(Several years later...) First Post!

What's all this nonsense?

So...who am I?  I am like everyone else on the Internet, an asshole with an opinion.  Actually, lots of opinions.

In an attempt to reduce the amount of clutter that I, personally, am adding to the Internet, I will limit my opinionation to the subject of MMOs.  MMORPGs.  Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games.  Yeah, them.

Why should you care?  Actually, you probably shouldn't.  But you're here because I personally pointed you at it and you feel obligated, or because I said something so incendiary that someone linked it just to get a reaction out of you, or you're here by accident.  Regardless, thank you for your attention and please note the tip jar on the counter, but save your singles for the lap dance.

What makes me qualified to write, pontificate, wax rhapsodic, or rant about MMOs?  Well I've been playing them a long time, I've played a bunch, and they have been my primary entertainment for years.  I even play them more than I read these days.  No, I'm not proud of that, but pretending that something doesn't exist won't make it go away.  Like necrotizing fasciitis or the Kardashians.  (ASIDE:  "Necrotizing Fasciitis" would make a fine character name.  Generally, a lot of diseases make for good character names.  I've gotten a number of compliments on my toons named "Yersinia Pestis".  I've considered a GW2 character named "Heliobacter Pylori" but I think it's too long.  END ASIDE)

More generally, I have a LONG history with games of all sorts.  I got a copy of Avalon Hill's "Luftwaffe" when I was about 12.  I got the original boxed set of D&D (fake brown woodgrain box!) in 74 or 75.  I bought my Apple ][+ in 1979 expressly to play games (especially those from SSI [ASIDE:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Simulations,_Inc.  END ASIDE]).  And I've modified them endlessly, changing, mutating, morphing, combining, supplementing, excising, and a whole lot more verbs where those came from.

I've mathematically deconstructed some games to the point where I could only lose by random factors or getting ganged-up on (ASIDE:  The original "Star Fleet Battles" and "Circus Maximus" to name two END ASIDE).  I've kept records on games that would do an OCD APBA player proud (ASIDE:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocd and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APBA respectively END ASIDE).  I own and have read more than a dozen books on MMO design and theory...AND I'VE NEVER WORKED FOR A GAME COMPANY (ASIDE:  Unless working for a game store counts.  I worked a few years at Games of Berkeley.  Both locations.  END ASIDE)

So my opinions may not be relevant.  They may not be logical.  They may not be right.

But they are not uninformed.

-Lens