For those of you not keeping score, it’s been just about a year since I began infuriating the more simple-minded grammar-nazis with this column. To be fair, I’m simple-minded enough that the joke hasn’t worn thin for me yet, every comment along the lines of *You’re still rouses a patronizing chuckle.

What a year it’s been; I got married, travelled to Africa for the first time, attended my first SOE Live, met a multitude of amazing people in and around the EverQuest Next and Landmark community and had more interesting and enlightening conversations about games than in all my previous years combined. At this time of year in a certain part of the world it’s très à la mode to share what we’re thankful for, and this year I feel overwhelmed by how overburdened I am with options.

A quick thanks then, to all of you lovely people reading this for your part, and to the good people at ZAM who still allow me to bother you with this stuff every week.

Now, to the posturing and self-aggrandizing reserved for arbitrary milestones.

In preparation for this week I took a quick look at the first Your Next, hoping to see how far we’d come and how much I’d embarrassed myself with inaccurate predictions. To be honest, I was a little disappointed.

Landmark Beta Key Giveaway!

Sony Online Entertainment has teamed up with ZAM to offer our community a Limited Closed Beta Key Giveaway for their sandbox MMO, Landmark! Here's how to get yours:

We've already heard about the Halloween event kickoffs for both the EverQuest and EverQuest II Nights of the Dead, but what's haunting SOE's other four games?

Often this column is only very loosely formed around EverQuest Next and/or Landmark, and I sometimes feel a little guilty about that. I’m prone to getting wrapped up in ideas and discussions of broader trends, when I’m sure that many of you would rather have a chat about those cool games we’re all excited about.

So this week, I’m not going to get derailed by what’s going on in the industry at large, even if it’s thinly wrapped in the context of EQN and Landmark. I don’t think this is the place for it, and other people have already done a much better job of it than I ever could.

If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, look for the word ‘gamer’ in the mainstream press. In fact, it’s probably best not to, it’s just embarrassing.

Instead, we’re going to talk about some great things that are happening in the development of EQN and Landmark right now! I know you don’t come here for news either, so hang tight and brace for opinions.

There’s been an update to combat in Landmark, and with it some of the basic ideas that form the foundation of what will follow; not just in Landmark, but in EQN also. It’s great to see more of the systems being fleshed out, and I’m personally very happy with the way this one is going. Slowing the pace of combat and adding more opportunity for tactical decision making is a positive step, and the systems used to do it are encouraging.

Creating depth without becoming bogged down in complexity is always a great challenge in game design, especially with horizontal character advancement, and it looks like SOE has some great sources of inspiration in place to facilitate it. Specifically, we can already see the influence of Magic the Gathering on character building:

• Collecting more options can be very helpful, but isn’t required to engage with the content

• Enormous variety is possible, but you don’t have to understand or even be aware of everything to be strong

• Conversely, by understanding how the different elements can be used together a player can become more powerful through understanding, not just by the numbers on their gear

• While it’s possible to make a very strong build, the large possibility space means that nothing is the best solution to every problem

It's been pointed out time and again that Landmark enjoys one of the best online communities ever, and I must say I agree. Yes, there are those who have an unfortunate proclivity towards being entitled jerks, but really their crime is caring too much. Comparing these mild irritants to some online communities is like comparing a playful scratch from a kitten to stepping on a LEGO.

I'm happy and proud to be part of this community, and I hope that my words and actions contribute to supporting and maintaining this attitude.

Now, let's all kick the stuffing out of each other—I want to fight every last one of you.

Yes, PvP is here; it's the new thing the cool kids are talking about. While I appreciate and respect the reservations of some when it comes to this kind of activity, I would heartily recommend at least trying out the weapons with a trusted friend.

These mechanics and systems are, after all, what we can expect from combat all the way through to EverQuest Next. Your feedback at this early stage carries just as much weight as the psychotics among us who enjoy a little competition, so don't be shy, you have nothing to lose. Really—there's no death penalty yet, go nuts. (Before you start, yes, I am aware there almost certainly won't be a default death penalty in this kind of content. Let's just all share the hilarious joke and move on.)

Being part of SOE's development of Landmark and EverQuest Next has so far been a strange and unique process, at times it feels like watching a Rube Goldberg machine assemble itself. We don't understand how everything fits together because we don't know yet, it's never been done. Frankly, I doubt that SOE knows how it all fits together; opportunities emerge as they build the tools to make the platform to build the tools. Opening the crate with the crowbar that's inside it.

SOE Live offers a convenient point of punctuation—it’s a great time to look back and take stock of how far we've come in such a short time while looking ahead at the ever clearer path in front of us.

Over a year ago during SOE Live 2013, I became hopelessly enamoured with the idea these games represented. Whether it's a case of cognitive bias or not, I must say being part of this experience has so far exceeded my expectations and I am consistently floored by the innovation of this unprecedented project.

Of course there's a long way to go, but right now I'm glad it's happening at all. Those of you who follow the news of the industry at large will be aware of the awful events of the last couple of weeks. We all know an unfortunate side effect of the anonymity the internet provides is giving a mouthpiece to people who don't think some other people's experiences are valid. So called 'gamer culture' has provided a breeding ground for these hateful fantasists, the themes and marketing strategies of the AAA game industry tend to play into their delusions.

So we must endure the death throes of this weak and petty bunch, all the while maintaining our superiority, because we are selfish enough to want others to be included.

Did I say selfish? Surely they are the selfish ones? Don't worry, it's just a trick – read on for the delightfully hyperbolic rhetoric!

When discussing accessibility in MMOs, I often refer to my selfishness. Because I am selfish, I want other people to enjoy playing the games I do; I want them to be knowledgeable and competent and feel empowered in the way that I do because improving their game experience improves my own.

It's the same with the game industry as a whole. I want all types of people to feel included, respected and valued because I am an awful, selfish man who wants games to be the best and most interesting they can be.

This is why I tend to champion instances of user generated content, social cohesion and player agency in games. I think it makes them more challenging, interesting and ultimately exciting. It might not always make them better, they might not be any more fun and judging by suggestions on forum posts we can expect more misses than hits.

Image Source: @toarda

Landmark has recently seen its biggest release in months, launching deaths, PvP combat and movers (platforming) to its players.

SOE Live 2014 was a crazy time for everyone involved, for no one more so than the SOE staff themselves. That's why, after a couple of hiccups and conflicts while trying to find time to speak with Terry Michaels (Senior Producer for EverQuest Next and Landmark), I was amazed at the trouble they went to just to make sure we got a chance to chat about MMOs.

Even Omeed helped.

This week, we're on the ground at SOE Live!

We've been getting a close look at the latest news on Landmark and EverQuest Next. Between a press briefing and an interview, we've learned a lot. Below is a compilation of everything we've found, so take it all in!

As some of you know, I'll be getting married next week. She's cool—you’d like her. At times like this one's thoughts can't help but turn to the nature and idea of commitment.

It's something that's always struck me about the MMO genre, if it is a genre, these games are made with the hope that we'll be playing them for years to come. Many of us have, or still are.

We're all aware of how much competition there is for our valuable free time these days. With the rise of quality free-to-play titles, the Steam Sale and the Humble Bundle, the barrier of entry for the best gaming has to offer drops lower by the day.

It seems like an insurmountable task for a developer to create one game that could hold our interest for any length of time, let alone years.

Could this be it? Could MMOs soon be relegated to a niche curiosity with the odd nostalgia product aimed at an aging, dwindling crowd?