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Overwatch Beta Preview Livestream
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker)
Overwatch is making its official debut on Twitch this Thursday, October 15 ... and you're invited!


Join a duo of aspiring heroes, Haylinic and Ellohime, as they team up with our developers to fight for the future LIVE from Blizzard HQ. During these inaugural streams, you'll have a chance to see over 90 minutes of unedited real-time gameplay from not one, but two perspectives—plus, you'll get a first look at what you can expect from the upcoming Overwatch beta. (Wicked!)

Livestream Details:

Round up your allies, mark your calendars, and get ready for battle. We hope to see you there!

Rob Pardo - Games With Friends
Rob Pardo was at Unite this year and gave a short presentation during the keynote.

History
  • Dungeons and Dragons had a big impact on him as a game designer. It had a social storytelling experience that required a team.
  • Next he played some fighter games, such as Karate Champ.
  • Deathmatch games such as Doom came next, introducing new concepts. They were competitive games that you could play for a long time and leaderboards.
  • Warcraft II was the next game that had a big impact, as it was the first game he remembers playing with teams.
  • Next came online worlds like Ultima Online. Pardo saw people killing birds, collecting feathers, and making arrows to kill more birds, which looked boring. He then played the game and walked into the city where there were lots of players talking and interacting.
  • Everquest took the online world concept and added challenges that required a deep level of commitment, teamwork, and guilds, resulting in deep and long lasting friendships.
  • When looking at the games he played up to this point, he liked them all pretty equally, but the games with multiplayer had more playtime.

Multiplayer Games
  • Multiplayer makes a game very compelling, as they have competition, co-operation, friendships, community, and they are unique compared to other entertainment mediums.
  • There are other types of entertainment that are older than games, such as reading, movies, TV, music, and sports.
  • Movies and TV allow you to have a deeper emotional connection to the characters and story, as well as visualize things more vividly than books.
  • Sports is the closest of the other mediums to multiplayer games. If you actually compete, it gives you a lot of the same elements, but most people are spectators and consider it an entertainment medium. People love to get invested in their teams and watch them play.
  • Making multiplayer games is challenging, but it is worth it. Multiplayer makes games a unique medium compared to the others.
  • Multiplayer may also be inevitable, as more and more of the world is coming online.
  • The other games we play outside of digital games (board games, card games, drinking games) are almost all social games. In the gaming industry, it is the opposite, with most games not having multiplayer.
  • Multiplayer games allow you to explore friendships
    • Who can you depend on? - If someone gets awesome loot today, will they show up for the same boss tomorrow to help you?
    • What are they good at? - If you are playing a game like League of Legends, what roles are your friends good at?
    • Who picks you up when you are down? - When Pardo was playing Everquest, he teleported into a dungeon where he was instantly killed. This resulted in losing experience, his level up, and all of his stuff ended up on the ground. He ended up naked and unable to teleport back. His friends went to the dungeon with him and helped him get his gear back.
    • Are they good winners / losers? - Is someone flipping the table just because you beat them in a game?
    • Conversation during a shared activity - In some games, people log on just to chat with their guild. You can't do that at a music festival or during a movie.
    • Meeting new friends or a spouse - A decent number of people meet their spouse or long time friends in a multiplayer game.

Multiplayer Problems
  • Why aren't developers making more multiplayer games?
    • Too Niche? - There are lots of multiplayer games in the list of top grossing games of all times. Players often play them for years, allowing them to be very lucrative for the people that make them.
    • Too Expensive? - There is some truth to that, as those top grossing games often involve a lot of art resources. Adding multiplayer to games doesn't have to be expensive though. There are lots of smaller multiplayer games that are fun, interesting, and engaging.
    • Too Hard? - Accommodating lots of players and how they interact in a multiplayer game does have some challenges.
      • Networking and server code is hard, as is finding developers to work on it, as other big non-gaming companies want to hire those same people.
      • You need a critical mass of players if you want to have matchmaking that works well.
      • Game balance is also very important, as it enables your game to last for months or years.
      • Adding multiplayer means more features, such as chat and friends.
  • Watercooler Problem - You may meet someone that plays the same game as you and want to play together, but there are problems:
    • Skill gap - One of the players might have been playing the game a lot longer, resulting in a big skill gap.
    • Different levels - In an MMO, the players might not be the same level, resulting in gameplay that isn't fun for both players.
    • Different progression - You may be at different points in the story or quest lines, meaning that you can't play together.
    • Different servers - In games with multiple servers, you may not be on the same server as the other player.
    • Some of these problems existed (and still exist) in WoW and other Blizzard games.
    • Some games have solved these problems, such as Rock Band.

Future of Multiplayer
  • Play with your kids - There aren't a lot of great games you can play with your kids right now.
  • E-sports becoming more relevant - It may not be too long until e-sports are on ESPN and not ESPN2.
  • Device agnostic games - Interaction with PC-based MMOs on your mobile device.
  • Crossing national and language barriers - Gamers are worldwide and want to play together, especially in competitive games.
  • Virtual Reality is coming



Ghostcrawler Tweets
Ghostcrawler still occasionally talks about WoW. Remember that he no longer works for or speaks for Blizzard.
Originally Posted by MMO-Champion
New post: Communicating with players is not the product. Really, ?
While I agree that changing policies may be startling, companies should be able to do so if they aren't working for them. (OccupyGStreet)
You are also within your rights to claim that you preferred an old policy better of course. (OccupyGStreet)
But B's traditional policy was one of limited discourse. I helped change that somewhat, but perhaps outside of their comfort zone. (OccupyGStreet)
You admit yourself that technically the product is a game, not how developers interact with players about the game. (OccupyGStreet)
yes, but is the naked software all of the "service package" an MMORPG offers? Plus I talk about expectations, set and ruined.
I do think you can argue that the entire player experience even outside of the "box" (lol) is part of the product. (OccupyGStreet)



Guild Wars 2 - Economy and Legendary Weapons
ArenaNet posted two new blog posts covering the economy and how legendary weapons will work in Heart of Thorns. In the economy blog, they note that dungeons will get a gold nerf to move the focus to raids and fractals, as that is the content they want to support. Some additional questions were answered on the forum.



DLC #508 - Howling for You
DLC #508 has been released.

This article was originally published in forum thread: Overwatch Beta Livestream, Pardo Presentation, Tweets, GW2 HoT Updates, DLC #508 started by chaud View original post
Comments 40 Comments
  1. mmoc8ba596ddc7's Avatar
    And again, as always with blizzard, the "popular streamers" (eg lowlives) are allowed early access playthroughs of their games. Streamers who have jack shit to do with the blizzard universe as well.
    This is plain sad, i knew that Overwacht is just another F2P copy of TF2 but apparently it also targets the 12 year old audience from Twitch and youtube let's plays.

    I'll pass on that.
  1. Nerraw's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by hypetrain View Post
    And again, as always with blizzard, the "popular streamers" (eg lowlives) are allowed early access playthroughs of their games. Streamers who have jack shit to do with the blizzard universe as well.
    This is plain sad, i knew that Overwacht is just another F2P copy of TF2 but apparently it also targets the 12 year old audience from Twitch and youtube let's plays.

    I'll pass on that.
    Your username is the reason they give streamers access first.

    And as for the streamers chosen, I don't know about the other guy but Ellohime does stream Blizzard games from time to time. So he's not a complete unknown in that regard as you claim.
  1. luckydan79's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by hypetrain View Post
    And again, as always with blizzard, the "popular streamers" (eg lowlives) are allowed early access playthroughs of their games. Streamers who have jack shit to do with the blizzard universe as well.
    This is plain sad, i knew that Overwacht is just another F2P copy of TF2 but apparently it also targets the 12 year old audience from Twitch and youtube let's plays.

    I'll pass on that.
    Overwatch is a TF2 with ONE PUNCH MAN characters copies.

    Hey at least they didn't copy one of the villians in ONE PUNCH MAN in the house of evolution from the manga series and implement in the game like many of the heroes which were an inspiration from ...... Oh wait scratch that all of them are practically a copy from ONE PUNCH MAN.

    Jeez Blizzard at least credit your inspiration.
  1. roahn the warlock's Avatar
    I am enjoying the huntard theme on Dark Legacy the past few weeks
  1. JohnnyQuest's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by hypetrain View Post
    but apparently it also targets the 12 year old audience from Twitch and youtube let's plays.

    I'll pass on that.
    You're not really leaving much room for any audience at if you're chucking all of Twitch and a huge chunk of YouTube into, what I assume is supposed to be, your negative group of 12 year olds.

    But you do you, I guess. If you're happy being misinformed and irrelevant that's cool.
  1. Eleccybubb's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by roahn the warlock View Post
    I am enjoying the huntard theme on Dark Legacy the past few weeks
    Same and I was a hunter! . As for Overwatch looking forward to the livestream and that's rare because I'm not normally into the FPS genre.
  1. MyndZero's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by luckydan79 View Post
    Overwatch is a TF2 with ONE PUNCH MAN characters copies.

    Hey at least they didn't copy one of the villians in ONE PUNCH MAN in the house of evolution from the manga series and implement in the game like many of the heroes which were an inspiration from ...... Oh wait scratch that all of them are practically a copy from ONE PUNCH MAN.

    Jeez Blizzard at least credit your inspiration.
    Oh really? Then what about ONE PUNCH MAN? Where did they draw inspiration from?? Why aren't THEY crediting their inspiration????

    Exactly. Get the **** out.
  1. Thelxi's Avatar
    I like how he doesn't even mention that multiplayer aspects completely fuck over playing a game solo. Just look at D3 where you can grind enormously more efficient in groups, or BL2 where you pretty much can't even reach the max difficulty solo, unless you cheese and glitch. Bullshit 0 value presentation.
  1. Abysthor's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by hypetrain View Post
    And again, as always with blizzard, the "popular streamers" (eg lowlives) are allowed early access playthroughs of their games. Streamers who have jack shit to do with the blizzard universe as well.
    This is plain sad, i knew that Overwacht is just another F2P copy of TF2 but apparently it also targets the 12 year old audience from Twitch and youtube let's plays.

    I'll pass on that.
    Well, didn't take long for the negativity to hit this thread.


    http://giphy.com/gifs/fDO2Nk0ImzvvW
  1. Mister K's Avatar
    Really hoping they will tell us the release date of OW Beta and hopefully it's super soon. I am just too hyped at this point and no other game is making me want to play anything.

    Also typo in the GW2 "Wepaons" section :3

    Quote Originally Posted by hypetrain View Post
    And again, as always with blizzard, the "popular streamers" (eg lowlives) are allowed early access playthroughs of their games. Streamers who have jack shit to do with the blizzard universe as well.
    This is plain sad, i knew that Overwacht is just another F2P copy of TF2 but apparently it also targets the 12 year old audience from Twitch and youtube let's plays.

    I'll pass on that.
    Let's not Game vs Game, way to start it off tho! Also funny you say that about 12 year olds, half the TF2 community is filled with them (less hostile than that of CoD youngsters tho).
  1. zrankfappa's Avatar
    I would love an overwatch beta ... only login to wow to garrison once a day, and d3 season 4 burnout is setting in.
  1. Kathranis's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by hypetrain View Post
    And again, as always with blizzard, the "popular streamers" (eg lowlives) are allowed early access playthroughs of their games. Streamers who have jack shit to do with the blizzard universe as well.
    This is plain sad, i knew that Overwacht is just another F2P copy of TF2 but apparently it also targets the 12 year old audience from Twitch and youtube let's plays.

    I'll pass on that.
    I'd say you forgot the "kappa," but it's already your avatar.



    Quote Originally Posted by luckydan79 View Post
    Overwatch is a TF2 with ONE PUNCH MAN characters copies.

    Hey at least they didn't copy one of the villians in ONE PUNCH MAN in the house of evolution from the manga series and implement in the game like many of the heroes which were an inspiration from ...... Oh wait scratch that all of them are practically a copy from ONE PUNCH MAN.

    Jeez Blizzard at least credit your inspiration.
    Hey, looks like someone just started watching the One-Punch Man anime.

    I assume you're talking about Winston, the talking gorilla? Because the second episode of OPM has a cyborg gorilla as one of the mooks that gets beaten up? Well, just so you know, intelligent / robot gorilla is already a pretty common trope. Optimus Primal, Kriegaffe, hell, Gorilla Grodd has been in the Marvel universe since the 1950s.

    You do realize that OPM is primarily a parody of existing anime, manga, and comic books, right?

    I don't think I can think of a single other character from the OPM series that resembles anyone from Overwatch, anyway.
  1. Coldfire989's Avatar
    Horrible picks for who to stream this. Slightly ok with Ello at least he is kinda know but Haylinic she is not very well known at all. So many better blizzard streamers you could have picked.
  1. dixincide's Avatar
    Dark Legacy's Hunter Comic's are amazing.
  1. mmoca1f309ca84's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Coldfire989 View Post
    Horrible picks for who to stream this. Slightly ok with Ello at least he is kinda know but Haylinic she is not very well known at all. So many better blizzard streamers you could have picked.
    But but but she is so pretty / hot and what not - sex sells?
  1. valcrist's Avatar
    Wow already revealing more over watch. More and more blizzcon is becoming pointless, and as a long time blizzard fan it sickens me to watch them going away from awesome big story games to these pathetic empty F2p money pits. I better enjoy legacy of the void it's probably the last Starcraft game and probably last actual launch game blizzard will probably do for awhile.
  1. DesoPL's Avatar
    I might sound stupid, harsh etc but. Rob Pardo at some points just telling an lies. As far i agree in part about gross games, in fact i do not agree with that multiplayer is the future.

    Maybe i was an old school gamer? Possible. Maybe i am more asocial gamer? That's for sure. But i still prefer old good classics like AoE2, Warcraft 2 and many others. Why? Because this old games, today by many considered as crap, is for most people childhood. Don't get me wrong, but who don't played here Sim City 3000? AoE2? Warcraft 2? Or even Quake 3 Arena? Newer games it's look are created only for profits for companies like EA etc. Than for fun.
  1. Eleccybubb's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by valcrist View Post
    Wow already revealing more over watch. More and more blizzcon is becoming pointless, and as a long time blizzard fan it sickens me to watch them going away from awesome big story games to these pathetic empty F2p money pits. I better enjoy legacy of the void it's probably the last Starcraft game and probably last actual launch game blizzard will probably do for awhile.
    Highly doubt it's the last Starcraft game since they can easily go Starcraft 3 with a brand new story or a Starcraft MMO but guess I'll have to wait till Blizzcon to hear more on it.
  1. mmocf9825ee83e's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by luckydan79 View Post
    Overwatch is a TF2 with ONE PUNCH MAN characters copies.

    Hey at least they didn't copy one of the villians in ONE PUNCH MAN in the house of evolution from the manga series and implement in the game like many of the heroes which were an inspiration from ...... Oh wait scratch that all of them are practically a copy from ONE PUNCH MAN.

    Jeez Blizzard at least credit your inspiration.
    welcome to the world of game development

    and who are "all" those chars you are refering to? that tenshinhan copy without 3rd eye?
    yea, he is totaly new
  1. SinR's Avatar
    Blizzard reaches out to top streamers, says "Hey you wanna maybe get more subs and/or followers? Wanna stream OVERWATCH???"

    some decline. "Nah I really can't get behind it. Nothing personal but its not my style of game"

    others accept. "Yeah, that'd be cool, really a fan of where the game is and I personally can't wait to stream it all the time"

    Two get chosen by Blizzard to be the first ones outside Blizzard that get to play Beta.

    I'm looking for the problem here but I just can't see it

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