Destroyed Beauty

One of my favorite moments in the life of any multiplayer game is when it first launches.

There are no grand strategies, no meta. Just chaos as a bunch of strangers have to learn the game's systems and figure out viable strategies. Those first few weeks, when everyone is learning together - man, that's an exciting time.

It's also a magical moment, as everything is new to you as a player, and you're looking at it with a fresh set of eyes. I can't think of times that are more immersive or engrossing than those first few weeks after launch.

I'm in a hyper-aware state during the early phase of a game. I take my time, absorbing all of the details as I try to figure out tactics and strategies. I'm completely immersed.

But eventually, the dust settles (no pun intended). Players move on to the next big thing, and only the diehards remain. For Dune: Awakening, I'm one of those diehards. I won't get into the details as to why for this post, but I haven't been this obsessed with a game for a long time.

What is most interesting to me, though, is that as we're seeing drops in player counts, people obviously aren't logging in. They're not fueling the generators of their bases. In Dune: Awakening, you've got to keep your generators powered so the shields of your base can protect it from the harsh environment of the desert planet, Arrakis. With no shields, the sands of Arrakis will break those bases down. Meanwhile, I log in, go about my business mining resources or doing quests, and I'll stumble across some abandoned base. Inevitably, I have to check out the innards of each ruin, combing through it looking for loot.

I absolutely love these moments. Don't get me wrong, I want people to play this game. But man, it is really cool stumbling across an abandoned base and seeing it get worn down by sandstorms each time you log in. It adds to the immersion so much that it makes you feel like a true survivor, one who's not just eking it out on the sands of Arrakis - you're thriving.

I'm really excited to see where the developers take this game. It's been a great experience bringing a lot of my friends together as we coordinate Guild activities. And while I don't want to see players leave, it is pretty damn cool seeing the desert wear down dwellings, creating ruins for new and old players alike to plunder and explore.