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Daybreak: No SOE Live this year, but our games will endure
What does the transition from SOE to Daybreak Game Company mean for you? Well for starters, if you had set aside money and time to attend SOE Live this year, it's time to change those plans. Community Manager Linda Carlson confirmed on Twitter that the fan convention would be taking some time off due to the corporate transition: "SOE Live will take a hiatus as we focus on our exciting transition and the future of Daybreak Game Company." Daybreak President John Smedley also posted several follow-ups to the announcement and the ensuing player questions: "1) All our games are still up and will continue to be despite our new name. 2) Yes, we want to bring our games to Xbox One in addition to PS4. 3) Station Cash doesn't change at all (though we will be rebranding it soon here). 4) We're still making Everquest Next. Nothing has changed."
SOE relies on players to report inappropriate posts
If you see something, SOE definitely wants you to say something. EverQuest II CM Linda Carlson responded to a post on EQ2Wire to say that the studio depends on its players to help police the "meeelions" of comments in its forums. "Unless we are actually perusing the forums when something comes up, we do indeed rely on players helping to keep the forum community a reasonable and comfortable place to post by reporting disruptive or inappropriate posts," Carlson said. Carlson went on to give advice on how to constructively post on forums and avoid unnecessary conflict with other posters, including "Never post angry. Never post drunk." and "Two trolls do not make a right."
SOE hiring language-specific Community Reps for EQN Landmark
If you've got a passion for EverQuest Next Landmark and you are a native speaker of French, German, or Castilian Spanish, then SOE has a job opportunity for you. The Community Management Department, headed by Linda "Brasse" Carlson, is seeking Community Representatives for each of these languages to work on the upcoming sandbox. The positions are part-time and you work from home (so no need to relocate to San Diego!). If interested, send cover letter and resume to lmcarlson@soe.sony.com. Good luck to all who apply!
SOE suffers a 'reduction in workforce' [Updated]
SOE has just announced layoffs to an undetermined number of presumably MMO-related staff. Head of community management Brasse confirmed earlier rumors on the EverQuest II official forums: Today we announced a reduction in our workforce at SOE. As a company, our goal is to focus on our core expertise of MMO games and as part of these efforts, we had to make the difficult decision to eliminate positions to help reduce costs, streamline our employee base and strategically align resources towards our current portfolio of games and upcoming slate of MMOs, including EverQuest Next Landmark and EverQuest Next. We deeply value our employees and are grateful for all they've contributed to our company and games. They will be missed by colleagues and friends, and we wish them well in the future. We have contacted SOE for clarification on which MMOs are impacted by these layoffs and will update when we know more. [Thanks to Jeremy for the tip.] [Update: While SOE has declined to officially comment further, an unnamed Gamasutra source claims "the layoffs affect both its San Diego and Austin offices." SOE president John Smedley tweeted his condolences, posting, "Sorry to say that we did have layoffs. We're still moving forward with all our current games and games in development including EverQuest Next and other unannounced titles. The people who got laid off are very good people. Very sorry this happened. Layoffs suck. These are really, really good people who don't deserve this."]
SOE Live 2013: Thursday keynote announces expansions, release dates, and more
SOE Live 2013 kicked off in the new Planet Hollywood venue with a keynote full of information as well as frivolity. The night started with a rap performance by a PlanetSide 2 player and continued with plenty of humor and even prize giveaways. Fan favorite Brasse, aka Linda Carlson, then lit up the stage (literally) in her PlanetSide 2-inspired Dwarven armor set and plugged Player Direct, a way for player-made gaming videos to gain more exposure. And then came the gaming news. Although even more details will be forthcoming as the convention progresses, there were some definite highlights shared by SOE CEO John Smedley, EverQuest Producer Thom Terrazas, and EverQuest II Producer Holly Longdale, including expansion announcements, release dates, and even some EverQuest Next tidbits.
SOE Live registrations open, offer early bird specials
Thinking about heading to SOE Live this August? Then it's time to get your pass to the event! SOE has opened up registrations to the convention today and has a few special deals for folks who book in the next couple of weeks. Event attendees can purchase single-day passes, evening passes, or all-access passes. Through May 22nd, the single-day passes are $10 off and the all-access pass is $20 off the normal price. The day and all-access passes include special goodies such as a t-shirt, in-game items, future expansions to both EverQuest titles, and access to the showroom. Children 12 and under can attend for free, and players may elect to spring for a brunch with the developer team for an extra $59. SOE Live will take place from August 1st through August 4th at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
Sony officially announces SOE Live 2013
While we've known that SOE Live was moving location and dates this year to Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas from August 1st through the 4th, we now have official confirmation from the studio itself. SOE Head of Global Relations Linda Carlson drafted up an accompanying post about the upcoming convention that includes several pictures from previous years. "We're all gamers too," she writes, "and can hardly wait to hang out with you again! Everyone at the company LOVES going to SOE Live, the one event each that focuses solely on our players. We have everything in common!" Carlson explained that the change in venue was made for several reasons, primarily to keep costs down, have more flexible meeting space, and experience better air quality. She confirmed that, as in previous years, kids will get in free to the event.
The Guild Counsel: What I learned at the SOE Live player panels
It was easy to overlook, but hidden among the mountains of new announcements and game panels at this year's SOE Live were several panels that were organized and run by the players themselves. Players were asked to submit ideas for panels across a wide spectrum of game topics. They came up with some terrific ideas, and Linda "The Brasse" Carlson, SOE's Global Director of Community Relations, used every tool at her disposal to fit in as many as possible in the lineup. Thanks to my time-turner necklace, I was able to catch several of these player panels in addition to the regular game panels, and I've summed them up below. There were some great moments from each of these panels, and if you missed them, you'll want to check out the highlights below!
The Tattered Notebook: Linda Carlson on goat herding and community management
What do goat herding and community management have to do with one another? On the surface, you'd probably think not much, but at GDC Online this week, SOE Head of Global Relations Linda "Brasse" Carlson explained the parallels between her job as Community Manager and her job as a goat herder. In the talk, though, she not only gave advice on how to run a community management team but also shared some interesting observations about some of SOE's online communities in general. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll look at some of the highlights.
GDC 2012: The Tattered Notebook attends Brasse's community panel
What do dwarves and Monty Python have in common? They both feature prominently in Linda "The Brasse" Carlson's GDC 2012 talk about the front lines of the SOE community relations team. Given the recent roller coaster ride of the ProSiebenSat.1 deal and the turmoil on the forums that followed, I found it interesting to hear what it's like to be a member of the community management folks as they try to handle being in the middle of it all. While her talk was mainly aimed at community managers in other games, there were a few tidbits that players would probably find interesting and maybe even surprising. Read on for the highlights!
EverQuest II delays expansion launch overnight [Updated]
While today was supposed to be an exciting day for EverQuest II -- the launching of both its latest expansion Age of Discovery and game-wide free-to-play -- it has turned into a technical nightmare for the SOE crew. The game and website were pulled offline for maintenance in preparation for the launch, but what was supposed to be merely extended downtime grew longer and longer until EQII players had been waiting most of the day just to log in. Then, late tonight, EQII's Brasse posted the following on Facebook, informing the community that the expansion and F2P launch would have to wait until December 7th at the earliest: Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and Trolls... We have just evaluated the status of the current update and have come to the conclusion that we can either unlock servers and risk broken content, or ensure that we provide the best experience possible and delay the update to tomorrow morning. We have to do it RIGHT. For all of you and for all of us. So please, bear with us, relax overnight, and let us sortie into the new day together. Community will be in office at 7:00am PST and will immediately review status and give you all an update. We are aiming for morning and working as hard as we possibly can. [Update] A little later, she posted this: A final update this evening... Smed would like us to share that with the Platform Team working all night to complete the maintenance, we expect to be up at 10:00am PST. [Update 2] SOE's CTO posted another bit of info on the downtime. [Update 3] And it appears that EverQuest II's servers are back online!
PlanetSide 2 hosting a webcast on Thursday
PlanetSide 2 is certainly in the minds of several longtime fans of the original, but thus far we know very little about how the game will actually play. Luckily, Sony Online Entertainment is going to start breaking the metaphorical radio silence, and things are kicking off on the right note via a webcast on Thursday. It's the first time that a live webcast is being held for the game, and it should help get players in on the ground floor for information about the multiplayer shooter. Hosted by Linda Carlson (better known as Brasse), this inaugural webcast will introduce the team behind PlanetSide 2. Eager players and fans should set some time aside on their calendars for 7 p.m. EDT (4 p.m. PDT), as that's the designated start time. No word on what might be revealed aside from the minds of the development team, but if you're looking forward to the game, it's probably not a bad idea to check it out anyway.
SOE's Fan Faire 2012 moving to the Fall
It's never too early to start planning for next year's convention season, and Sony Online Entertainment has announced that its annual Fan Faire get-together is vacating its traditional summer slot starting in 2012. SOE's Las Vegas shindig will move to the Fall, and the company is currently offering up a public vote to determine the exact dates. Participants can select between the weekends of September 13th through September 16th, September 27th through September 30th, or October 18th through October 21st. In a post on SOE's official boards, Linda "Brasse" Carlson explains that the bump is mostly due to the availability of the venue, which in turn keeps costs down and enables SOE to continue hosting the fan-friendly event.
SOE Fan Faire 2011: Community address highlights
As the lights dimmed and a certain familiar bearded dwarf took the stage, SOE's Fan Faire officially got underway. After a hearty welcome from SOE Community Manager Linda "The Brasse" Carlson, fans were treated to some highlights of what to expect from the panels and events of the coming weekend through a keynote address by SOE President John Smedley. But before all the fancy trailers and big announcements, Smedley made a personal apology to fans for the security breach this past spring. In addition, he unveiled a new tool to protect player accounts -- the Vasco Data Security key fob. He said it's an extra layer of security that will protect against hacking, and it will go live in all SOE games as of tomorrow. All Fan Faire participants get a free key fob, and there will be iPhone and Android versions on the way as well. Read on for a look at all of the highlights from the community address!
Sony Online Entertainment issues an official response to Star Wars Galaxies petitions
The news that Star Wars Galaxies will soon be shutting down has been met with quite a bit of sadness from the players, for understandable reason: The game has just recently hit its eight-year anniversary and remains a large and unique game in many respects. Players had banded together to start a petition to save the game, one large enough to merit an official response from Sony Online Entertainment. But we're sorry to say that this isn't something to get excited about; the official response is, essentially, that the decision is made. Posted by Linda "Brasse" Carlson, the short response thanks players for their dedication and commitment to the game but notes that the agreement between SOE and LucasArts has been made after a great deal of discussion, and it's not going to be reversed. The letter closes by urging Star Wars Galaxies players to enjoy the game's twilight months by playing the game while it's still around, which is good advice but certainly sad news for those who had held out hopes for an 11th-hour reprieve.
The Tattered Notebook: Fan Faire survival guide
It's hard to believe, but in just a couple of weeks, Fan Faire will once again be upon us. What started as a simple fan celebration eight years ago has become a massive showcase of Sony Online Entertainment games, fan spirit, and of course, amazing costumes. There's a lot going on, and the weekend really flies by quickly. Whether you're going for the first time or you're a multi-year vet, this week's Tattered Notebook offers up several handy tips to help you make the most of Fan Faire. Read on for all the details!
SOE working on a "make good plan" for its customers
In the wake of the uproar following Sony's announcement regarding customer data theft, the company has continued working to repair the damage and communicate with its customers. The latest information includes an FAQ on the incident as well as another announcement from Linda "Brasse" Carlson: We apologize for any inconvenience players may have experienced as a result of the recent service interruption. As a global leader in online gaming, SOE is committed to delivering stable and entertaining games for players of all ages. To thank players for their patience, we will be hosting special events this weekend across our game portfolio, including a Double Station Cash day on Saturday, April 30th. We are also working on a "make good" plan for players of the PS3 versions of DC Universe Online and Free Realms. Details will be available soon on the individual game websites and forums. In addition to the general FAQ and announcement, senior director of corporate communications and social media Patrick Seybold updated the Playstation blog to clarify the reasons behind the delay in communicating information on this incident to customers. Keep an eye on Massively for more details on the make good plan as they become available.
SOE acknowledges "external intrusion" responsible for website downtime
Sony Online Entertainment has acknowledged an issue that has caused its MMORPGs and game-related websites to be sporadically unavailable since Thursday, April 21st. SOE's Linda "Brasse" Carlson posted on the EverQuest II forums late last night, attributing the trouble to "an external intrusion." Users have experienced connection issues in everything from Vanguard, to EQII, to Free Realms, and EQII's main website remains inaccessible as of press time. Station Cash and account services appear to be working normally. "As a result of an external intrusion on its system, SOE interrupted its services on April 21. Promptly upon learning of the intrusion, SOE initiated an investigation and took corrective steps to bring its games and other services back up," Carlson explained. "We are working hard on bringing all of our player sites back online, but have no ETA at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for bearing with us."
EverQuest becomes ever after: A talk with Linda Carlson of SOE
When it comes to getting involved with community, Sony Online Entertainment's Director of Global Community Relations Linda Carlson knows it well. Most often seen tromping around conventions dressed as her beer-craving Dwarven alter-ego Brasse, Carlson was a fixture at SOE's Fan Faire events and author of her own gaming comic long before she ever started working for the studio. As we had the chance to find out recently, this was due at least in part to EverQuest changing her life many, many years prior. While these days meeting up with someone you've met online is considered fairly commonplace, when you look back to the earliest days of MMO gaming, it generally was not something many people did. Even if you did meet someone from "on the computer," they tended to be folks from one or another BBS -- local connections that were easily made and just as easily dismissed. The idea of not only meeting someone online in a romantic fashion but leaving the country you live in to see him/her was considered completely insane. "What if you don't get along? Or what if he/she is a murderer?" your friends might ask, since this was all really new territory and nobody quite knew what would happen. Still, some early MMO gamers like Carlson gathered up their courage and took that gamble. In honor of Valentine's Day, we interviewed Carlson about how her EverQuest connection became an "ever after" -- join us after the break!
