMO]. The character “Class“.
The reason I say this is the most important is because the class you pick will determine the game play you experience throughout the course of the game. While some may know what to expect, for those who do not this can be a daunting decision.
Because of this we are going to cover some of the basics about Classes and explain class generalizations in detail like I did for the various races.
As always, don’t forget that you are not locked into a decision. Remember that most games will allow you to create several characters so if you do not like the way a certain class plays, make a new one. Don’t feel like you need to delete your first character because you can always come back to this one in the future.
Classes in MMORPGs are ”skill sets” in the respect that they will dictate the abilities of your character. This can range from how you fight, and how you function in a party or guild, to how you are able to support other characters in the game.
Classes are usually broken into two general categories. Damage classes, and support classes. I will list common classes below that are found in most MMORPGs along with a brief description of each. I will also mention if that class is considered a [Support] or [Damage] class. This can give you a better idea of a classes play style if you are unfamiliar with a particular class. It can also help you decide if you would enjoy playing a particular class or not.
There are several common types of classes found in most MMORPGs. I have listed these classes below:
Warrior / Gladiator / Fighter
Rogue / Assassin / Thief
Archer / Marksman
Priest / Cleric
Mage / Warlock
Druid / Shaman
Hunter / Tamer
Paladin
Read the following sections for more information on each of these classes and what makes them unique.
Warrior / Gladiator / Fighter - This class usually focuses heavily on melee combat. They are usually well versed in the use of different types of weapons including Swords, Clubs, Axes, Hammers, Spears, and Maces just to name a few.
This class usually starts with higher Strength and Endurance attributes than most other classes. Traditionally these types of classes become “Tanks” which are members of a dungeon party that hold the focus of a monster [aggro] while the rest of the party works on defeating the beast.
Sometimes refereed to as “Meat Shields“, their ability to take a beating and dish one out sets them apart from other classes. Warriors would fall into the [Damage] dealing category but they could almost be put into their own category as “Tank” because of their role in a party.
Warriors and their variants are usually best suited in heavy armors like steal, mithril, brigandine, and other high defense armors made of metal.
Usually crucial to the success [or lack there of] in a Dungeon party, this class carries the responsibility for protecting the clothies [magic users or anyone with low defense or cloth armor] from certain doom during long drawn out battles.
A Tank is very similar to the Quarterback of a football team. They will dictate the pace of the party, and must know when people need to rest to regain health and mana. A tank is usually responsible for working closely with the guild leader to plan combat strategies for various battles the guild will undertake.
Rogue / Assassin / Thief - This class utilizes stealth and sneak attacks to subdue an opponent before giving them a chance to fight back. More commonly referred to as a Rogue, this classes main function is damage output. This puts the Rogue in the role of [Damage] dealer in most parties.
While a Rogue’s weapon of choice is daggers, they are well versed in all weapons ranging from Swords, Axes, Crossbows, Bows, Two-Handed Swords, throwing knives, etc.
Rogues can usually be found wearing leather or heavy leather types of armor. This provides less defense but allows for more maneuverability to dodge and evade attacks.
While the Rogue class outputs high damage their endurance and survivability is usually much lower than that of a tank. The two main reasons being they usually have much lower HP and Defense than a true tank, because they rely on dodging most attacks. They also have a knack for pulling aggro [a monsters attention] off of the tank due to their high damage output and crit’ rate.
[Crit. short for "Critical" refers to powerful attacks that occur at random during normal attacks.]
While everyone wants to be the character that deals the most damage, a “good” Rogue is hard to come by because it requires using restraint in parties to make sure their ability to pull aggro does not disrupt the group mechanic.
Some MMORPGs also give Rogues the ability to “stealth” or turn invisible. This is a very powerful ability as it allows the character to attack without being seen, flee from battle, stalk a character or ambush, and can also be used for numerous other tactics. It is hard to appreciate how useful this skill is until you have had a chance to try it out. Because of the Stealth skill, many people are attracted to the idea of being a Rogue.
Archer / Marksman - The Archer class utilizes attack speed, range, and power to create a character with powerful [Damage] dealing abilities. Coupled with a higher dodge rate than most classes, the Archer can be a formidable opponent from a distance.
The Archer class is similar to a rogue in the fact they usually have a higher damage output than tanks, but lower survivability as they trade off endurance for dexterity. Unlike a Rogue, an Archer will prefer to use ranged attacks whenever possible avoiding close range combat to make the most of their bow skills.
Archer’s primary weapons usually consist of either a Bow or Crossbow. Because of this, the class tends to have much less variety in Weapons. In some games archers are able to carry a close range weapon. This will usually consist of a dagger or sword, with the dagger being the preference because of the Archer’s close relation to Rogues.
As with Rogues, Archers tend to prefer lighter armor as it allows for them to run when kiting enemies. [Kiting is the act of luring a target] It also contributes to their higher dodge rates. Most commonly you will find them in light armors such as leather.
The archers function within a party is to deal damage, pure and simple. Learning how to play this class is very important as they also have the potential to pull aggro off the tank because of their high damage output and crit rate.
Because of the fact that archers are considered high output damage dealers, with the ability to attack from afar, the class is very appealing to those who enjoy sneak attacks, kiting enemies, and the ability to ambush an opponent. All these traits lead to what make the Archer a unique class.
Priest / Cleric - This class is well known as a “Healing” class which provides a [Support] role in most dungeons, parties, and raids. This is because the primary function of this class is to help protect other players. There is a common misconception among players that this class is nothing more than the “healing bitch” of MMORPGs.
While it is true that the primary function of the class is to heal, cure, buff and support others, these skills lend themselves into making the Priest/Cleric one of the most over-powered classes in lots of games. The reason I say this is because it is hard to give a class enough magic to support a dungeon party, and assume that class will not use those same skills to benefit themselves when soloing.
[I will go into more detail on this subject in my "MMORPG - Two Boxing" guide which will cover the use of "Buff Bots" in games]
This can be seen in the Clerics/Priest ability to grind almost non-stop without the need for rest. Healing classes are usually given a certain degree of defense in most games which gives them more survivability than Rogue and Archer classes. This is because healing classes tend to pull the most aggro in parties by healing the group.
Priests/Clerics are also able to heal and buff them selves which increases their characters attributes. If a priest is good at managing their resources [mana] they can seemly grind indefinitely without the need for rest. This advantage allows them to level much faster than other characters that rely on having to recoup health and mana.
The weapon of choice for Priests and Clerics are Maces, Staves, Wands, Hammers, and Sheilds. The shields supplement defense for the class as they are usually found wearing cloth armors, which is a common trait among magic users.
As mentioned before, this classes main function is a support role in parties which is seen through their healing, curing and buffing abilities. While solo the class can operate efficiently because of the support magic they can provide to them selves. The main drawback of this class is their ability to draw aggro in parties without actually dealing damage.
Mage / Warlock - This class is commonly known for their devastating magical attack abilities. Sometimes referred to a “Glass Canons” Mages and Warlocks tend to be similar to Rogues in the fact that they can output high damage but also have low survivability.
Depending on the game they are found in, Mages and Warlocks can be very similar or very different. They are similar in the fact that they use powerful magical attacks to subdue enemies. Though they are very different in some respects, because of the magic and defense provided to each of them.
Mages tend to be physically weaker which is balanced by providing them with the ability to “nuke” an enemy to defeat them before they can reach the mage. The mages main defense is created through magical shields and armor. Mages do not hold up well in melee combat
Warlocks tend to have higher survivability than mages but this is usually balanced by a smaller mana pool than mages. Warlocks usually have the ability to summon pets also, to assist them in battle. This ability allows the Warlock to worry less about the smaller mana pool. While Warlocks also rely on nukes and high damage spells, they can usually hold up better than a mage in melee combat through physical or pet defense.
The primary role of this class is a nuker or [Damage] dealer in parties. They assist the group in defeating mobs by dealing brutal magic damage and curses.
The weapons of choice for Mages and Warlocks are traditionally Staves and Wands, but can sometimes include daggers and swords. This class will also usually be found wearing cloth armors since they rely heavily on magic. [Cloth armors are usually associated with classes that rely on intelligence stats for magic.]
[These classes are hard to define because they are usually implemented differently depending on the game you are playing. Because of this it is hard to give an accurate description of this class.]
Druid / Shaman - This class is similar to the Cleric/Priest class in the fact that they are well known for their abilities as a support class. This can include healing, removing curses, and providing buffs.
This class has seen many different implementations in MMORPGs, ranging from powerful fighters to classes that have the ability to shape-shift into animals. More commonly they are known for their buffs which provide significant stats boosts in most games the class is found in.
Druids and Shaman will usually use blunt weapons available to them including Maces, Clubs, Staves, Axes, and Hammers. Because they are more of a melee combat and magic class it is not uncommon to find them wearing leather or cloth armor, as this provides a good balance between intelligence and defense.
While it’s common for these classes to have buffs, they will usually also have variants of healing spells which can be just as powerful as Priests and Clerics if they are implemented correctly by the player.
The main role of this class in dungeon parties, is traditionally a [Support] role to help buff, heal, and decurse the party. In the latest generation of MMORPGs these characters have also gained formidable combat abilities allowing them to output a high amount of [Damage]. Because of this they could be considered a class that has multiple roles in a dungeon party.
Hunter / Tamer - This class is usually known for it’s proficiency with pets. Hunters and Tamers are traditionally a class that has the ability to tame mobs for the purpose of fighting along side the character.
A Tamer is usually a more specific variation of a Hunter whose strongest abilities are procuring pets. Usually this is for the purpose of selling pets to other plays, or power leveling pets for friends. The tamers ability could almost be considered a trade skill as it is usually used to make money for the tamer.
In games where other classes can tame their own pets, there is usually a chance for failure where the tamer would have a much higher chance of success at taming the mob.
Hunters and Tamers usually use similar weapons that vary from Bows, Crossbows, Axes, Spears, Staves, Swords, Daggers, Clubs, Mace, etc. Because the class can be implemented in so many different ways they usually have a pretty wide range of weapons available to them.
In addition to the large range of weapons, hunters can usually take their pick of cloth, leather and heavy armors. You will usually find hunters wearing the heaviest armors available to them for the increase it provides in defense.
Hunters and Tamers are usually given special animal, outdoor, and trapping skills that allow them to act as a utility based class. Because of these types of skills the hunter can be a tricky opponent to fight on the battlefield.
This class’s role in a party is usually [Damage] dealing, and because of their ability to use Bows the Hunter has the potential to deal high damage from a distance, similar to Mages, Warlocks and Archers. The utility skills that this class brings to the table can also be used in numerous creative ways during dungeon parties or PVP. [Player versus player combat]
Paladin - Paladins are very similar to true “tanks” or “warriors” in the fact that they are designed to withstand a beating.
The key difference with Paladins is that they usually have the ability to use “holy” powers or white magic. These powers can include the ability to use buffs, healing spells, and counters to black magic.
Paladins are well versed at using multiple weapon types similar to warriors. This can include maces, hammers, clubs, swords, knives, staves, etc.
Because the paladin is usually considered a tanking class they are commonly found in heavy armors that provide high defense. Most armors worn by a warrior can be worn by a Paladin.
The paladin’s skills can vary depending on the game you find them in so it is hard to define class specific skills. The paladin’s role in a party can vary from game to game, but it is most commonly the “tank”. Secondary roles can include healing, buffing, de-cursing, and providing other types of [Support] skills to the party.
The Paladin class is usually a well rounded class with a high survival rate which makes them a good starting class for those who are new to MMORPGs. Those who are experienced may also enjoy the class because of the mixed role they play between a Warrior and a Priest.
For more detailed information on classes check the following links which provide a very large, and indepth overview on “Classes”:
Classes - A Long List - Part 1
http://www.listology.com/content_show.cfm/content_id.23049/World-Building
Classes - A Long List - Part 2
http://www.listology.com/content_show.cfm/content_id.23050/World-Building
Race and Class Overview
Ok, I didn’t really get to cover as much as I wanted to in this guide because I didn’t realize how much important information there was regarding races and classes in MMORPGs.
As I mentioned several times during the course of this guide, the information I have provided here is a generalized overview.
Races and Classes are really what makes MMORPGs so great! Think about how boring chess would be [more so] if you could only play as one piece, like the “pawn”.
Having different Races and Classes compliment each other because of the many different ways they can be used to accomplish goals and interact with other players. It is the same concept found in basic games like rock, paper, scissors. Use properties that compliment or contradict one another to create different outcomes. This keeps the game interesting and adds replay value.
I hope you all enjoyed Part 2 of the MMORPG guide. I also hope that experienced players and begginers to MMORPGs can find something beneficial in these guides, that they may not have been aware of.
Remember when you play MMORPGs do not get stuck in one way of thinking, and feel free to experiment with new things to see if you like them. The same players that have been warriors for years may find a magic user to be a welcomed change if they feel the grind becoming tedious or boring.
With that being said I’m going to wrap this rant up, and hope you’ll all look forward to Part 3 of the MMORPG guide, where I will cover statistics and traits in detail and discuss how they apply to each race and class. After all statistics are the bread and butter of MMORPGs which evolved from dice games that were played with pencil and paper.
Thanks for sitting through another rant!
MMORPG Guide 01 - About RPGs, MMORPGs, History & Genres
What is an RPG?
RPG is a commonly used abbreviation which stands for “Role Playing Game“. I am sure that anyone reading this is familiar with a role playing game but for those who are not, a Role Playing Game is any game that allows a person to take on the role of a character or avatar.
There are many forms of Role Playing games ranging from dice based games, card games, board games, LARP [Live Action Role Playing], single and multiplayer video games, games adults play in the bedroom and just being a kid, running around with friends and pretending to be “insert super hero here”.
The most commonly used reference for RPG’s refers to single player or multiplayer video games. This is the context I will be explaining RPGs in for this guide.
Single Player vs. Multiplayer
As mentioned above the two most common types or RPGs are single player and multiplayer.
Single player role playing games are games where a player will commonly start off as one character and be sent out on a journey or “Quest“, that follows the context of a story to progress through the game.
A single player RPG will usually introduce new characters throughout the game which allow the player to form a “Party” or fighting unit. Each individual character’s stats can be modified as the game progresses which bestows the party with additional power enabling the player to proceed through the course of the game.
Examples of well known RPGs are:
Final Fantasy
Diablo
Secret of Mana
Chrono Trigger
Kingdom Hearts
Legend of Zelda
Fallout
Knights of the Old Republic
Suikoden
Breath of Fire
The Elder Scrolls
And many more that are not listed here. [I apologize if I did not mention your favorite RPG. I am firing these off the top of my head, and need to move on with the guide.]
The second type of RPGs are multiplayer role playing games. These can range from a single player game which allows for more than one player to control a character in the game. Or it may be a single player game that has a multiplayer mode which allows users to play online or over a “LAN“. [Local Area Network]
There is also a third genre of RPG which has become VERY popular in the last 5-10 years known as an “MMORPG“. MMORPG stands for “Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game“. Most people will consider this a multiplayer game as it allows numerous users to interact with each other similar to how a multiplayer RPG operates. But unlike a standard multiplayer RPG, an MMORPG incorporates many facets that are not found in standard RPGs.
Because of these additional features these games have landed in a genre all their own. The best description I have ever heard from a user was labeling them as “Persistent World” RPG’s because they are truly worlds unto themselves.
I will go into more depth on these types of RPGs since that will be the main focus of this guide. Standard RPGs can be understood with very little background information where MMORPGs have many aspects which are hard to grasp even once they have been explained.Please read through this guide and I will do my best to explain the nuances of these games and what makes them so addicting and fun.
What is an MMO?
An MMO stands for “Massively Multiplayer Online“. This can refer to numerous genres of games and not just role playing games. An MMO is any type of game that allows users to play together and compete against one another online.
Common types of MMOs include third person action games, first person shooters, strategy and real time strategy, stealth and tactical, flight simulation and combat, resource management games and MANY more. Role playing games fall into this generalized MMO category, but it is more accurate to place them in their own category because of their popularity.
What is an MMORPG?
An MMORPG as stated above is a “Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game“. This is a game where players create a character or avatar which acts as their online identity in this role playing world.
The player’s character will start out at level 1 as with any role playing game with the main focus being on attaining power for the character. This sounds pretty basic, huh?, which means I have done a poor job of explaining this.
While the main focus of an MMORPG is leveling your character there are many other aspects incorporated into these games which allows them to live up to the persistent world label.
I feel like a better way to explain how an MMORPG works is to describe it as a story. After all, Stories and Lore are the drive behind all role playing games anyway. To start the story the player would need to create a character. I am going to create a character named “Gajin” who is a level 1 fighter.
And so the story beings..
Gajin Tao was a humble man. He had dreamed of strength and power, his entire life.
One day Gajin opened his eyes to find himself in the middle of a field as if he had awoken from a dream. To his horror he found a rabid wolf was running straight at him with its jaws snapping.
He swung his arm to protect himself and realized he was wielding a sharp iron sword. He struck the beast down, and was surrounded by a warm golden light. In this light he could feel the blood coursing through his veins and it made him feel alive. This was a taste of the power he had been searching for all these years.
He continued to slay the beasts day and night to recapture the feeling he had experienced when he killed that first wolf. Eventually his skillful slaughter of these creatures, lead him to seek out more challenging adversaries.
He continued on his path, slashing his way through hordes or monsters. Orcs, Undead, Skeletons and savage beasts of all kinds all fell to power that surged in his veins.
Throughout his travels he came to know other warriors of all kinds. Mages, Rogues, Priests, Archers, and many other skilled combatants all came to know one another through a shared passion for battle.
These warriors formed a blood pact to protect one another and to help each other grow stronger. Time went by and these warriors came to gain fame and renowned throughout the land. People would seek them out, asking the noble fighters to protect them from harm. Fledgling warriors would seek them out to study under these masters of battle.
The once small band of friends had become a mighty army able to wield the power of an entire kingdom to shape the lands as they saw fit. Their sheer size enabled them to create a kingdom within their ranks filled with skilled crafters of all kinds.
These crafters were able to produce the finest cloth, jewelry, weapons and armor in all the lands and their fortunes grew. The skilled enchanters and alchemists toiled away to enhance the already staggering power of this mighty guild.
Gajin had achieved his rightful place as leader to these men and women of war. Those he had helped nurtured and grow would now lay down their lives to protect their mighty leader.
As the years went by Gajin grew older in both wisdom and power. He spent his life solidifying the foundation of the army that had become known throughout the world. When he finally stepped back to look at what he had created he saw something that was so much of him, yet an entity in and of itself.
Gajin Tao’s fame and success outlasted even his life. Stories were told of glorious victories of the army that Gajin Tao had led. Even to this day long after his death some still speak of this valiant warrior and his humble beginnings.
Ok.. So I’m not a Fantasy writer by a long shot. But you get the point. I wanted to paint the picture of why these games can be so immersive.
As you can see from the story all MMORPGs start you out as a lowly peasant sent on a simple errand to kill wolves or some other trivial threat. This is the start of the leveling process or the “Grind” as it has come to be known.
As players level throughout the game they become stronger and are forced to move to different areas to hunt monsters that are appropriate for their skill level. Players have the choice of hunting lower level beasts if they choose, but they will not reap the same benefit they get from hunting monsters that are equal to their skill level.
Throughout the game there are way points in the leveling process where players are rewarded with new skills and abilities. These can range from fighting techniques, to support skills and production or trade skills.
As the game progresses most players will tend to make friends and find other players to hunt and adventure with. This can lead to online friendships, or partnerships in the cases of guilds or dungeon parties [DP].
A “Guild” is a gathering of players that can be looked at like any army. The guild will contain players of all levels and skill. Some guilds set requirements of membership for potential recruits. This can require players to be above a certain level, or be a specific class or have a certain skill.
If you join a guild, decide what type is right for you. Always play the way that is the most fun for you. Remember at the end of the day an MMORPG is “just a game”.
I do not mean that in the patronizing way that people will use it in game to invalidate arguments or the way another player may feel passionately about something. I mean that it “IS” a game, and a game is supposed to be fun. When a game is no longer fun it contradicts the reason you originally started playing it in the first place.
Looking back at our story we can see that as a guild grows there “online” fame or “Reputation” grows with them. This adds an addictive aspect to the MMORPG genre because actual recognition from other players is much more substantial than rewards or recognition received from AI [Artificial Intelligence] or NPCs [Non Player Classes] found in standard single player RPGs.
Once most guilds reach a certain size, trade skills can become very important. Trade skills are skills that allow a player to have a “Profession” or “Trade Skill” in a game. This can range anything like tailoring, armor & weapon crafting, alchemy, gathering materials, or just plain selling anything you can get your hands on. [Damn Dwarves! - L2 Reference]
Another interesting aspect of these types of games is guild functions, like wars, raiding parties, recreational & fun gatherings, and meetings. It takes a lot of be a member of a serious guild. It takes even more to run a guild like that. Many high level “end game” guilds [guilds that experience high level content in MMORPGs] are run very much like a business. You are an employee and have your set responsibilities. If you are not committed or unable to perform your responsibility you may be reprimanded or even let go from the guild.
Some games enable guilds to own properties and siege castles and other areas for control of land. Certain games can take this even further by giving these controlling guilds power to affect politics and commerce in the game.
There are many other aspects to MMORPGs, trade skills, leveling, combat, skills, weapons and armor, etc but I will not cover them here. This was intended to be a general introduction into what an MMORPG is and I feel myself ranting at this point.
To summarize, an MMORPG is best thought of as a “Persistent World” role playing game. Even when a player logs out of the game there is a world of digital life and activity going about its daily routine. The many aspects incorporated in these types of games offer a true escape from the everyday grind of real life. While these games do have addictive facets to them, they can be just as healthy as any hobby if you take breaks from them to go outside for a walk.
The misunderstanding surrounding these games being as “addictive as drugs” is an unfortunate stereotype some people can’t shake. I do not see why a dedicated player cannot be successful in game and successful in life at the same time. Make sure to exercise, eat right, do stuff to help out around the house, pay attention to your wife or husband, don’t skip meals, and stretch your legs once and a while.
The perspectives a game gives you on life and that life gives you on the game are interchangeable. I have truly found that my way of thinking changes every time I approach a different game. Always be open mind, and learn. That is one of the best things someone can gain from playing this type of game.
“People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built” -Eleanor Roosevelt-
It’s funny how something so simple and straight forward can be applied in so many different ways.
Examples of well known MMORPGs
Now that we have a better idea of what an MMORPG is and why that is significant, let’s take a look at some of the more popular titles that have come out in past few years.
While technically there are games that could be classified as MMORPGs that have been around since the 1970’s, for the sake of my sanity we are only focusing on the late 90’s on up.
Below is a list of titles with a brief description of each game to give you a better understanding of why each is worth noting.
Ultima Online - Originally released in September of 1997, Ultima Online is considered one of the first highly successful, Graphical [2D] MMORPGs. It was so popular in it’s time that people continue to play it to this day.
Everquest - Releaseed in 1999, EverQuest [also referred to as EQ] was a very popular 3D MMORPG that is considered one of the original MMORPG offerings. It had a heavy population of players from 2000 to about 2004 and was well known for the questing and role playing aspects in the game.
Asheron’s Call - Was released in November of 1999 offering players another epic MMORPG. Very similar to other MMORPG titles of the time, but popular enough to be worth noting in this guide.
Dark Age of Camelot - Originally released in October of 2001, Dark Age of Camelot was a MMORPG that featured well developed PVP and RVR action. [PVP - Player vs. Player / RVR - Realm vs. Realm] DAoC was another popular MMORPG that still had numerous subscribers into 2005.
Phantasy Star Online - Was an Action MMORPG that was released for the Sega Dreamcast in 2000. It is worth mentioning because it was one of the first highly successful console based MMORPGs. Phantasy Star Online also did very well with new subscribers into 2005-2006.
Lineage II - Released in October 2003, Lineage II was a popular MMORPG title by NCSoft. The game featured a strict PVP system along with guild influence on politics and economy.
Everquest II - Which was released in November of 2004 was the second title to the popular EverQuest series. One of the highly noted features was the advanced graphics and player voices which were not found in many MMORPGs of the time. [Voices are still not found in many MMORPGs to date.]
World of Warcraft - Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years you have probably heard about World of Warcraft. A fantasy MMORPG released by Blizzard Entertainment in November of 2004. World of Warcraft was a fully featured MMORPG with well rounded quests, PVE [Player vs. Environment] PVP, Battlegrounds, etc. At the height of it’s popularity World or Warcraft had over 8 million subscribers worldwide. To date there has not been a more successful MMORPG.
Star Wars Galaxies - Released in 2003 Star Wars Galaxies was a popular MMORPG based on the Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. The game holds a claim on this list for having the largest fan base prior to release of almost half a million users. Once released this became another very popular MMORPG.
Dungeons and Dragons Online - An MMORPG of a classic dice based RPG that some would say shaped the world of RPGs in general. D&D Online was released February of 2006 and is a popular Fantasy MMORPG that users are still enjoying to this day.
Guild Wars - Guild Wars was another heavily PVP based title from NCSoft. Guild Wars was released in April of 2005. The game was very popular and unique in the fact that it did not rely on the standard grind to make up game play. Rather it focused heavily on PVP game play for the core experience for it’s subscribers. It was also popular because it did not require a monthly subscription fee to play after you had purchased the game.
Silk Road Online - Silk Road is a free MMORPG based on the fantasy and lore of ancient Asia that was released in October of 2005. It is part of a genre of MMORPGs known as “free to play”. Free to Play games are titles that users can download and sign up for with no additional cost. The free to play games are available because of the use of a “cash shop” which can be accessed through the company’s website [or in game]. The cash shop allows players to spend real world money [USD] to purchase in game items to help them progress through the game.
Rappelz - Another “free to play” title, Rappelz is an MMORPG that was released in November of 2006 by Gala-Net. Rappelz also offers players the option of a cash shop to use real world money to purchase in game items for their characters. The game features high quality graphics that are a step above most of the current “free to play” MMORPG titles available.
Traditional RPG Types
As I mentioned above, role playing games started out as games that required users to use their imaginations to create a fantasy world in which they played. This had many different forms with the most common one being a dice based game that was played on notebook paper and heavily dependant on numbers, statistics, and luck.
The games would usually be hosted and maintained by a “Dungeon Master” similar to a referee in sports games. Unlike a referee the Dungeon Master was responsible for planning most aspects of the game, while still giving final rulings on decisions and game play.
Dungeons and Dragons and Advanced Dungeons and Dragons were among these dice games which created a foothold for the title for the decades to come. [See "Examples of Well Known MMORPGs].
A traditional RPG would usually require that player create a character and rolled dice to determine various stats and bonuses for that character at the time of creation. The story line in the game, combat and character progression was all handled by the Dungeon Master and dice rolls. Battle was another aspect of the game that relied heavily on dice to determine success using combat techniques and skills.
While these games are still popular among groups today, they have taken a back seat to the more well known MMORPG genre. With the advent of video games ranging from single player RPGs like Final Fantasy, to massive online worlds like Everquest and World of Warcraft, the focus of many players has shifted to the visual elements that these games bring to the table.
It will be interesting to see how these types of games progress in the next several years as every generation of MMORPG has brought a superior visual quality and game play mechanic to the genre.
Different Genres of MMORPGs
There are numerous MMORPG genres available for players to satisfy almost every interest out there. Referring to standard MMORPG games, the most common types are:
Fantasy
Futuristic
Space
Mid-evil
Horror
Vampire
Anime
Robot
Vehicular
And MANY more. These really just cover the main types of MMORPGs out there. The genres are pretty self explanatory so I am not going to go into detail on them here. The majority of this guide is going to pertain to the Fantasy genre which covers most common types of games out there. [Including some of the categories listed above.]
Fantasy MMORPG Overview
The Fantasy MMORPG has become one of the most popular genres of MMORPGs to date. People have always been fascinated by living in a world of fairies and trolls. A lot of very successful movies in the past few years have been based off this need to escape into these types of worlds.
A standard Fantasy MMORPG will put the player into the role of a certain type of combatant. This will usually range from a type of fighter to various magic users. The world will usually have a mid-evil feel about it with large forests, dank swamps, snowy mountains, vast deserts and more.
Some common weapons found in Fantasy worlds are swords, axes, clubs, bows, daggers, staves, wands, etc. These are usually very specific to the game they are used in but can be found throughout the Fantasy MMORPG genre.
Another common feature in these Fantasy worlds are the types of monsters or “mobs” players will encounter. Since a large part of Fantasy worlds are based off popular mythology, it is not uncommon to see similar monsters in different game titles. Some good examples of this are trolls and orcs, good or evil fairies, Centaur like monsters, dragons and so forth.
The final common trait in a lot of these games is the way in which towns and professions are setup. Most towns will have a Captain or Battle Master, a mayor, a black smith, an armory, a merchant, and other services that might be found in a mid-evil or Fantasy type setting.
I am just briefly touching on these concepts in this section because I will be going into more detail about these topics later. For now you should have a pretty good idea of what you are getting yourself into.
Overview
I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of my multi-part MMORPG guide. This portion of the guide was designed to familiarize you with RPG and MMORPG style games. If you are new to the genre you should have a much better understanding of the origins of these games and the concepts behind them.
In the following sections of this guide I will be describing in detail, the many aspects of these games to give players new and old a better understanding of things like races, classes, skills, character stats, weapons, armor, professions, guilds and numerous other topics!
If you enjoyed this first guide definitely check back for the following sections as they will provide a much more in-depth look at these massively multiplayer online games.
As always thanks for checking out my Blog and if you know a friend who would be interested in this information please feel free to point them towards PseudoRant!
Also, if you have a forum that you frequent and you feel people would appreciate these guides definitely let them know.
Thanks for the support!
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