MMOtivational Screenshot #1: Recession

Today I'm launching a semi-regular posting for The MMOsh Pit called MMOtivational Screenshot. I know, I know ... this type of thing has been done before, but it's something I want to do and something that will keep me busy during lean days.

For those who have heard or read about or even viewed the website that contains the so-called RPG Motivational Posters, I hope these MMOtivational Screenshots won't disappoint you.

Let's get cracking!



Screenshot taken from the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Granado Espada, published in Southeast Asia by IAHGames.

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How To Block Spammers In Allods Online

In line with The MMOsh Pit's campaign against spam in massively multiplayer online games, I am launching today a series of guides on how to block most forms of spam in some titles that I play. The first game on the block is Allods Online, a recently released free-to-play MMORPG from Gala-Net Inc. and its gPotato portal.



Spam bots started appearing in the two North American servers of Allods Online—Nezeb and Tensess—about a week into the open beta phase of the game and elicited the ire of most players who wanted nothing more than to strangle the unscrupulous individuals behind the bots.

Unfortunately, not all Allods Online players know how to block spam messages, and this step-by-step guide is designed to help them through the process.



How To Block Spammers In Allods Online Step #1: Identify the in-game name of the spam bot. Those familiar with the chat interface of most MMORPGs can do this easily. If you're having trouble pinning down the spammer's name, which is especially true in Allods because the chat window keeps scrolling, refer to the screenshot.

If you still can't identify the name after several attempts, I suggest you hit the Print Screen button (Prt Scr/SysRq on most modern keyboards), open the Allods Online screenshot folder (usually found in C:\gPotato.com\Allods Online\Personal\Screenshots) and scroll to the last screenshot in the folder, open the file using a image editor (eg. Photoshop or Paint), and zoom in on the screenshot's chat window. Since the screenshot is not moving, it's easier to correctly read the spammer's in-game name.



How To Block Spammers In Allods Online Step #2: Click the Social button on the bottom left portion of your Allods Online interface (highlighted with a red circle in the screenshot) to bring up your character's Friends List. Obviously, we're not about to block our friends so click on the Ignore List tab of the Social window.



How To Block Spammers In Allods Online Step #3: Now that your Social window is showing the Ignore List, click on the Add button to open a new window where you can enter the in-game name of the spammer. Keep in mind that before you click on the Accept button, double check the spelling of the name you've just entered or else the spammer's chat messages won't be blocked.



How To Block Spammers In Allods Online Step #4: Check the chat window to make sure the spammer you're intending to block has indeed been blocked. If you can still read the spammer's messages, go back and redo all the steps.

Hope this simple Allods Online guide has helped improve your gameplay, not to mention your sanity. Stay tuned for more guides!

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MMOtaku Lives On In The MMOsh Pit

While thinking about what to write in this initial posting for my personal gaming blog The MMOsh Pit, I stumbled upon a tweet from fellow former b5media blogger Jason Bean that said, "It's starting to sink in that I don't 'HAVE' to write any blog posts tonight. Weird! I've been doing that for the last 5 years."

I think I'm just one of the many bloggers out there that can truly say, "I know exactly how you feel, Jason."

Prior to the termination of my contract with b5media, I was handling the network's MMOtaku, a blog that focused on massively multiplayer online role-playing games, and I had been doing that for almost three years.

Now, faced with the reality that MMOtaku is beyond my reach, I need to muster the strength to continue blogging about one of the most important things in my life right now—MMORPGs.

Say wut? 'Nuff said. It's fodder for another blog post I've been itching to write about.



Today, I say goodbye to b5media and MMOtaku. It was a good run, and I intend to continue it on The MMOsh Pit, which will be similar in tone to articles in my former blog, but unfettered from censorship aside from my own.

So let this posting be a shout out to loyal viewers of MMOtaku: "I'M ALIVE!"

Special mention goes to the following people:

Mike Leaño, for bringing me into the professional blogging world. In 2007, Mike, then Technology Channel Editor of b5media, asked me to blog for the network via MMOtaku. I owe him, big time!

Kevin Codamon, online platforms manager of Philippines-based online games publisher Level Up! Games, for giving me a wider perspective of blogging as a profession.

Carlo Ople, global digital marketing manager of Friendster, for continuing to inspire me with deeds if not in words to write and blog about the things dearest to my heart. Go check out his blogs—Waukster, New Media Philippines, Pinoy Food Critic and Juan Country—to know what I mean.

The sentiments go out to Mon Macutay, head of MMORPG marketing at Level Up! Games.

PJ Punla, friend and blogger who was the first to associate the name MMOtaku to Joel Tan. I consider her my conscience. Without her reading my every post and giving valuable feedback, I'm sure I won't be as effective a storyteller as I am now.

And Robert Sanchez, who remains instrumental in the formation of my opinions about some of the hottest massively multiplayer online games in the market today. I can always count on Robert to spar with me, intellectually, over issues hounding most MMO titles.

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