The Website
What a wierd month right here on the weblog. Not unusual on account of something I wrote, most of which was the usual fare the few regulars have come to anticipate, the place even my most spicy take is fairly delicate and lined in caveats.
It was site visitors that was the unusual bit. If the WP.com stats are to be believed, February 2026 noticed essentially the most web page views or uniques to the location within the 19 yr historical past of the weblog, eclipsing the peaks seen in 2011 and 2012 when the weblog was… effectively, it has by no means been standard, however was 3-5x much less unpopular than it has been over the previous few years. As my yr in overview posts have indicated, it has been all down hill since 2012.
That is the place I often assert that internet site visitors stats are all rubbish, and I stand by that. Nevertheless, this specific burst of site visitors additionally undermines my common caveat that even dangerous information measured constantly will no less than point out developments.
I’ve three information factors I watch when there’s something odd occurring.
The primary is the WP.com in-built stats. These confirmed a minor surge from the 4th to the sixth after which a a lot greater surge beginning on the fifteenth peaking on the nineteenth and twentieth, and ending abruptly on the twenty first.
WP.com February web page views
Then there may be the flag counter widget on the aspect bar. That’s one thing of a primitive method to rely stats because it simply experiences on what number of instances the widget was loaded. It confirmed an infinite surge in site visitors beginning on January nineteenth, which then subsided after February eleventh.
Flag Counter February web page view stats
Additionally, for those who rely up the web page views of simply the peaks it exceeds 250K, an insane quantity of site visitors for this website the place 5 of the final nineteen years have had totals lower than that. Undecided how that acquired triggered, however there it’s.
Then there may be Google Analytics, which makes use of a code embedded within the website meta information… it’s there you simply don’t see it rendered on the web page… to regulate what’s going on. GA experiences nothing out of the strange till February eleventh, at which era site visitors begins to ramp up.
February Google Analytics web page view stats
That spike went by means of till Friday the twentieth, then fucked off for the weekend I suppose and located one thing higher to do come Monday. The small spike after that gave the impression to be Google favoring me with site visitors from folks looking for details about the NMS Remnant replace and expedition.
So… neat I suppose?
As for the place the site visitors was coming from, all of it appeared to originate inside america, with the main location being Ashburn, Virginia, a website that isn’t even a city however a mere “census-designated place,” quick hand for “we have to name this little bit of land one thing I suppose.” It’s main declare to fame is being a significant location for information facilities outdoors of Washington D.C.
The place the site visitors got here from
I assume there may be some AI stuff occurring there and that some bot/agent/no matter has immediately taken a elaborate to my content material and is consuming it… time and again and over. Perhaps?
And what was being consumed was some fairly outdated stuff. On that listing are issues I wrote about the Warhammer On-line open beta (together with the beginning of the “L doesn’t open the hunt log regardless that the docs say it does” factor that made some folks oddly mad at me), and early 2008 piece about why there are so few “actual” science fiction MMOs, and even that one put up from late 2007 the place I predicted what can be the placement for the following EverQuest II growth primarily based on the the one by accident right choose from the earlier yr (Kunark), one thing that inadvertently launched practically 20 years of annual predictions.
All of which is a pile of mildly attention-grabbing trivia for a really choose few people on the planet, however significantly not precisely core to any world view. And there are much more posts in that vein which have been loaded up, some instances tons of of instances.
Diving right into a bit extra element that Google Analytics offers, the overwhelming majority of customers, however platform, had been on MacOS.
GA operation system measure
Welcome Ps 4 participant!
They had been principally utilizing Chrome because the browser.
| Rank | Browser | Customers |
| 1 | Chrome | 87,683 (91.85%) |
| 2 | Safari | 4,109 (4.3%) |
| 3 | Firefox | 1,111 (1.16%) |
| 4 | Edge | 931 (0.98%) |
| 5 | Opera | 868 (0.91%) |
(Aspect trivia: There have been 3 individuals who arrived from the Meta Quest Browser! Welcome VR vacationers!)
And nearly all of customers had been on with a display decision of 800×600.
GA display resolutions
I suppose a bunch of persons are browsing in from… the 90s? I imply, there was a time when 800×600 screens had been frequent, simply not a lot on this century.
And all three of these high consumer units line up precisely with that first Google Analytics chart. That large spike was pushed by Chrome utilizing MacOS customers on 800×600 screens. It doesn’t really feel credible, however there it’s.
So what? What does all this even imply?
It may very well be AI, it may very well be making an attempt to drive advert income for one thing, or it may very well be the worst DDoS assault I’ve ever skilled. It definitely hasn’t been sufficient site visitors to upset the location In actual fact, each WP.com and I are accumulating advert income out of the cut price.
And all of that might simply be a little bit of trivia, aside from the truth that it made for an unexpectedly profitable month for advert income right here at TAGN… and I imply that comparatively talking. I’m definitely not going to retire early as a result of my weblog made about $100. (I received’t know the ultimate whole for a few days.)
However the truth that it made that a lot in February… is odd. That was higher than any previous month, together with these over the vacations, which are typically the time of high quality provides. February tends to herald the return to the crap advert season.
Additionally, barely more cash got here in through the early February peak that WP.com recorded however Google Analytics says wasn’t a factor, although that may very well be defined by advert high quality. Perhaps that fell off after the Tremendous Bowl?
What does this all imply? I don’t actually know. But it surely positive gave me one thing to say concerning the website this month!
Additionally, checking again, there was a unusual site visitors bump final February, however that appeared considerably explicable by the recognition of my NMS Worlds Half II put up. Likewise, as famous above, there was additionally a reputable, search engine pushed surge of views round my NMS Remnant replace and expeditions posts, mirrored beneath in essentially the most considered posts part.
One Yr In the past
In Enshrouded the occasion group was interested by bee hives and ventured into the Albaneve Summits for the primary time. It was chilly up there, however we pressed on the get the elements for our blast furnace. Then we wished to get the seventh flame degree so we wouldn’t freeze in our base.
That every one led to our considerably comical assault on the dragon on the peak of the Albaneve Summits. We received utilizing the mechanics the sport allowed! After which… effectively… we had been determining what to do after the dragon.
In EVE On-line the MER confirmed customers down after the vacations, however the mineral value index was nonetheless surging to an all time excessive.
Good day Video games releases the massive Worlds Half II replace for No Man’s Sky.
Blizzard began speaking about about WoW housing.
I checked in on Cataclysm Basic… and it appeared fairly quiet. Our group hadn’t logged in since early November. And Blizz was decided to maintain Cataclysm in place for about six extra months.
Playable Worlds, making ready for the Stars Attain Kickstarter marketing campaign, introduced their first cross at rewards for the marketing campaign. The Kickstarter was delayed as we acquired some extra updates. There have been these and a brand new play check, although not with out points.
The Stars Attain Kickstarter was lastly on observe for the twenty fifth, with a preview of the rewards obtainable. The marketing campaign aim was a considerably unimpressive $200K, however they wished a fast win I suppose. The marketing campaign handed the aim that first morning.
Then there was the Civilization VII large launch. When it went reside I declined to hitch in. I haven’t been there on day one for a Civ or Civ adjoining title launch from Sid Meier since Civilization V.
TorilMUD introduced the primary marketing campaign, Name of the Void, on its new marketing campaign and encounter characteristic.
Niantic introduced they had been promoting the online game a part of the corporate, together with Pokemon Go, with a view to dive into the AI hype bubble.
I did a Friday Bullet Factors put up about monetary experiences from Enad International 7, Pearl Abyss, NCsoft, and the comically inept Embracer Group.
GoG.com was reviving their Dream Checklist of titles that players wished restored.
And Audible.com… or Amazon… lastly reduce me off from my greater than 20 yr outdated subscription plan.
5 Years In the past
It had been a yr because the first documented loss of life in america from Covid-19.
It was additionally the top of Silicon Valley retail staple Fry’s Electronics.
Nintendo introduced that they had been going to lastly do a remake of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. That was the place I am going on board the Pokemon prepare again on the outdated DS Lite.
Out of nowhere, as far as I might inform, Valheim confirmed up. I took a glance and really quickly our group was enjoying collectively. We went out searching deer, together with the primary boss, set sail to search out the Black Forest, stormed ashore and setup a base, fought trolls and smelted bronze, then set sail to search out the Elder, the second boss, fought an epic battle with that, and wandered into the plains and died to deathsquitoes. It was fairly a time.
Then there was BlizzConline (and Blizzard’s thirtieth anniversary), which was spoiled a bit by leaks, however which featured the Burning Campaign Basic announcement together with Diablo II Resurrected and different information gadgets.
The Activision Blizzard This fall 2020 earnings name confirmed WoW was carrying the ball for Blizzard, whereas SuperData Analysis confirmed WoW up on the Shadowlands launch and ongoing WoW Basic momentum.
Really in WoW Basic, I used to be engaged on my paladin, who was catching as much as the group, we spent a while getting supplies for enchanting, and we had been nonetheless engaged on Blackrock Depths, although we acquired right down to the ultimate quest there.
In EVE On-line, World Battle Bee carried on, with PAPI beginning to come out of their put up M2-XFE hunch and CCP’s financial modifications sending mineral costs climbing.
And I went on a bit concerning the problem of getting into the MMORPG market. Nonetheless just about true.
Ten Years In the past
We had been in Hawaii for a couple of days for my spouse’s birthday.
I used to be questioning about MMOs and their center age issues.
I used to be on episode 80 of the Couchpodtatoes podcast, the place we reviewed Dawn’s first yr.
LEGO Star Wars: The Power Awakens was introduced, and it was even going to be obtainable on the PlayStation 3. Fortunate me.
Pokemon turned 20. To rejoice there was a re-launch of the traditional Pokemon Crimson, Blue, & Yellow on Digital Console, particular legendary downloads each month, and the announcement that we might be getting the following installment within the sequence, Pokemon Solar & Moon, for the vacations.
Dawn introduced the splitting of H1Z1 into two video games; H1Z1 – Make Some Cash and H1Z1 – Will get Ignored.
I used to be making the case that Blizzard ought to proceed to speak about WoW subscription numbers, even when they had been down, as they had been no less than extra concrete than MAUs, which haven’t any correlation with income. In fact, instances have modified. I used to be capable of pre-order WoW Legion with a 20% low cost due to Amazon Prime.
The shut down date for CCP’s DUST 514 was introduced. The top was nigh. In addition they introduced they had been shutting down EVElopedia, thus creating dozens of recent useless hyperlinks on my weblog in a single fell swoop. Some days I simply hate the web. However no less than the corporate’s financials appeared okay. Not bankrupt but.
In EVE On-line we had the Madi Gras launch that introduce ability injectors/extractors and the ability level financial growth. In fact, it grew to become about penis measurement instantly and any individual needed to inject sufficient to coach up all the talents in sport. You should buy your method to the highest now, a pity it doesn’t truly make you any smarter in actual life.
The EVE On-line Weblog Banter was about highway maps for the sport.
The CSM 11 election season was warming up, with CCP Falcon spreading bullshit in an try to cowl the “no Sions” rule. Sion Kumitomo was boycotting the CSM 10 Winter summit because it was the one company he felt he had. However no less than CCP Falcon and CCP Leelo had been off the CSM element, with CCP Guard and CCP Logibro taking their locations.
In area there was the final flight of the Reaver Ravens and a last combat down in Querious earlier than returning to the north. Then it was Yacht Fleet and the battle between SpaceMonkeys Alliance and the RMT tainted I Need ISK in what was already being referred to as “The On line casino Battle.”
After which there was a name to go play PlanetSide 2, which appeared sick timed contemplating the battle.
In Minecraft I reviewed the state of our automated farms… which had been principally Aaron’s.
And in Diablo III I used to be giving season 5 a run, operating first by means of story mode after which going after among the seasonal goals in journey mode.
Fifteen Years In the past
I used to be by accident declared influential. That was the primary and final time that ever occurred, and in an period earlier than “influencers” had been even a factor. We acquired over that fairly shortly.
Hulkageddon IV got here and went. All of us survived. After which there was the new character creator in EVE On-line. It had… choices.
LOTRO had a welcome again occasion… regardless that it was free to play, so coming again wasn’t all that onerous… until you rely time spent ready for the patcher.
There was one more signal of the approaching apocalypse.
NetDevil acquired pulled out of LEGO Universe.
Nintendo was banging the drum for Pokemon Black and White. We had been definitely prepared for it at our home.
Van Hemlock was slumming again in MMOs for a bit.
I used to be looking on the holy trinity of roles by means of a historic lens. It wasn’t at all times precisely Tank/Healer/DPS.
The occasion group was nonetheless enjoying World of Warcraft. Later we acquired nostalgic about that first yr.
World of Tanks. It was in beta and set some form of file that stretched the that means of a “server” in MMOs. I used to be doubtful.
Rift was on the point of launch. Folks had been freaking out within the absence of calm phrases. Personally, I wasn’t shopping for into the sport. Who wanted a WoW clone once we had WoW?
Nostalgia was formally on with the launch of the Fippy Darkpaw Time Locked Development server. Characters had been rolled. Low degree zones had been crowded and expertise was sluggish. However the tour was a go. We hit the Qeynos Hills, Blackburrow, West Karana, and the Qeynos Sewers. Essential spells had been rediscovered and tenting journeys had been deliberate. Not every little thing was as we remembered it, but it surely made for a reasonably darn good nostalgia journey.
And whereas that was occurring, SOE shipped the Future of Velious growth for EverQuest II. However I couldn’t be bothered.
And, lastly, one in every of our cats was on high of the fridge.
Twenty Years In the past
Dungeons & Dragons On-line: Stormreach launched. Based mostly considerably on the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 rule set it got down to be one of the best dungeon crawl expertise within the MMORPG style, and featured no dragons at launch. It additionally unapologetically required required participant grouping, one thing declared proper on the field. That made me put it again on the shelf at Fry’s. It has since turn into solo pleasant, free to play, and toned down the title to only Dungeons & Dragons On-line.
SOE lauched the Kingdom of Sky growth for EverQuest II, which raised the extent cap to 70 and launched alternate development, a mechanism lengthy acquainted to EQ veterans by that time. This was additionally at some extent of peak efficiency points within the sport, together with the peak of the Qeynos Harbor lag downside. I used to be on board with WoW by then and declined to purchase the growth.
EVE On-line reached the 100,000 subscriber mark, again when firms talked about such issues publicly, and launched the Bloodlines growth. That growth, which principally difficult character creation and made all people go Caldari, can be the present state of the sport after I made my first character in New Eden a couple of months down the highway.
James Cameron was leaping onto the MMO bandwagon with the Multiverse Community, which was going to decrease the barrier to entry for MMO creation. The plan was for there to be an MMO launched alongside his subsequent film, however Avatar needed to go it alone in the long run, whereas Multiverse Community shut down in 2011.
Thirty Years In the past
Civilzation II, maybe one of many oldest video games I can nonetheless play, and which I’ve invested many hours into, launched on leap day 1996.
Pokemon Crimson & Inexperienced, the genesis of the Pokemon franchise, launched in Japan. This was the daybreak of an immense franchise, which spun into anime and a desk high card sport and brought about a gentle ethical panic at one level, with Time journal decrying its affect on the youths of the day.
Forty Years In the past
The Legend of Zelda launches on the NES, the primary sport within the lengthy operating franchise.
Most Seen Posts in February
- No Man’s Sky and Ending Up Expedition 21: Remnant and Past
- No Man’s Sky Remnant, the Furnace, and the Last Colossus Upgrades
- No Man’s Sky – Enjoying with Buddies
- The No Man’s Sky Remnant Replace Arrives
- Planning my Platinum Medal Technique for Pokemon Go Degree 49
- The No Man’s Sky Holidays 2025 Expedition Schedule
- Cat Catching in Enshrouded
- WAR – The Different Stuff I Noticed
- Constructing My First Corvette in No Man’s Sky
- Is There Hope for a Science Fiction MMORPG?
- Do You Identify Your Ships?
- On Expertise Timber and Talent Factors
No Man’s Sky was clearly the theme of the month. An replace and a brand new expedition will try this. As for that large site visitors burst talked about on the high of the put up, it was accountable for placing the posts in eighth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth place on the chart. Once more, no concept what the attraction was with these posts, however there they’re.
Recreation Time by ManicTime
- Undertaking: Gorgon – 38.46%
- No Man’s Sky – 23.82%
- Guild Wars – 16.88%
- EVE On-line – 15.39%
- Civilization II – 5.45%
Undertaking: Gorgon led the pack for positive this month, although I divided my time a little bit extra evenly than some months. I even acquired in some Civilization II for its thirtieth birthday.
EVE On-line
I undocked. I went on a couple of fleets. I even went into the massive battle over the armor timer for the TEST Keepstar in Atioth. However principally I tended my PI farms and did the 12 days of the AIR each day duties to get the bonus ability factors. Enjoyable truth: You may get that first day in for the AIR duties for the following month on the final day of the present month for those who wait till after 00:00 UTC to do them. For me that isn’t robust, I simply wait till after 17:00 native time and do them.
Guild Wars
The occasion group continues to make progress by means of the Prophecies marketing campaign in Guild Wars. I believe that it does have a marketing campaign… as soon as we discovered it… is an effective factor for our group. That retains us from the “what ought to we do?” query that generally plagues us, being a gaggle with completely different play time budgets. A sequence of missions fits us in a means that perhaps some much less linear titles wouldn’t.
No Man’s Sky
This month noticed the Remnant replace and I spent a couple of week operating that, decided to each end the expedition and to unlock all the choices for the Colossus exocraft. Some hours and 4 weblog posts later, I managed it. With all my my replace targets completed, I used to be type of finished.
Undertaking: Gorgon
I used to be large out of the gate on this at the beginning of the month, then was distracted by NMS, which ate up a couple of week after I may need performed extra. I get again into it, however I do have a little bit of a spotlight downside, as talked about in a put up on Thursday. In the event you think about it an issue.
Pokemon Go
My spouse and I made some progress on attending to degree 74. We simply have a
- Degree: 73
- XP Progress: 76.8% of the 203,353,000 xp wanted for degree 80
- Duties for Degree 74
- XP: Carried out
- Platinum Medals: 30 of 30
- Degree up a Max Transfer 20 time: 20 of 20
- Discover 200 km: 162km of 200km
- Full 250 Area Analysis duties: 250 of 250
- Pokedex standing: 924 (+4) caught
- Pokemon I would like: Hawlucha
- Present buddy: a number of as I work on parallel buddies
Coming Up
As I’ll little question reiterate tomorrow, subsequent week is a reasonably large week for Fantasy Critic League, with 5 now six titles touchdown. In any other case, that may keep it up as anticipated.
My spouse and I’ll little question hit degree 74 in Pokemon Go if we will simply get out and stroll a bit extra. I’ll get there first as a result of I do know the one easy trick for steps. Then it is going to be time for extra work on platinum medals. I’ve one other put up lined up about that.
WoW Midnight will launch… like on Monday night time…. although for those who paid the tall {dollars} for the final word tremendous collector’s value gouge version, then you’re enjoying already. That will probably be type of a giant deal. Not for me, as I haven’t even performed Dragonflight, so I’m hopelessly behind. However for lots of people it is going to be again to retail WoW.
We may also be attending to the top of the fiscal quarter, so CCP will little question have a PLEX sale for EVE On-line and EA will transfer one other step in the direction of dismemberment by the hands of the Saudis. It’s type of their factor.
In any other case issues ought to be about the identical right here, with most likely much less No Man’s Sky and perhaps extra Undertaking: Gorgon. We would even get to Lion’s Arch in Guild Wars.
