https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Sun, 11 Feb 2024 03:40:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/one-shots-sky-control-to-major-tom/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/one-shots-sky-control-to-major-tom/#comments Sun, 11 Feb 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479209 I have to imagine that there’s no more stressful job in a galaxy far, far away than being an air traffic controller for Coruscant. That’s like playing three-dimensional Pac-Man with thousands of users who may not have gotten a full night’s sleep. Vincent is keeping feet on the ground on this planet, though: “With the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/one-shots-sky-control-to-major-tom/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/one-shot-surveying-my-domain/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/one-shot-surveying-my-domain/#comments Sun, 28 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477155 Good day, captain! Now that you’ve been beamed down by your mutinous crew and marooned on an ice planet, you might as well enjoy the view before your internal organs begin to freeze. It’s all about the pose and poise, after all! “Here I am chilling in Star Trek Online, both literally and figuratively,” said […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/one-shot-surveying-my-domain/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/one-shots-a-heated-meeting/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/one-shots-a-heated-meeting/#comments Sun, 21 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476157 What are two words that delight you to hear as a child in school but terrify you as an adult? “Field trip!” Rose can attest that there’s nothing quite like packing up a routine meeting and transplanting it somewhere fairly ridiculous: “I’m not a particularly silly person in MMOs (in fact, I infuriate others sometimes […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/one-shots-a-heated-meeting/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/14/one-shots-fine-dining-at-the-end-of-the-world/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/14/one-shots-fine-dining-at-the-end-of-the-world/#comments Sun, 14 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=475121 When the moon is crashing down into the ocean to cause tsunamis, earthquakes, firestorms, and a mass extinction-level event, what is there to do but sit down for some fine dining and appreciate the view of the end of the world? Minimalistway has the right of it: “Playing Revelation Online for the last time before […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/14/one-shots-fine-dining-at-the-end-of-the-world/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/07/one-shots-a-beacon-for-a-new-year/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/07/one-shots-a-beacon-for-a-new-year/#comments Sun, 07 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=474200 Welcome to 2024 everyone! Please put your carry-ons safely underneath your seats, secure your kobold companions, and don’t hesitate to light a big ball of fire to bring cheer and combustibility to all those around you! I see that Rose is ahead of the curve: “Gonna be a rebel and give y’all a desert scene […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/07/one-shots-a-beacon-for-a-new-year/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/31/the-2023-one-shots-awards-the-best-mmo-screenshots-of-the-year/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/31/the-2023-one-shots-awards-the-best-mmo-screenshots-of-the-year/#comments Sun, 31 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=473521 It doesn’t feel quite right to end the year without making sure that everything’s in order — and part of that definitely includes returning to our annual semi-official One Shots awards! Over the past 12 months, readers have submitted their best or most interesting MMO screenshots to this weekly column, and now it’s time for […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/31/the-2023-one-shots-awards-the-best-mmo-screenshots-of-the-year/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/24/one-shots-undies-flapping-in-the-wind/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/24/one-shots-undies-flapping-in-the-wind/#comments Sun, 24 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=472983 If the internet has taught me anything — and it hasn’t, I’m stubborn — it’s that you want to check what’s behind you for anything embarrassing when you take a selfie. After all, you wouldn’t want the never-lets-anything-go internet crowd to see your underwear flapping in the breeze. Then again, maybe you would! Maybe you’re […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/24/one-shots-undies-flapping-in-the-wind/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/17/one-shots-come-on-and-give-us-a-hug/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/17/one-shots-come-on-and-give-us-a-hug/#comments Sun, 17 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=472011 Normally I’m all about hugs. Hugs make you feel accepted and protected and — on a cold day — allow you to leech heat from another human being like a temperature vampire. But even I will admit that there are some hugs that I don’t want to experience, such as this Guild Wars 2 monstrosity. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/17/one-shots-come-on-and-give-us-a-hug/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/10/one-shots-entering-the-portal-to-adventure/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/10/one-shots-entering-the-portal-to-adventure/#comments Sun, 10 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=470966 I’ll never get tired of that tiny thrill of rolling a new character and getting that sense of taking the first steps of a grand adventure. Of course, if you’re in World of Warcraft’s Thunder Bluff, that first step may be your last as you go plummeting over the side. Where are the guardrails in […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/10/one-shots-entering-the-portal-to-adventure/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/03/one-shots-fishing-for-a-compliment/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/03/one-shots-fishing-for-a-compliment/#comments Sun, 03 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=469862 When life’s moving a little too fast in your MMORPG, maybe it’s time to take a break, dig out the ol’ rod-and-reel, and pluck sea-faring creatures out of their natural habitat and into a cruel world which spells death for their kind. Fishing! It’s what Minimalistway was up to in FFXIV: “A quiet moment, fishing […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/03/one-shots-fishing-for-a-compliment/feed/ 21 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/26/one-shots-soft-and-squishy-yet-fierce-and-determined/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/26/one-shots-soft-and-squishy-yet-fierce-and-determined/#comments Sun, 26 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=468799 If MMORPGs, anime, and children’s cartoons have taught me anything — and really, it’s where I get most of my learning these days — it’s that we’re sitting on a veritable arsenal of power with our nation’s middle school kids. Each one is clearly capable of summoning the elements, piloting mechs, and using chi to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/26/one-shots-soft-and-squishy-yet-fierce-and-determined/feed/ 17 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/19/one-shots-lightning-strikes-twice/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/19/one-shots-lightning-strikes-twice/#comments Sun, 19 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=467922 When you see lightning on the horizon, it may be time to seek shelter, brew a favorite hot beverage, and settle in for a lengthy gaming session. Or you could go a different route by grabbing a lightning rod and standing out in the open for a photo op! To be fair to Vincent, it’s […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/19/one-shots-lightning-strikes-twice/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/12/one-shots-protect-me-mighty-cactus/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/12/one-shots-protect-me-mighty-cactus/#comments Sun, 12 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=466761 Health care in fantasy worlds is a tad peculiar, to put it lightly. Doctors routinely mix it up on the battlefield, medics throw explosive healing bombs every which way, and death is easily negated by waving one’s hands around and making pretty sparkles. But it works, so maybe these characters know something our “modern” medicine […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/12/one-shots-protect-me-mighty-cactus/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/05/one-shots-halloween-leftovers/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/05/one-shots-halloween-leftovers/#comments Sun, 05 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=465211 ‘Tis the week after Halloween, and even as we put away our decorations (or say “whatever” and keep them up until February), the lingering remains of this festive holiday stick with us. So let’s fish around in the bottom of our trick-or-treat bowls for whatever’s left while seeing what the MOP community got up to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/05/one-shots-halloween-leftovers/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/29/one-shots-a-night-of-masks-and-intrigues/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/29/one-shots-a-night-of-masks-and-intrigues/#comments Sun, 29 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=464079 The Princess Bride rightly taught me to be suspicious of anyone wearing a mask, which is why I keep my candy in a locked vault and sit with a slingshot on my front porch every October 31st. These sugar bandits aren’t going to get away with blatant thievery on my watch, no sir! Oh look, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/29/one-shots-a-night-of-masks-and-intrigues/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/22/one-shots-secret-underwater-garden/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/22/one-shots-secret-underwater-garden/#comments Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=463110 I don’t know much about plants, as evidenced by all of my vegetable projects that withered and died this past summer, but I’ve heard that salt water is very good for them. So much so that you’re best off putting your whole garden some 30 meters below the surface of the ocean. Katriana got a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/22/one-shots-secret-underwater-garden/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/15/one-shots-a-most-adorable-destroyer-of-the-cosmos/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/15/one-shots-a-most-adorable-destroyer-of-the-cosmos/#comments Sun, 15 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=462015 As we enter the delicious aroma of fall and the spine-shivering thrills of Halloween, is there any MMO that deserves to be revisited this season than The Secret World? After all, its first zone has been perpetually stuck on October 31st since its launch. “It wasn’t me!” protested Minimalistway. “I just bought the t-shirt! The […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/15/one-shots-a-most-adorable-destroyer-of-the-cosmos/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/08/one-shots-corpulent-beauty/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/08/one-shots-corpulent-beauty/#comments Sun, 08 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=461017 When you’re looking to take a break from the nine-to-five killing grind, where do you go? Star Wars: The Old Republic’s board of tourism invites you to Nar Shadda, where they have the loosest slots, those chess boards with holographic monsters, and idols of giant fat slugs! “Even shady assassins need to cut loose sometime,” […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/08/one-shots-corpulent-beauty/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/01/one-shots-stones-in-silence/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/01/one-shots-stones-in-silence/#comments Sun, 01 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=459849 When they aren’t being pooped on, defaced, or used as backdrops for narcissistic selfies, statues have a particular quiet dignity and a magic all of their own. Each one tells a story of a person or place, literally putting it into stone for future generations to appreciate. And then comes along the gradual discovery of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/01/one-shots-stones-in-silence/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/24/one-shots-the-best-flex-of-all-time/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/24/one-shots-the-best-flex-of-all-time/#comments Sun, 24 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=458881 A maxim that has served me well so far in life is, “You are never too busy to stop and gawk at a sight that you’ll most likely never see again.” Even superheroes aren’t immune to the fascination of a visual oddity, such as a flexing gorilla that’s holding up street traffic. Wait, that’s a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/24/one-shots-the-best-flex-of-all-time/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/17/one-shots-just-a-minute-mom-im-playing-with-my-virtual-dollhouse/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/17/one-shots-just-a-minute-mom-im-playing-with-my-virtual-dollhouse/#comments Sun, 17 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=457834 If playing with physical dollhouses is your entry-level and full-on interior decorating your advanced mode, then video games offer a middle ground to those who like to play house while getting some benefit out of it. And there’s no better place these days to be making cozy homesteads than Palia. “Here’s a bit of Tish’s […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/17/one-shots-just-a-minute-mom-im-playing-with-my-virtual-dollhouse/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/10/one-shots-dragons-dont-come-with-windshield-wipers/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/10/one-shots-dragons-dont-come-with-windshield-wipers/#comments Sun, 10 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=456945 Every time I see someone flying on top of a dragon or other winged mount, all I can imagine is a huge bundle of panic triggers. No seatbelt? Constant wind and bugs in the face? At the whim of a hungry animal who might decide that you’re convenient takeout perched on its back? But maybe […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/10/one-shots-dragons-dont-come-with-windshield-wipers/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/03/one-shots-bumping-into-an-old-old-friend/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/03/one-shots-bumping-into-an-old-old-friend/#comments Sun, 03 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=456094 When you log back into an MMORPG after a long time away, that feeling of being an intruding stranger is pretty strong. But you know what pops that tension bubble? Encountering a familiar old friend, whether virtual or real. Then you start moving toward feeling much more at home. This is to say that Minimalistway […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/03/one-shots-bumping-into-an-old-old-friend/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/27/one-shots-the-flute-that-launched-an-mmo-empire/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/27/one-shots-the-flute-that-launched-an-mmo-empire/#comments Sun, 27 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=454967 Who would have ever thought that a little girl skipping around looking for her musical instrument would be the gateway to a long-running beloved online RPG series? In any case, here’s a toast to Gwen, the darling of the original Guild Wars! Minimalistway photobombed her: “Gwen asked me to find her flute, and I found […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/27/one-shots-the-flute-that-launched-an-mmo-empire/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/20/one-shots-bongo-gully-3/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/20/one-shots-bongo-gully-3/#comments Sun, 20 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=453446 People, I am going to go stark broke this year. It’s really not a good year for an RPG gamer on a budget, what with Baldur’s Gate 3 coming out recently and Starfield on the horizon. Waiting for those sales is going to be murder when all you see on socials are people yammering nonstop […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/20/one-shots-bongo-gully-3/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/13/one-shots-making-your-way-in-the-world-today-takes-everything-youve-got/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/13/one-shots-making-your-way-in-the-world-today-takes-everything-youve-got/#comments Sun, 13 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=452815 At the end of a busy and exhausting day of clobbering kobolds and cleaning up after dragons, the need to crash at a comfy pad is overwhelming. Sometimes you need to go where everybody knows your name — even if that “everybody” is just a headless fairy named Percy who’s desperate for a cracker. Ahh, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/13/one-shots-making-your-way-in-the-world-today-takes-everything-youve-got/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/06/one-shots-yet-not-as-messy-as-my-teen-sons-room/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/06/one-shots-yet-not-as-messy-as-my-teen-sons-room/#comments Sun, 06 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=451821 Some weeks we begin our One Shots tour with breathtaking vistas that leave you an emotional wreck as you silently cry at your computer and your family worriedly asks if you’re OK. At that point you stand up, raise your fists, and cry out, “TRULY, I HAVE SEEN GLORY!” Yeah, this is not one of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/06/one-shots-yet-not-as-messy-as-my-teen-sons-room/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/30/one-shots-dance-like-no-ones-watching/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/30/one-shots-dance-like-no-ones-watching/#comments Sun, 30 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=450711 Let’s kick off this week with period-appropriate disco music, fancy threads, and the coolest Orc you peons ever saw. Minimalistway is tearing up the Auction House dance floor in World of Warcraft with “Glorbo,” who is fueled solely by the power of the meme engine. Well, you can tell by the way I use my […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/30/one-shots-dance-like-no-ones-watching/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/23/one-shots-every-character-in-diablo-iv-looks-really-really-grumpy/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/23/one-shots-every-character-in-diablo-iv-looks-really-really-grumpy/#comments Sun, 23 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=449586 If there’s any consistent theme in Diablo IV aside from a blatant attempt to make Lilith this year’s Halloween cosplay template, it’s that every playable character looks grumpy enough to launch a lifelong vendetta against the Smurfs. Have they ever smiled? Enjoyed a cat meme that was shared via chain mail? Were tickled on their […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/23/one-shots-every-character-in-diablo-iv-looks-really-really-grumpy/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/16/one-shots-rotisserie-rogue/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/16/one-shots-rotisserie-rogue/#comments Sun, 16 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=448804 For our headlining picture this week, we spy Hirku Two creeping around the Cogs in Dungeons and Dragons Online. While I applaud the use of silhouette to create a stark contrast, I have to express some worry about shuffling right next to a giant waterfall of liquid hot flowing magma. I mean, maybe all of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/16/one-shots-rotisserie-rogue/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/09/one-shots-the-hero-of-your-story/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/09/one-shots-the-hero-of-your-story/#comments Sun, 09 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=447830 No matter how legendarily humble you are, it’s hard to escape games trying to make you the central hero. When a cutscene literally shines a spotlight on you, maybe it’s time to bow to the inevitability of it all. In any case, the REAL hero of the story is Josh, so pipe down all you […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/09/one-shots-the-hero-of-your-story/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/02/one-shots-time-for-a-well-deserved-bio-break/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/02/one-shots-time-for-a-well-deserved-bio-break/#comments Sun, 02 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=446942 One can only imagine how it would be if our MMORPG characters were like the Sims with bladder meters. We’d have to pause raids not just for real-world bio breaks but virtual ones as well. Don’t forget to flush! “Game designers often forget about the truly important things like providing restrooms to player characters,” said […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/02/one-shots-time-for-a-well-deserved-bio-break/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/25/one-shots-dragons-dont-like-to-be-in-the-dark/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/25/one-shots-dragons-dont-like-to-be-in-the-dark/#comments Sun, 25 Jun 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=446019 Just because dragons are big and scaly and can nuke cities from orbit doesn’t mean that they lack insecurities. In fact, it’s a little-known fact that drakes are quite afraid of the dark. If you’re going to put one in a cave, for example, it’s absolutely necessary to set it up with glowing crystals, giant […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/25/one-shots-dragons-dont-like-to-be-in-the-dark/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/18/one-shots-saturday-night-at-the-sith-disco/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/18/one-shots-saturday-night-at-the-sith-disco/#comments Sun, 18 Jun 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=445047 While Star Wars: The Old Republic’s Sith aren’t usually known for carefree and festive folks, that is a myth. Every Saturday night, they like to go club hopping like the rest of us. The only difference is that they use the Force to provide a light show — and, sadly, unnecessary casualties. Minimalistway was the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/18/one-shots-saturday-night-at-the-sith-disco/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/11/one-shots-lost-in-a-quest-free-painting/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/11/one-shots-lost-in-a-quest-free-painting/#comments Sun, 11 Jun 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=443894 So you’re stuck in a painting. Don’t panic, for starters. Sure, you’re compressed to a 2-D existence, but it isn’t all bad. The scenery is guaranteed to be interesting, you’ll meet well-posed individuals, and you have a good alibi why you weren’t able to come into work. Minimalistway is seeing what a painting MMO is […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/11/one-shots-lost-in-a-quest-free-painting/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/04/one-shots-when-the-gps-does-you-dirty/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/04/one-shots-when-the-gps-does-you-dirty/#comments Sun, 04 Jun 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=442899 It started like any normal Sunday afternoon. A trip in the car down to the 7-11 for a Slushee and then a relaxing drive across the countryside. Yet the GPS had a mind of its own — and it was out for sheer revenge. About what? We have no idea. But when all was said […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/04/one-shots-when-the-gps-does-you-dirty/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/28/one-shots-welcome-to-the-spider-level/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/28/one-shots-welcome-to-the-spider-level/#comments Sun, 28 May 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=441917 Welcome, welcome, come on in, make sure that nobody’s left behind. Do we have the full tour group? Good. Ladies and gents, welcome to the spider level! As you know, this government-mandated zone is required in every MMORPG, so I hope you brought your stomping boots and lack of arachnophobia! Keep your collars buttoned and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/28/one-shots-welcome-to-the-spider-level/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/21/one-shots-day-one-of-the-conquest/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/21/one-shots-day-one-of-the-conquest/#comments Sun, 21 May 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=440732 There’s nothing like that heady feel of stepping out into the game world for the first time, taking in the sights of the newbie zone, and thinking, “I’m going to subjugate all of this with my mighty whacking stick until it serves me as the supreme emperor of all!” What, it’s just me? Nevermind then. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/21/one-shots-day-one-of-the-conquest/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/14/one-shots-who-left-the-gas-stove-on/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/14/one-shots-who-left-the-gas-stove-on/#comments Sun, 14 May 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=439643 So. This is awkward. I know everyone has an excuse why you were definitely not messing around with the giant’s gas stove in Blade and Soul, but logically one of you must have turned it on. And now it’s so bright and powerful that it’s acting like a jet turbine to propel this planet out […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/14/one-shots-who-left-the-gas-stove-on/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/07/one-shots-judge-dreadfully-polite/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/07/one-shots-judge-dreadfully-polite/#comments Sun, 07 May 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=438051 Sure, any time that I wear a helmet that masks my eyes and makes me look like an oppressive trooper, I stop getting invited to dinner parties. But when Vincent does it, the look comes off as heroic and admirable. I suppose it’s all in the pose and poise. “Did someone mention a Mass Effect–Final […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/07/one-shots-judge-dreadfully-polite/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/30/one-shots-gesundheit/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/30/one-shots-gesundheit/#comments Sun, 30 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=437111 I can’t imagine what it would be like to witness a T. Rex sneezing, but I can imagine that it wouldn’t be a quiet, dignified affair. It’d muss one’s hair up right and good, that’s for sure, and probably conclude with a few hearty chomps before a single “bless you!” could be uttered. Perhaps we […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/30/one-shots-gesundheit/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/23/one-shots-the-spice-must-flow/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/23/one-shots-the-spice-must-flow/#comments Sun, 23 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=436564 Feeling antsy because Funcom’s Dune Awakening isn’t here yet? Utakata has a decent substitute for you in Tower of Fantasy, apparently. Nothing like a leisurely stroll across a sandy wasteland, avoiding underground worms while geeking out on futuristic tech! Let’s keep this going, because after all… the screenshots must flow. “I have nine homes in […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/23/one-shots-the-spice-must-flow/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/16/one-shots-martial-yoga/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/16/one-shots-martial-yoga/#comments Sun, 16 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=435553 It’s not a very well-known fact that the most successful armies in fantasy worlds are the ones that take the time to limber up before a bout. Combining yoga and weapon posing is perhaps the most shrewd decision by military generals since the shield wall formation. And you best know that elite players like Vincent […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/16/one-shots-martial-yoga/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/09/one-shots-seeking-the-secret/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/09/one-shots-seeking-the-secret/#comments Sun, 09 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=434525 Hey, when’s the last time we kicked off a One Shots column with a Dungeons and Dragons Online vista? It should happen more often, in my opinion, because this game can be strangely beautiful in spots — as evidenced by this watery trek. Hirku Two got a bit damp taking this pic: “Savoring the sunset […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/09/one-shots-seeking-the-secret/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/06/massively-overthinking-tabletop-and-boardgames-for-mmorpg-players/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/06/massively-overthinking-tabletop-and-boardgames-for-mmorpg-players/#comments Fri, 07 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=433878 Last week, following the crowdfunding of an Elder Scrolls boardgame, the MOP staff got derailed by a discussion on boardgame prices (it’s expensive, y’all). MOP’s Sam showed off a pic of his massive collection (a tiny sliver of which sits atop this article), and pretty soon we were all sharing our favorites (and also whining […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/06/massively-overthinking-tabletop-and-boardgames-for-mmorpg-players/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/02/one-shots-noodling-around/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/02/one-shots-noodling-around/#comments Sun, 02 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=433402 Get ready to slurp up some serious eye candy, because noodles are on the menu for One Shots this week. I mean, who needs proper housing when you can bring a food cart out onto the streets to hawk your pasta wares? “I’m starting to take some photographs of the players at my noodle stand […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/02/one-shots-noodling-around/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/26/one-shots-finding-mister-easter-bunny/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/26/one-shots-finding-mister-easter-bunny/#comments Sun, 26 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=432349 Legend goes that if you listen carefully for the thump-thump-thump of its padded feet… if you look for the bright splashes of color hidden in tall grass… if you sniff the air for the delectable aroma of nougat… you may find the Easter bunny and keep him all to yourself. Also, spoiler, it lives in […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/26/one-shots-finding-mister-easter-bunny/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/19/one-shots-stop-clowning-around/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/19/one-shots-stop-clowning-around/#comments Sun, 19 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=431278 Sometimes the music compels you. Sometimes people won’t stop throwing peanuts at you until you do a jig for them. And sometimes you get the coolest outfit ever and have to launch into an exuberant dance of celebration. Maybe it’s all three for Minimalistway this week! Our friend finally got his clown suit in World […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/19/one-shots-stop-clowning-around/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/12/one-shots-apparent-trap/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/12/one-shots-apparent-trap/#comments Sun, 12 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=430226 Against all odds, Scott found a doppelganger inside a fantasy world. And if movies have taught me anything, what follows will either be a horrific body snatchers invasion or a delightfully light-hearted swaparoo between families. “This picture from Genshin Impact shows the problem with letting players use almost every NPC as a playable character – […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/12/one-shots-apparent-trap/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/05/one-shots-welcome-to-your-adorable-nightmare/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/05/one-shots-welcome-to-your-adorable-nightmare/#comments Sun, 05 Mar 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=429257 So where do you come down on the subject of Final Fantasy XIV’s Lalafells? There’s no middle ground here; either you’re in love with these pint-sized potatoes or you think that they’re an insidious evil that’s coming for your organs while you sleep. Let’s check in and see how Vincent rates this race. “Demons. Every […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/05/one-shots-welcome-to-your-adorable-nightmare/feed/ 15