Comments on: How do you describe “epic”? http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/how-do-you-describe-epic/ MMO game development Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:09:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Bullseyed http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/how-do-you-describe-epic/comment-page-1/#comment-27445 Bullseyed Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:02:53 +0000 http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/07/how-do-you-describe-epic/#comment-27445 I'm back so far in post history that people probably will never read this comment, but there have been some pretty epic WoW situations I've been in, even though to an extent they were calculated. Killing M'uru and KJ in Sunwell were epic the first time. If you never experienced pre-nerf M'uru, maybe it is hard to relate to. That first time Entropius went down and I saw myself on the top of the damage meter... the feeling was like no other. It was very epic. KJ was the same way, largely because of the lore involved in the fight. Seeing the Sunwell open up and blast light into the room... running around in the light... you really felt on top of the world. Like you had done something special. Raiding in WoW in WotLK doesn't feel like that. It feels too easy. You are much more cognizant of other people mistakes. In Sunwell I didn't have time to see what anyone else was doing. We just had to count on each other and play as hard and fast as we could. I’m back so far in post history that people probably will never read this comment, but there have been some pretty epic WoW situations I’ve been in, even though to an extent they were calculated.

Killing M’uru and KJ in Sunwell were epic the first time. If you never experienced pre-nerf M’uru, maybe it is hard to relate to. That first time Entropius went down and I saw myself on the top of the damage meter… the feeling was like no other. It was very epic. KJ was the same way, largely because of the lore involved in the fight. Seeing the Sunwell open up and blast light into the room… running around in the light… you really felt on top of the world. Like you had done something special.

Raiding in WoW in WotLK doesn’t feel like that. It feels too easy. You are much more cognizant of other people mistakes. In Sunwell I didn’t have time to see what anyone else was doing. We just had to count on each other and play as hard and fast as we could.

]]> By: Azaroth » Blog Archive » IceBowl ‘08 http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/how-do-you-describe-epic/comment-page-1/#comment-350 Azaroth » Blog Archive » IceBowl ‘08 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:50:52 +0000 http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/07/how-do-you-describe-epic/#comment-350 [...] a lesson from MMOs. Be Epic. If you want to compete on the biggest stage, Be [...] [...] a lesson from MMOs. Be Epic. If you want to compete on the biggest stage, Be [...]

]]> By: Brian 'Psychochild' Green http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/how-do-you-describe-epic/comment-page-1/#comment-176 Brian 'Psychochild' Green Sun, 09 Dec 2007 04:29:26 +0000 http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/07/how-do-you-describe-epic/#comment-176 Yeah, for me "epic" has connotations of a large scale. An event that involves a lot of people or, better, changes the world in a significant way is "epic" in my definition. Almost every current game that relies on a static world and instances is not really that epic, despite the presence of items with names colored purple. The only game that I think would really count as "epic" would be AC due to their constant monthly updates and worldwide events. WoW is pretty much the opposite of epic to me. I went back to the Night Elf newbie area with a new character and commented that the Night Elves really suck since they still haven't retaken Starbreeze Village since I went through there about 3 years ago. Just one level 70 could wipe out the monsters in that village in a few seconds. Stupid respawn, I guess, hmm? Yeah, for me “epic” has connotations of a large scale. An event that involves a lot of people or, better, changes the world in a significant way is “epic” in my definition. Almost every current game that relies on a static world and instances is not really that epic, despite the presence of items with names colored purple. The only game that I think would really count as “epic” would be AC due to their constant monthly updates and worldwide events.

WoW is pretty much the opposite of epic to me. I went back to the Night Elf newbie area with a new character and commented that the Night Elves really suck since they still haven’t retaken Starbreeze Village since I went through there about 3 years ago. Just one level 70 could wipe out the monsters in that village in a few seconds. Stupid respawn, I guess, hmm?

]]> By: Nikos Beck http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/how-do-you-describe-epic/comment-page-1/#comment-173 Nikos Beck Sat, 08 Dec 2007 17:03:30 +0000 http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/07/how-do-you-describe-epic/#comment-173 I think there's another definition of "epic": an event that brings the lives of many together for a single purpose. For example, the finale to the first season of "Heroes". I won't give away the plot. The lives of twenty characters who had never met are drawn together for a single event. It feels "epic". I suppose it'd be possible to give members of a guild unique, single-player quests that come together in a boss battle that can only be won when each player brings their custom loot. One member has golden thread, another has a "needle of instant-weaving", another has a mannequin automaton. When the players come together the thread is woven into a golden sweater for the mannequin who comes to life and saves the characters before they die, revitilizing them with a rage bonus which lets them defeat the boss. It'd be a battle that can only be won when all of the peices come together. Just an example. I think there’s another definition of “epic”: an event that brings the lives of many together for a single purpose. For example, the finale to the first season of “Heroes”. I won’t give away the plot. The lives of twenty characters who had never met are drawn together for a single event. It feels “epic”. I suppose it’d be possible to give members of a guild unique, single-player quests that come together in a boss battle that can only be won when each player brings their custom loot. One member has golden thread, another has a “needle of instant-weaving”, another has a mannequin automaton. When the players come together the thread is woven into a golden sweater for the mannequin who comes to life and saves the characters before they die, revitilizing them with a rage bonus which lets them defeat the boss. It’d be a battle that can only be won when all of the peices come together. Just an example.

]]> By: Babs http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/how-do-you-describe-epic/comment-page-1/#comment-172 Babs Sat, 08 Dec 2007 08:07:03 +0000 http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/07/how-do-you-describe-epic/#comment-172 There is that definition of epic that simply means "large," though, which is apropos to some quests that aren't epic in the huzzah sense. We need new adjectives for this industry =P There is that definition of epic that simply means “large,” though, which is apropos to some quests that aren’t epic in the huzzah sense. We need new adjectives for this industry =P

]]> By: Cameron Sorden http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/how-do-you-describe-epic/comment-page-1/#comment-171 Cameron Sorden Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:03:48 +0000 http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/07/how-do-you-describe-epic/#comment-171 Yeah, the adrenaline rush from the thrill of victory over a powerful foe is fairly epic. But like you said, hard to manufacture. I don't know. I'm just tired of reading or watching interviews and seeing whoever they got to promote the game call everything from the newbie experience to the crafting "epic." It's like a corporate buzzword specialized for the MMO industry. Yeah, the adrenaline rush from the thrill of victory over a powerful foe is fairly epic. But like you said, hard to manufacture. I don’t know. I’m just tired of reading or watching interviews and seeing whoever they got to promote the game call everything from the newbie experience to the crafting “epic.” It’s like a corporate buzzword specialized for the MMO industry.

]]> By: Jason http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/how-do-you-describe-epic/comment-page-1/#comment-170 Jason Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:13:46 +0000 http://www.eldergame.com/2007/12/07/how-do-you-describe-epic/#comment-170 I think about the only time I liked the way "epic" was used was back in EverQuest on the original line of Epic Quests. While each class' quest did include parts that were nothing more than fetch or collect, they also included zone raids and boss mobs that were fairly exciting (except Ragefire, the original design was horrible). The use of "epic" by players in WoW, however, leaves much to be desired. I prefer it when they just call them "purple". I think about the only time I liked the way “epic” was used was back in EverQuest on the original line of Epic Quests. While each class’ quest did include parts that were nothing more than fetch or collect, they also included zone raids and boss mobs that were fairly exciting (except Ragefire, the original design was horrible). The use of “epic” by players in WoW, however, leaves much to be desired. I prefer it when they just call them “purple”.

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