I really want to write about design that is forgiving of error, but a more basic point in The Design of Everyday Things keeps interfering: much user error is design error. If users keep doing the same things wrong, there is probably something about the design that is encouraging them to do the wrong thing. [...]

User Error and Design Error is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

For my small viewfinder, not much news came out of PAX.  Perhaps the biggest thing was the announcement that ArenaNet was making an iPad/smartphone app for Guild Wars 2 with such neuromantic functionalities such as talking to guild mates, scouring the auction house, and watching guild mates play via an overworld map.  I was going [...]

The Roads After PAX is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

You used to suspect eBay when you met someone at the level cap with decent gear who did not know what half his abilities were, how to function in a group, or where common locations were. Now that is normal. : Zubon As a LotRO Hunter, I have contributed to that. Why find the dungeon [...]

Changing Times (1) is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

… or, “UI vs. Player” (not a FFXIV review). You get used to playing with games that have first-person view or an adjustable camera. Playing some old school (-style) games, I am reminded of how the third-person camera and the interface was used against the player. It is like my earlier post about how the [...]

Behind the Black is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

The closed beta just went 24/7, which is a good sign of movement towards release. I have not tried it much, because I decided it was not for me, at least not in the mood I am in this year, but I should say: as far as I experienced it, the game was more polished [...]

LEGO Universe Beta is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

Via our good friend Darren comes this developer post. You should read it all because, holy crap, that is how you admit that the launch did not go well. It would take longer to summarize than for you to read it, so I give you this excerpt: The point is, the issue here is far [...]

Accepting Responsibility is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

Feeling the itch to try something different? Love is free to play this weekend. This weekend Love will be free to play for anyone who wants to. All you need to do is download the client(42Mb), un-zip it start love.exe . Then just click “play for free” and you are in. It wasn’t a game [...]

Free Love is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

PAX starts today, and of course I am on the wrong coast.  There should be a lot of great information flowing out of the last big convention of the year.  Guild Wars 2 is running another set of demos, but unfortunately will not have a live stream like they did from gamescom.  They will, however, [...]

Good Morning, PAX is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

I took on my raid – er, ultramarathon – and completed it in a little over 23 hours. The weather was perfect, the scenery was stunning and the experience was unforgettable but it was tough and apparently about 1 in 4 runners wiped. Many thanks to those who offered well wishes and thoughts after my [...]

Achievement unlocked is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

Is it just me, or do the unique class mechanics stand out more in Warhammer Online than in most other games? The more I reflect on it, the more I see it in other games, but it just seems more prominent in WAR. By “unique class mechanic,” I mean the special feature that guides many [...]

Unique Mechanic is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

Make things visible on the execution side of an action so that people know what is possible and how actions should be done; make things visible on the evaluation side so that people can tell the effects of their actions. — The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman Decoration and interaction appear in non-user-friendly [...]

Display the Options is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

I played a bunch of Guild Wars this weekend as I am slowly working on my titles.  17 more Nightfall explorable areas to completely vanquish of mobs, and I will hit “I’m Very Important” from the maxed titles achievement track.  This might come as a surprise to many of you who might think that I [...]

HoM-rizon is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

Commenters elsewhere respond to Ravious’s post on the GW2 Necromancer. Within 24 hours of first Necromancer information, the comments note that Necromancers are overpowered and that Warriors will devastate Necromancers. It is not just that people are commenting on balance for a game they have never played, for which they have no stats, where the [...]

Class Wars is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

Following up from the official announcement of the Guild Wars 2 necromancer, Eric Flannum, the lead developer for Guild Wars 2 was able to answer a few questions about this dark profession. The role of the necromancer in Guild Wars was not easily defined, as it straddled the line between hexer, minion master, and even [...]

Guild Wars 2 Necromancer Interview is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

Following up from the official announcement of the Guild Wars 2 necromancer, Eric Flannum, the lead developer for Guild Wars 2 was able to answer a few questions about this dark profession. The role of the necromancer in Guild Wars was not easily defined, as it straddled the line between hexer, minion master, and even [...]

Guild Wars 2 Necromancer Interview is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

If the store is buying and selling used games in quantity on the day they are released? Well, technically “fencing” is not the same as “stealing” but… : Zubon On Another Hand is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

On Another Hand is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

If the store is buying and selling used games in quantity on the day they are released? Well, technically “fencing” is not the same as “stealing” but… : Zubon On Another Hand is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

On Another Hand is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

How much less would your house be worth if you could never re-sell it? How about if there was no used car market, and instead you put the car in the landfill when you got a new one? Okay, that same effect applies to the price of new and used games. : Zubon Buying Used [...]

Buying Used is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

Yesterday, ArenaNet officially announced the necromancer profession. Of course, the fourth profession for Guild Wars 2 has been known since the gamescom demos started going public. I am happy because in Guild Wars, my main is a necromancer. I can’t say the profession is my favorite because ritualist makes the decision too close to call, [...]

I, Necromancer – Guild Wars 2 is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

… we salute you! For those about to rock… is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

For those about to rock… is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

or: how I learned to stop worrying and love the grind. (Our sponsors would like to apologise in advance for the slightly more personal and self-indulgent nature of this post. Thank you for your custom.) To achieve competence in sport necessitates training. Training involves doing the same thing over and over and over and over [...]

On the treadmill is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

or: how I learned to stop worrying and love the grind. (Our sponsors would like to apologise in advance for the slightly more personal and self-indulgent nature of this post. Thank you for your custom.) To achieve competence in sport necessitates training. Training involves doing the same thing over and over and over and over [...]

On the treadmill is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

… we salute you! For those about to rock… is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

For those about to rock… is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

Yesterday, ArenaNet officially announced the necromancer profession. Of course, the fourth profession for Guild Wars 2 has been known since the gamescom demos started going public. I am happy because in Guild Wars, my main is a necromancer. I can’t say the profession is my favorite because ritualist makes the decision too close to call, [...]

I, Necromancer – Guild Wars 2 is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

How much less would your house be worth if you could never re-sell it? How about if there was no used car market, and instead you put the car in the landfill when you got a new one? Okay, that same effect applies to the price of new and used games. : Zubon Buying Used [...]

Buying Used is a post from: Kill Ten Rats