I’m sure this is probably something you’ve seen before, but I always love pointing it out. The Final Fantasy XI site has a page set aside showing updating stillframes from inside the gameworld. They’ve also got a camera moving through much of the game’s ‘old world’, taking in the sites and occasionally pausing to enjoy the view. I’m not sure if the camera ever ventures into the newer zones they’ve added in expansions, but it’s interesting just the same to watch the players in the old world go about their business.

You can pop this link open in Windows Media player and enjoy a clientless in-world tour of one of the FFXI servers. I’m not sure which one; I’m not sure they’ve ever said on the site, but it’s definitely a live server and not a looping video. Just another reason I really love FFXI.

During business hours US is primetime playing time for Japanese players, so I’ve always had a ‘good show’ when viewing the feed. Back when I was a cubeguy doing cubeguy things, they played the music that was associated with the zone as well (thought it doesn’t appear they do that anymore). It was great background music, with the added bonus that sometimes I’d be talking to a manager and a combat would break out on my desktop.

I lament the fact that no-one else that I know of has adopted this little toy as a fun thing to put on their website. I’m not a programmer, so I couldn’t tell you if this is trivially easy or actually kind of challenging to put together … but it doesn’t *seem* like it would be that hard.  Wouldn’t it be great to be able to stream Azeroth to your desktop, occasionally catching glimpses of newbies running through the barrens or watching the scrum of bank-top barkers in Orgrimmar? Good stuff.

My new header!

Wall Street Journal, on Indie Games:

The videogame business has traditionally been about big game developers, big budgets and blockbuster titles. Now it’s also about guys like Joe Rheaume.

Says Joe: ” Incidentally, my reaction to that article is not 100% happy. I gave them all the info on the business model… And the focus on ad-revenue sharing, which was less than 10% of the profits from the game!”

I’m very sorry that you’ve passed away.

As a player and a writer, I never had the chance to meet you in person. Primarily I know you from your writing and the games you worked on. I respect you a great deal, sir. I know many people that do, and will continue to remember you as a thoughtful commentator with a very well developed sense of humor.

Goodbye Mr. Freeman. And thank you for everything you’ve given to the community.

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The Warhammer database finally caught up with me, so my WAR sig is working, finally.

Brian Green has a great writeup about getting a gig in the game development industry, with a focus on MMO development.

One of the most important things to remember is that reputation isn’t based entirely on logic. It’s based on word of mouth, so you get some potential miscommunication as things go along. You can be a great worker that did everything to the best of your ability, but if the project is recognized as a tremendous flop, then that will potentially taint your reputation. Or, people may remember your loud arguments during the discussion phase of a project, but forget that you were one of the workers that buckled down and did things as ordered after the decisions were made.

His statements are great for folks thinking about games blogging / games journalism as well. Certainly the above holds true. I’ve known talented and intelligent writers who toil in obscurity, while overblown windbags make decent living wages working at big sites. Shame all around.

Good read.

I’m not going to recommend Order of the Stick. If you aren’t reading it yet, you probably don’t want to be.

I just wanted to note that today’s strip was really funny. Like, really funny on a deep and profound level. I laughed multiple times at the punchline, because the full comprehension of the punchline requires SO MUCH FORTHOUGHT as to be a work of art in and of itself.

By my guess to full appreciate this single comic strip, you need to have read hundreds and hundreds of comic strips. Just to get to the point where you can even understand the strip, let alone find it humorous.

I love you Rich Burlew. Keep on shining.