The Daily Grind: What news makes you excited and happy about a game?
by Eliot Lefebvre 
Nov 3rd 2009 at 8:00AM
Filed under: Culture, News items, Opinion, The Daily Grind
We'll freely admit that yesterday's Daily Grind was a bit... how should we say it... pessimistic. Certainly MMOs and their associated industry aren't always sunshine and light, and we'd never pretend that they are, but that doesn't mean we can't occasionally perk things up a little bit. So today, we're shifting to the other side of the coin.
Because let's be honest. We don't stay in this hobby to complain -- that's just a fringe benefit. There are bits and pieces here and there that fill us with joy and a sense that all is right with the world around us. Sometimes it's something as little as finding out that long-awaited features are going to be added to a game, sometimes it's the promise of a much-wished sequel to a well-loved game, and sometimes the mere presence of an expansion makes us get all dizzy with glee.
Today, readers, we ask you: what sort of news makes you happy? What stories do you have about bits of information that made you instantly exclaim how cool something was going to be? Little moments like that are what keep us interested, so let's celebrate them a little bit. What news do you think of as great news?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
MrGutts said on 8:21AM 11-03-2009
I like seeing news when a game gets a overhaul. Something like CoH is doing with the graphics or something like Eve did a while back with their graphics.
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Neurotic said on 9:01AM 11-03-2009
Yes, this is what turns me on too. Vanguard's new player overhaul was a great thing; the news that the next WoW expansion will somehow futz with the existing zones is exciting too.
Tom said on 8:31AM 11-03-2009
I went through an entire little quest series in WotLK (WoW) the other day on my own. It was well-written, well-designed, and enjoyable -- and I completed the whole thing solo -- even a final epic battle part with an elite bosses and so on. All of it soloable.
I like a mix of solo and group content in an MMO, but I get frustrated by the standard "solo quest leads to leads to another solo quest leads to a group quest" format that so many MMOs seem inclined to offer (including WoW, though less so in WotLK than in the original game and TBC).
It's nice to see the industry learning how to make content more accessible and fun for all kinds of playing styles.
This made me happy and it also makes me hopeful for what we might see more of in Cataclysm.
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Khai Mann said on 9:11AM 11-03-2009
When they add new content for free. I play EVE and like the way they always add new things every few months. This gives me something to look forward to and also makes me want to stay with the game a little longer.
Graphics upgrades is always a good thing, even if they do it small chunks at a time.
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Jonisjalopy said on 10:28AM 11-03-2009
I agree with Khai.
I'm all for buying expansions and whatnot, but a little free content sprinkled in always makes me smile =)
JP Putnam said on 11:30AM 11-03-2009
I agree. I love it when new areas and content are added to an MMO. I think that's one of the most exciting things about the online format: the product can evolve over time, letting users feel that there's an actual living, breathing world that they're taking part in. This is something I think Blizzard has been doing very well. I look forward to the next expansion, and look forward to seeing how users react to the redesigned spaces.
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Faryon said on 12:53PM 11-03-2009
Normally new content makes me happy to hear about except when that content is raid-only. I like it when a game announce that it's adding more small-groups content and more "epic" questlines. (Story type epic, not like an epic item at the end of the road.. though that never hurts)
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Origosis said on 12:59PM 11-03-2009
I like when they add free content. Specifically the little things. a quick quest series, special scalable quests for any level are my favorite. in all RPG's I am usually Low level to mid level. Not a max or high level character in ANY RPG except EQ2.
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Accordance said on 1:18PM 11-03-2009
I like it best when a game continues to surprise me. It's something like experiencing a zone with unique graphics and physics, hearing music and convincing voice-acting, and experiencing game physics that are unusual but reasonable, like being able to push enemies off bridges. It's like a wake-up call to walk into a zone that has all of this available and it tells me that the developers of the game really do love their creation and aren't in it just for the money. It's like they are making a promise to their player-base that, no matter what, they will strive to let the game become everything it can be, even if that means taking chances or making drastic changes or sometimes NOT making a change because it doesn't fit the lore of the world.
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ad said on 1:23PM 11-03-2009
Adding a PVP server to a carebear or mixed pvp game.
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Matt said on 1:21PM 11-03-2009
For a new game, whether new to me or not out yet, character customization. I like being able to plan a unique character out. I like hearing about the small details that will let you feel like your character is your character, not just the 3rd face, 5th hair in light brown, wearing the same level 10 gear that everyone else got from the major quest reward. LOTRO's surnames and outfitting options are the first thing that comes to mind.
For expansions for games I'm currently playing, I get excited about additions that will affect players all through the level range. The worst expansions are the ones that only add for max level characters. New classes to play, new content to explore, new mount system, stuff like that.
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-_- said on 6:21PM 11-03-2009
100% Orange?
So, Does that mean its all the color orange or all the fruit orange?
Whats Juicy Bits?
Ive seen other products do the same thing such as..."100% Grated. Parmesan Cheese" does that mean its all cheese or just that its all grated?
Just my thoughts.
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Jeromai said on 7:25PM 11-05-2009
Graphics updates
New content additions - preferably for all sectors of their target audience (not just those at max level)
New innovative systems added - doing something a little differently than the standard MMO norm, it's something new and crunchy for me to explore and implies more thought, design, hard work has gone into taking the game one little step further. This is the one factor that makes me gleeful and continue to hang on to a game's subscription, even if I'm currently bored with the game mechanics, because when I come back to it, there will be new things to see.
Updates that respond to players - not necessarily by giving them what they want, but by showing that they have seen player feedback, evaluated it and decided to introduce what was best for the game. And/or updates that are following a clear developer plan or vision that suggest they have a feasible long term plan.
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