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It's @DCUO's 10th anniversary. Wow.
I make a living talking games, and that often means, I dip into nostalgia and tell you old stories about Metal Gear Solid and Death and Return of Superman.
However, there's been no modern game that's meant more to me than DCUO.
A thread...
I make a living talking games, and that often means, I dip into nostalgia and tell you old stories about Metal Gear Solid and Death and Return of Superman.
However, there's been no modern game that's meant more to me than DCUO.
A thread...
The tired Greg story goes that long, long ago after a day of Catholic school I told a friend that I thought heaven would be different for each person -- there own perfect world.
When asked what mine would be, I didn't hesitate: Metropolis and I'd have superpowers.
When asked what mine would be, I didn't hesitate: Metropolis and I'd have superpowers.
So, literally, this game's concept is heaven on earth to me.
Jump to 2008, and I'm working my dream job at @IGN. To make great even better, I get to interview @JimLee at Comic-Con (while he sketches Superman for me) about DCUO and ask the one question on my mind:
The months go by, I meet the people working on the game, and I even get to play it here and there. I go to Austin for a studio visit one time in 2009 and the only photo I think to take is this one to drive hime Big 12 (at the time) rivalries.
In 2010, they release a beta; I stay late at IGN to use a decent PC to try it out and end up playing for hours. In December, the beta finally comes to PS3, and I snap this pic of it installing.
The game, of course, is not my traditional cup of tea. It's an MMO, and it's not running well, but the idea of being a superhero in the DCU is so intoxicating that I can't help myself. I spend so many hours in the beta not caring that I'll have to replay all of this at launch.
January 11, 2011 arrives. I take the day off of IGN to stay home and play. @taylorswift13 is the first character I create, but I also make sure to create five other toons to get the names I want.
Taylor will always be my main, but I need to have bases covered.
Taylor will always be my main, but I need to have bases covered.
I play and play and play. I'm lost to this game. I'm living the comic book dream as I earn XP and take on bigger jobs.
When I'm FINALLY allowed to enter the Watchtower HQ and stand with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman? It's a *moment*.
I'll never forget it.
I am a dork.
When I'm FINALLY allowed to enter the Watchtower HQ and stand with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman? It's a *moment*.
I'll never forget it.
I am a dork.
I pull @steimer into my madness, and we're playing this thing every night with a crew of friends made through Twitter. To this day, Steimer and I will still quote the game at each other in random texts.
"YOU MUSTN'T GET IN THE WAY OF OUR PLANS FOR THE FLASH!"
"YOU MUSTN'T GET IN THE WAY OF OUR PLANS FOR THE FLASH!"
But, like I said, the game is a buggy mess. I throw myself into end game content, but after weeks of crashes, eaten progress, and so on, I stop playing with an IGN blog talking about it breaking my spirit.
Shortly thereafter, one of the studio heads at the time finds me on the GDC show floor, personally apologizes, and promises they're working on fixing it.
However, holiday break 2012 will be the time that cements DCUO's legacy to me.
I have my final chemotherapy, and that means I won't be traveling for the holiday. On top of that, I'll be alone.
I throw myself back into DCUO.
It's all I play and pretty much all I do.
I have my final chemotherapy, and that means I won't be traveling for the holiday. On top of that, I'll be alone.
I throw myself back into DCUO.
It's all I play and pretty much all I do.
When I say it's all that I do, I mean that right now, I can close my eyes and hear the Christmas jingle they play and see the Christmas lights decorating Metropolis.
When I think of Christmas and video games, this is what I see, and I'll always be thankful for that.
When I think of Christmas and video games, this is what I see, and I'll always be thankful for that.
We get to 2013. A package arrives at IGN. I open it, and I'm absolutely devastated to find a gift celebrating the end of the darkest chapter of my life from the game that got me through it. If the house caught fire tomorrow, @gankstrr grabs Porty and I grab this.
I can go on like this.
@Spytle comes on for s DCUO Up at Noon that's like a dream come true:
He pulls my total hours played. Last I heard, the number was over 900 hours.
@Spytle comes on for s DCUO Up at Noon that's like a dream come true:
He pulls my total hours played. Last I heard, the number was over 900 hours.
I champion the game as much as I can on IGN: https://www.ign.com/videos/2013/01/11/why-im-playing-dc-universe-online-2-years-later
I re-fall in love with the game on PS4.
I'm given the honor of voicing my favorite character in an update: http://nerdreactor.com/2016/01/12/greg-miller-voice-superboy-d-c-universe-online/#BK3zZAWKv608OEOt.99
And I have Taylor join the Green Lantern Corps. when I came back in earnest last year.
I dunno. It's so rare that I pick up a game again after putting it down for a week. Here we are a DECADE later, and I'm talking about a game I still pop into from time to time. Yes, DCUO can be clunky and overwhelming, but it's unlike any game I've ever loved before.
Congrats, @DCUO. Thank you to @Spytle, @SJ_NerdOfPrey, @NotThatMepps, every dev that I don't know the Twitter handle for, and every player who ever went into battle with me or showed me the ropes in a raid.
I'll never forget this game. Here's to 10 more years!
I'll never forget this game. Here's to 10 more years!
Forgot @GoNinjaKitty!
