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New video showcases EverQuest II: Age of Discovery's mercenary system
In the new promotional trailer for EverQuest II's Age of Discovery expansion, poor Gnoob the gnaked Gnome just can't win. Maybe if he were smart enough to spell his name properly, he might not get mauled by the same wolf over and over. After learning that maybe a naked Gnome isn't quite suited to square off against a hungry wolf, Gnoob takes it upon himself to hire an Ogre mercenary (though you'd think if he could afford a mercenary, he could afford some clothes), but even that doesn't go quite right. It just goes to show you that the mercenary system, coming to EverQuest II with Age of Discovery, should be used with discretion. For the full video, follow on past the cut.
SOE opens beta registration for EQII Age of Discovery expansion
The Age of Discovery is coming to Norrath, and Sony Online Entertainment has just released the beta registration info for EverQuest II's eighth expansion. SOE's press blurb says that applications will be reviewed beginning on October 27th, with the expansion closed beta period beginning on November 14th. While Age of Discovery will not feature any new overland areas, dungeon-based content, or zones, it does boast the long-awaited debut of the Beastlord class as well as the Dungeon Maker player content system. Mercenaries, tradeskill apprentices, and item reforging round out the new stuff, and SOE expects to release the content toward the end of November.
The Tattered Notebook: You've got some DCUO/EQ/CWA/VG in my EQII!
As excited as I am to see some of the changes coming to EverQuest II, I have to admit that some of it felt slightly familiar. I've been doing a bit of an MMO walkabout recently, and I've re-upped my Station Access so I could sample some of SOE's other titles, and also revisit some that I haven't played in a while. As I played, I came across features and gameplay that tended to look similar. The Aether races in EQII look a lot like the race tracks from DCUO. The upcoming house database, with a ranking system, sounds a lot like what's in Free Realms. I'd wager that the Mercenary system will be modeled on the one that's already in EverQuest. And the on-again-off-again gifting system in EQII resembles the one already in Clone Wars Adventures. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll take a somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at a few other features from SOE games that would be great to see in EverQuest II.
The Tattered Notebook: Mercenary or player, which would you choose?
If you're an EverQuest II fan, the one big takeaway out of SOE's Fan Faire is that the team is focused on addressing those long-time demands that players have been patiently hoping for. That's why we'll have Beastlords, a class that was so taboo you couldn't even post the name on the official forums. And it's why we're seeing an item revamp that now includes all items from levels 20-90. So you'd think that players would rejoice when they heard the news of mercenaries, an in-game feature designed to make it easier for players to make and fill a viable group, or get things done that they couldn't do alone. The response so far, though, has been the equivalent of a needle being dragged across an LP record at a dance party. Why the tepid response? In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll look at why these swords for hire are causing so much trouble.
The Tattered Notebook: EverQuest II highlights from SOE Fan Faire 2011
The EQII news from Fan Faire seems never-ending this year. The team has revealed several major announcements for the direction of the game, including new content for Game Update 61 and some exciting new features for the upcoming expansion in November. There are several big questions regarding the new changes, like what will Beastlords be like? How does the dungeon creator work? And why is Executive Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson wearing a kilt? Read on for the answers!
Faxion Online announces guild war system
You know that one guild? The one you hate? The one whose members you've ignored, and the one that makes your teeth grind just from the mention of its name? Well, UTV True Games wants you to do something about it! An upcoming update to Faxion Online will introduce Inquisitions, which will allow guilds to declare all-out war on one another. These guild wars can last anywhere from a single day to a fortnight, throughout which the involved guilds' members will be free to gank one another to their hearts' content. Not a guild kind of person? Don't worry! Free agents can be hired on as mercenaries if they wish to join the fray. And if the guilds don't want to fight it out to the bitter end, the system also includes ways to negotiate a surrender or declare a stalemate, all the while tracking each guild's stats on a leaderboard. So get out there, don your halos and horns, and start killing one another! After all, you're already in purgatory anyway.
EVE Evolved: Predictions for DUST 514
When CCP first announced development on its upcoming free-to-play PlayStation 3 MMOFPS DUST 514, speculation ran wild as we thought of exactly how the game could be integrated with EVE Online. The plan to link the two games through EVE's sovereignty system seemed almost too ambitious, but the gaming world waited for more information with a quiet optimism. Most of us cautiously imagined the most basic of interactions between the two games, almost afraid to get our hopes up or express optimism for the project; after all, this is something that has never been done before. I think most EVE players imagined a vague web-based communication between EVE pilots and DUST mercenaries and little or no control over the outcome of a fight. We justly worried that our system sovereignty would be decided by the outcome of random matchmaking-style FPS battles or that DUST would only affect worthless planet-based industrial networks. At this year's E3, even our most optimistic expectations were completely blown away. DUST will be fully integrated into the EVE servers, with DUST players able to join EVE corporations and EVE players able to supply ground troops with equipment. We'll deliver decisive air strikes in realtime from ships in orbit, and DUST players will even be able to fire back. In this week's EVE Evolved, I re-examine the link between EVE Online and DUST 514 in light of the new information from E3 to make some predictions about what the battle for a planet might be like.
E3 2011: DUST 514's realtime integration with EVE Online
During Monday's Sony conference, EVE Online developer CCP Games made an appearance to announce that the company's upcoming MMOFPS DUST 514 will be exclusive to the PlayStation 3. The ambitious title aims to link the world of ground troops fighting over planets to EVE Online's universe of spaceborne conflict. EVE players will be able to hire DUST mercenaries as part of an ongoing territorial war, the concept for which we got a glimpse of in both the E3 DUST 514 trailer and the previous A Future Vision trailer in March. When DUST 514 is released in spring 2012, PC-based ship pilots will be fighting for control of industrial infrastructure, planets, star systems, and whole regions of space alongside console-based ground troops. CCP's future vision for the virtual universe of New Eden is slowly starting to become a reality, and we can only hope that both games live up to their sizable potential. We caught up with CCP at E3 to find out the details on DUST 514's gameplay and how the DUST-EVE link will work. Skip past the cut for the incredibly juicy details on DUST 514's gameplay and how DUST mercenaries will interact with the EVE universe. Before reading on, be warned that a change of underwear may be required!
EVE Spotlight: Mercenary Coalition's Seleene
EVE Spotlight is a new bi-weekly feature in which we interview prominent members of EVE Online's player community or development team. Every two weeks, we'll be shining the spotlight on a player or developer who has a significant impact on EVE to highlight the efforts of EVE's most influential people. It's said that PvP is the force that drives EVE Online, forging demand in the markets through destruction of assets and adding much of the unique political conflict that lies at the heart of EVE's gameplay. If war is EVE's driving force, then mercenaries are its swiftest vehicles. Contract killers by profession, mercenary corporations will take up arms against anyone for the right price. No mercenary group in EVE has ever been as feared and admired as Mercenary Coalition. Famed for being perhaps the single most destructive influence in EVE, MC has turned the tides of wars and shattered entire regions and alliances through brute force. At the alliance's highest point, the mere mention of its name was often enough to postpone war. The group officially disbanded in 2008 following a drawn-out war with Band of Brothers alliance in Delve. Late last year, Mercenary Coalition made a comeback with the announcement by founder Seleene that the group was looking for new members and contracts. Although the future now seems less than certain for the infamous alliance, MC's founder Seleene has certainly had a long and colourful history in the game -- first as a player and then later as a developer for CCP Games. Under the name CCP Abathur, Seleene worked on EVE for over three years before eventually leaving the company on good terms. Having been both an EVE developer and an avid EVE player, he now has a rare perspective on the game and its development. In this EVE Spotlight, I talk to Seleene about his career as the head of EVE's biggest mercenary outfit and his career as an EVE game designer.
Second round of CardMon Hero beta starts tonight
Searching for something different amidst the recent hullabaloo involving imminent MMORPG releases? Try CardMon Hero on for size, as the free-to-play card-summoning MMO might be just what the doctor ordered. Today marks the start of round two of closed beta testing, and you can sign up on the game's official website and get in on the action starting tonight at 7:00 p.m. EST. CardMon Hero allows players to create and summon various mercenaries via a deck of cards. The mercs will work in concert with a player's skill cards to further adventures and clobber challenging foes through 70 instances and hundreds of quests. You'll find lots more information at the CardMon website, and you'll also want to check out our earlier coverage for a gameplay video and assorted screenshots.
CABAL readies Episode V expansion
CABAL Online is gearing up for its latest expansion, and the meaty Episode V: Mercenaries looks to add quite a bit of content to the free-to-play action MMORPG. Chief among the additions are a mailing system, a complete revamp of the dungeon and loot drop systems, and the titular NPC mercs. The new mercenary system gives players the ability to summon an NPC ally inside of the game's dungeons, while simultaneously providing new objectives thanks to a variety of different mercs available to find and recruit. Six different NPCs will be available initially, with new and stronger flavors set for future release. Episode V is also bringing dual pet functionality to CABAL, as well as a variety of features centered around the game's dungeons. Players may now pause dungeon encounters, talk to competing groups via a dungeon chat channel, and keep track of entry requirements on the new dungeon interface. The expansion is slated for December, and we'll keep you posted as a firm release date becomes available. In the meantime, check out the gallery of new screenshots below. %Gallery-108751%
Atlantica Online unveils new vampire countess mercenary
Ndoors Interactive recently introduced a new mercenary to Atlantica Online and, just in time for Halloween, the latest addition is a sultry vampire countess named Carmilla. Players can make use of Carmilla's tactical advantages as well as spells that can be used in multiple ways. These include Dark Harmony (a healing spell), Dusk Elegy (which deals AoE damage), and Vampiric Thirst (which deals damage and leeches health). Ndoors has also updated the in-game store to feature an array of Carmilla-centric items including skill books, a coffin, a summoning rose, and a jewel box. Atlantica's newest mercenary is also noteworthy for being fan-created. Symban from the Macedon server was the winner of the Mercenary Madness Contest that resulted in Carmilla's design and inclusion in the live game.
Atlantica Online unveils Sheriff Christine
Atlantica Online has given us a rather appealing bit of information -- a new mercenary is moseying into town tomorrow. And true to form, she's promising to bring some interesting new wrinkles to the gameplay for anyone interested in laying down the law. Sheriff Christine is the latest addition to the game, offering players a variety of abilities to help control the flow of battle and interactions with the enemy party, using stuns and control-like abilities to turn the tide. Among her arsenal of stuns and control abilities is her new Arrest ability, which freezes an enemy unit for two turns. She also brings area damage into play with her Revolver Rush skill, or single-target damage with her self-buffing skill Steady Stance. We've also been given a few exclusive screenshots of Christine in action, so check them out in our small gallery, and keep your eyes open for Christine's full launch in Atlantica Online tomorrow. %Gallery-102377%
The Old Republic clarifies advanced classes' roles, unveils first two combat ships
Whether you're a groundpounder or a space jockey, The Old Republic is gunning your way, big-time. Fans of either (or both!) aspects of the game have a little more to look forward to this week, as BioWare released additional information on the advanced classes and rolled out the first two starfighters for the public to see. In its recent Fan Friday, BioWare clarified the 16 class specializations by listing each of their top three attributes. For example, bounty hunter players have the choice between powertech or mercenary paths. Powertechs will assume more of a tank role, with flamethrowers and defense shields at the ready. Mercenaries, on the other hand, are to be the ranged DPS version of the class, dealing out the pain with dual guns and missiles. If the recently revealed space combat has you itching to jump into the cockpit, you can check out the first two starships (out of six) that will take pilots through the midst of adrenaline-pumping battles. The Fury is an Imperial interceptor (which looks like a predecessor of the TIE Interceptor), designed with speed and firepower in mind. Its counterpart, the Defender, is a standard Republic corvette that's been upgraded with turbolasers and shields for quick combat missions. Hopefully, we'll find out the remaining four fighters before too long!
EVE Evolved: Outlaws of EVE
EVE Online's Community Manager CCP Wrangler once said that "EVE isn't designed to just look like a cold, dark and harsh world; it's designed to be a cold, dark and harsh world." That sentiment sums up the core philosophy behind the game, which permits such nefarious gameplay styles as thief, smuggler, scam-artist, pirate and market manipulator. Underhanded deals go on every day in EVE, with bounty hunters hired to ruin someone's day and spies tearing corporations apart from within. Many are drawn to EVE because it's one of the few MMOs that allows players to embrace their darker side. The opportunity to be a real villain in a sandbox universe can be intoxicating. Perhaps more intoxicating is the notion that the presence of tangible villains affords players a rare opportunity to play the role of hero. For every pirate gang lurking at a stargate in low security space, there's an anti-pirate squad somewhere planning an attack. For every thief ready to empty their corporation's hangers, there's a security specialist weeding out spies. The true outlaws of EVE are people who have earned their infamy through acts of ruthlessness in their chosen field. Over the years, we've interviewed and examined some of EVE's most notorious outlaws. In this article, I look back at four of EVE's most wanted, how they earned their infamy, and what they're doing today.
Atlantica Online bringing housing and new mercenary
NDoors is bringing a couple of exciting updates to Atlantica Online, thanks in large part to the game's fans. Last month players had the opportunity to create a new mercenary for the game through the Mercenary Madness contest, and they've announced a winner. Symban from the Macedon server is the player bringing you the newest mercenary, Vampire Countess Camilla: "She floats through the air, draining life from other players to sustain her existence. Camilla looks every bit the part of a Vampire Countess, with jet black hair contrasted against her snow-white skin and blood-stained lips." We'll find out more about Countess Camilla as her release date moves closer. A new mercenary isn't the only thing players are looking forward to, though, because housing is on the way to Atlantica Online. Housing, complete with the ability to hire mercenaries to help out around the house, will come to Korean servers this Thursday. International servers will have to wait a bit longer, but they'll be able to enjoy housing later this year. Keep an eye on Massively for more news on these upcoming additions!
CCP Asia on innovation and risk with DUST 514
This past August's announcement from CCP Games of a new title -- DUST 514, a console MMOFPS set in EVE Online's New Eden galaxy -- drew both great interest and intense criticism from gamers. If successful, CCP Games will be the first game company to tie a console FPS in with a separate MMO. (Not entirely separate, however. DUST 514 mercenaries will fight it out on the surface of the same planets seen from space in EVE Online. Their successes and failures will ultimately play a role in the balance of power in EVE.) Since that first flurry of info about DUST 514, it's been rather quiet on the news front. However, a two-part article published at Edge Online this week focuses on CCP's new game. Edge Online's "Enter Planet Dust" is something of a primer on the core concepts behind the title but is also one of the most comprehensive pieces written about DUST 514 to date. Edge also interviewed some of the key CCP Games staff working on the game in Shanghai -- Kjartan Pierre Emilsson, Managing Director of CCP Asia and Atli Már Sveinsson, Creative Director on DUST 514.
'Mercs Inc' officially announced, developed by Pandemic at EALA
This morning's leaked footage, purported to belong to a new multiplayer-capable Mercenaries game called "Mercs Inc," just barely beat EA's official announcement of the (working) title to our front page. In development at EA Los Angeles, the latest toy in the destructive sandbox is paraded underneath the Pandemic banner, held aloft by the "core creative team" that survived the physical studio's recent closure. No target platforms have been announced. According to EA senior VP and group GM, Nick Earl, the swift announcement "demonstrates our continued commitment to Pandemic's rich catalog of intellectual properties." As the press release innocently points out, "Mercs Inc will also be the first Pandemic game" to be released after this December's The Saboteur, the last Pandemic game. Oh, the previous one, we mean.
Rumor: Leaked video shows Mercenaries multiplayer sequel
A leaked video that's rumored to show gameplay of a pre-production, multiplayer version of Mercenaries -- titled Mercs Inc. -- has been unearthed by Bitmob. The project is reportedly in pre-production at EALA, being created by two dozen or so of the Pandemic team that weren't let go when the studio's doors were closed last week. The video features plenty of car-on-car and car-on-dude violence, as well as the extremely rare Triple Teabag, which hasn't been seen since the Ukranian Ice Hurling team's dramatic win over Poland in the 1906 Winter Olympics. It must be seen to be believed, and you can do just that right after the break.
Rumor: Pandemic Studios to close its doors today
Pandemic Studios, the house behind games like Mercenaries and the forthcoming The Saboteur will be shuttered by EA today, according to sources speaking to Kotaku. Reportedly, the developer's 200-some staffers will be informed at 2 p.m. EST that all but a few (who will be integrated into other EA teams) are to be let go. Pandemic had previously been rumored as one of the studios that would be hit hardest by EA's 1,500-member staff reduction. Current Pandemic projects will reportedly shift to EA's Montreal branch, which handles Army of Two. This story, that of a developer who puts their all into a game only to be rewarded with a firing upon its completion, is staring to become alarmingly familiar. Sure, we understand the logistics, but that's cold comfort to those Pandemic employees who may have to start tomorrow off by looking for work. We'll keep after EA for official word.
