neocron-2
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One Shots: ???
There's a lot going on in our lead picture here. There are question marks, a fungus person, a pointedly staring frog, and enough colors to give Crayola a run for its money. But what is it about? What does it mean? Reader Stacy helps clear things up: "That's mah frog. This was around April Fool's last year (those question marks are fireworks from that in-game event and are amazing in motion). This was my first house; I got it for free from the EverQuest in-game card game, so I did not have much decoration. I bought a bunch of pets from a man down the street and set them loose, then set off all my fireworks and partied the night away with frog and friends." See, if we did most of these activities in real life, we'd be in jail. Aren't MMOs grand?
The Game Archaeologist: When sequels attack!
Sequels are both the bane of and a fact of life for movies and video games. Well, "bane" is a strong word, and you're probably thinking of Batman right now anyway, but personally, I'm always willing to give the benefit of doubt to any continuation of a favorite franchise. While we don't see sequels pop up as often in MMOs, they do exist and have significant effects upon the original title that bears the same name. It's here that MMOs diverge from movies and other video games. With those, the original is not in any sort of danger, other than the perception of having its legacy dragged down into the muck (Caddyshack II, anyone?) and perhaps overstaying its welcome. An MMO sequel, on the other hand, can cause serious consequences to its ancestor. Here at Game Archaeologist, we look at classic games that have often seen their time come and go. But what happens to one of these titles when a sequel attacks? Almost anything, it turns out.
The Game Archaeologist: Neocron and Neocron 2
It's the distant future. The high-tech battle armor you wear sharply contrasts with the ruins of civilization that you traverse. You spot an enemy and raise your pulse rifle, firing off shots as you strafe to cover. Technology hasn't solved the issue of war; it's just made it that much more bloody. PlanetSide 2? Nope -- this is Neocron, the quite-forgettable MMOFPS from the way-back era. I like to call it "that game with the most regrettable cover art in the history of video games," but that isn't quite as snappy. Going into this article, I have to admit that I previously knew absolutely nothing about Neocron other than the fact that it was a sci-fi MMO that vaguely reminded me of Anarchy Online. Oh, also the fact that nobody I know or perhaps ever will know played it. Is it just a myth? A practical joke to make us believe in a MMO phantom? Only sifting through layers of dust and grime would produce results, so I rolled up my sleeves and started digging.
The Perfect Ten: Sequelitis
As a long-time movie buff, I've always been fascinated by sequels. I know, they have a terrible reputation and everyone gets this face like he's digesting a porcupine when discussing them, but there's something fun about them as well. I think we always want a good story to continue, to see what happens next, and to answer the question, "What would the first film be like if it were put in the hands of a complete boob?" It would be an entertaining trainwreck, that's what. Even though the MMORPG genre is in its toddler stage, it's seen a number of sequels, prequels and spin-offs, just the same as other types of entertainment. Video game sequels for hit titles are safer financial investments than striking out into new territory, so it makes sense that MMO studios would follow this pattern as well. Right now there are loads of MMO sequels and spin-offs in the works -- including EverQuest Next, PlanetSide Next, Guild Wars 2, Mabinogi 2, MapleStory 2, Phantasy Star Online 2, Dust 514, and even a possible Ultima Online sequel -- so it's safe to say that the trend won't be dying down anytime soon. However, today I want to look at 10 sequels that already made it to release and briefly examine how they stacked up to their predecessors. Oh yes, there will be blood after the jump -- and I will drink your milkshake!
MMO racism: the No Elves! movement picks up steam
To some it is unadulterated racial hatred; to others, pure marketing genius. Ok, perhaps I'm sensationalizing just a bit, but since its release, the No Elves! trailer for Global Agenda has generated quite a buzz. A recent newsletter announcement by Hi-Rez Studios details how they plan to capitalize on it.Those willing to show their support for the No Elves! movement can now buy a few different t-shirts from the Hi-Rez store, join a Facebook group, and download a media kit full of high quality videos and images. After launching the campaign initially, it appears Hi-Rez wants the community to take it over and spread the word. I believe the term is "viral marketing?"According to one of the developers, Hi-Rez first used the "No Elves" tagline on a staff recruitment banner 3 or 4 years ago. Another forum-goer pointed out a "No More Elves" promotion developed by Reakktor for Neocron 2 in 2005. It seems there is an abundance of pointy-eared hate because a number of MMO bloggers formed a No Elf Club recently as well. Come on folks, "can we all get along?"
News from the Wider MMO World: August 26, 2008
The MMO genre is more than World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online. Here's what's going on in the rest of the world.Mabinogi welcomes Generation 3The MMO that bills itself as "your fantasy life" has gotten its next upgrade with Generation 3. Now Mabinogi players will have the ability to marry each other, complete with license and wedding attire for both genders. An overarching quest will require warriors to recover dungeon seals to prevent the Fomor from entering the world. And finally, the pet system gets an overhaul, with new interactions, behaviors, and controls. The removal of the combat cap, increased UI options, and new items all await players in Generation 3.Neocron 2 developer declares insolvency10Tacle Studios AG, parent company of Reakktor Media GmbH, developers of Neocron 2, declared insolvency on August 6th. They are awaiting an insolvency administrator to determine what will happen with the game servers. In a later update to the original forum post, Kirk Lenke, CEO of Reakktor Media announced that the insolvency will not affect business operation of Neocron 2, and that they are still in development for upcoming title Black Prophecy.
E308: Black Prophecy debuts with trailer, closed beta registration
Reakktor Media, the brains behind the cyberpunk MMO shooters Neocron and Neocron 2, have recently recently a brand new movie-esque trailer for their new game, Black Prophecy.The game is a futuristic space combat game, a la Jumpgate, in design. By the look of the trailer, there's going to be dogfights, explosions, pretty planets, huge ships, and pretty much everything else you could expect. The game world has also been penned by Michael Marrak, a German science-fiction author, so we can also expect a full plotline and deep world. If the text in the trailer is to be believed, it looks like all of life might be nearing a universal apocalypse?More importantly, Reakktor has also opened the registration for the Black Prophecy closed beta on their website, so if you're interested in flying around and blowing stuff up, you might want to stop over and drop your name in the hat. There's currently no word as to when the closed beta will start up, but we'll keep our ears to the ground for you and will post up the information as we receive it.But while you're drooling, waiting for the beta, you can also look at the trailer on the Black Prophecy website, plus a couple of screenshots, to keep you guessing until the game falls into your hands. Or, maybe go check out Reakktor's other work, Neocron 2, perhaps?
