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Kate Paiz takes LotRO's Exec Producer reins from Jeffrey Steefel
For Lord of the Rings Online fans and players, this past weekend was undoubtedly one of the busiest news periods for the title since launch. Once official word hit that LotRO was indeed going free-to-play, players had FAQs and charts and numerous interviews to read, digest and figure out what it meant for the future of the game. It's understandable that a second big announcement would get lost amid the flurry of F2P frenzy, especially since it was packaged in with the F2P announcement itself. However, now that things have settled somewhat, it's important to recognize a significant leadership change at Turbine. Kate Paiz has taken over as Executive Producer for the title, following in Jeffrey Steefel's footsteps, who has moved on to a new project at Turbine. According to her introduction letter, Paiz worked as a producer for both There.com and DDO, and helped to supervise the latter's transition into its successful hybrid F2P model. This experience will be invaluable for LotRO's new evolution, and she couldn't be happier: "Given my background, it's hardly surprising that I believe very strongly in the power of providing gamers with a choice in how they pay and play our games." Considering that one of her first public acts as Executive Producer was to handle the bombardment of interviews and forum questions about LotRO's upcoming model, one could say that her new position was forged in the fires of Mt. Doom itself.
The Daily Grind: What do you think of LotRO's new F2P model?
While predicted and anticipated by some, the news that Lord of the Rings Online is going free-to-play this fall still hit like a 1,000-pound bomb yesterday. The new free-to-play LotRO forums were abuzz about the topic, some excited to have their friends join in, some calling for a boycott, and others simply wanting more information before coming to a conclusion. One thing is clear: Turbine is hoping for lightning to strike twice after DDO's successful move to F2P last year. Turbine posted a small book's worth of information already, including a letter from LotRO's new executive producer Kate Paiz, a fairly comprehensive FAQ, and a chart comparing the benefits of each of the three tiers of players. It's certainly a lot to digest, and after a day to sort through the news and commentary, we want to hear from you: what do you think of LotRO's new free-to-play model? For those of you who've abstained from LotRO due to the subscription fee, will this be enough to entice you to dip your toes into Middle-earth? If you're a lifetime subscriber, do you feel as though you're being compensated properly in this transition? Is this a sign of desperation or a beacon of hope for the future of the game? Are you excited about the new content coming this fall, including a new region to explore? Will you reserve judgment until you try the beta?
DDO goes F2P: An interview with Turbine
As the news hit yesterday concerning Dungeons and Dragons Online going free-to-play, many MMO gamers collectively rejoiced, while others didn't. The idea of this hybrid business model is wonderful for those who have yet to experience DDO, as it now gives them a chance to play the game as long as they'd like, with no level cap restrictions for absolutely no cost. This means no credit card info changing hands, no commitments to a monthly fee and the implied need to "get your money's worth" and no real need to quit the game if you can't afford it. But it can't be that easy, can it? Well, there's a slight catch. Current subscribers will see no real change in the game, as what they're paying for now is what's included in the new VIP model. The F2P players will not exactly have access to the same features for free, yet they can purchase as little or as much as they'd like in the Turbine store with Turbine points. This allows more casual players the chance to play the game and only pay for those features they know they'll use. To help explain this new system, and answer some questions we had, we had a chance to sit down with Adam Mersky, Turbine's Director of Communication, Kate Paiz, Senior Producer for DDO and Fernando Paiz, Executive Producer for DDO. Keep reading after the jump to find out what they had to say.%Gallery-65663%
DDO letter announces more features coming with Module 9
As Dungeons and Dragons Online celebrates its third anniversary, Senior Producer Kate Paiz addresses the community with a letter to the players. This letter includes a look back at the last three years in DDO, a mention of Kate's favorite changes to the game so far and the most exciting part: what's to come with Module 9.There are five main changes outlined in this letter (in addition to those sneak peeks already in the forums). These upcoming changes include a shared bank tab for all characters on one account, an updated targeting system, a clearer combat feedback system, skill changes and more! This is all in addition to the level cap increase to 20 that many players have been eager to experience. Check out the official discussion forum for Module 9 as well as continued coverage from Massively on this exciting new content update.
More details on Dungeons and Dragons Online's Module 8
We're pretty well swept up in the Wrath of the Lich King launch today, but that doesn't mean we're not keeping an eye on the rest of the MMO world. Our most recent Massively Speaking podcast featured an interview with Turbine's Kate Paiz, Senior Producer for Dungeons and Dragons Online, conducted by our overlord Michael Zenke. The interview hits on some details of Turbine's plans for Dungeon and Dragons Online in Module 8 (namely 'hirelings') and beyond. But there's more -- GameBanshee recently ran a Turbine interview detailing how DDO has changed in Module 8 over its previous iterations. The GameBanshee interview gives us some additional details on Module 8's hirelings, and focuses on the new Character Generation system, a story-based introduction to the game, and content for higher-level players.
Massively catches up with Dungeons and Dragons Online at Gen Con
Gen Con is rolling along this weekend in Indianapolis, and Turbine is there showing off their upcoming release of Module 8 in Dungeons and Dragons Online. Massively dropped in on their show floor booth to see what they had to see and chat about the brand new character creation system coming to the game, as well as upcoming enhancements, including an increased level cap and maybe even a chance to see Khorvaire in DDO.Our interview and demo starts after the break, and you can check out the pictures we got of the new content in the gallery below. Good things ahead for D&D fans, especially new players to the game. %Gallery-29742%
Turbine party at GenCon Indy
It's always exciting to hear when dev companies find a way to casually mingle with their communities at gaming expos, more than just sitting behind a booth or at a panel talking and answering questions. Since August is somehow designated as the month for gaming conventions, we are overwhelmed by the after-party announcements popping up for next month's expos.Turbine joins the fray with a recent announcement about their GenCon after-party. It will be held at Jillians in Indianapolis, IN from 8-10PM on Friday, August 15th. You will have the opportunity to meet Eldorudo, Tolero, Patience, Kate Paiz and more from the Turbine team. There will also be food, games, fun and swag for all in attendance. They'd like anyone planning on attending to RSVP for a proper headcount.
Massively covers Dungeons and Dragons Online's Module 7
DDO's Module 7 goes live today, and boy, if you're looking for information about it, you're in the right place. Massively has been covering Module 7 since before Module 6 dropped, and just in case you missed out on any of our great coverage, it's right here for your perusing pleasure. Live at Connect '08, we provided coverage of the DDO panel, including a first look at the Monk class Turbine released in this patch. Shortly after that, we chatted with the woman herself, DDO Senior Producer Kate Paiz, on what worked well with Module 6, and everything else they were planning in Module 7 and beyond. We covered "Monk Week" and the official Turbine events leading up to the game. Not only did we provide great original coverage, but we aggregated coverage from around the 'net, including other interviews with Ms. Paiz, as well as official info drops (and did you take advantage of your chance to grab the soundtrack?) And finally, Massively's got the dungeonmaster of all Module 7 previews, including the number one reason you'll want to roll a Monk, a look at the Gary Gygax shrine and the new midlevel content, the new high level instances and bosses, and even an exclusive video preview of what you'll see in Module 7 (which you'll find right after the break). We critted on the coverage of this new patch (going live today), and you get to be the one to claim all the loot. Before you sign in and check out Module 7 today, be sure to check all the links above and read about it here.%Gallery-23551%
D&DO Module 7: The Gygax shrine and Three Barrel Cove
We stood in front of a peaceful shrine, adorned with a book and an inlaid gem. This little shrine in the lower level area of Delera's Tomb is a monument one of D&D's greatest champions, co-creator Gary Gygax -- it stands in the middle of the area where the man himself narrated some of the ingame DM text. Paiz also told us that there would be event quests and items associated with Gygax in the game, and though we didn't get to see any of those, it seemed like a fitting tribute to one of the men who came up with the foundation of all these games we play.Then, we were whisked away (via admin commands in the client) to another updated low level area, Three Barrel Cove. This area was one of the first created for the game a long time ago (all of the Turbine employees present at the play session admitted that it "preceded" all of them), and since so many players will be leveling up again with the Monk class, the devs decided to revamp the approximately level 5 area, and make it bigger, clearer, and completely redistribute the monsters within. This is only one of a number of changes made to the entire game to accomodate the new class -- Paiz said that they did a "full equipment pass" on all the items to make sure that Monks were itemized throughout the levels. The first area within Three Barrel that we got to see was The Black Loch, a huge pirate ship in a cave that serves as the tavern and hub for the area. Everything was very pirate-themed (though the pirate vs. ninja battle, we were told, would have to wait for another game update), and the devs said they had a lot of fun playing with the pirate asthetic, and turning all of the different races and groups in the game into pirate versions of themselves.This showed in our first quest, too -- in order to prove our worth as pirates, the party was asked to make it through Rackham's Trial, a test that a pirate captain gave to recruits. There were traps aplenty inside the quest, and as we carefully (and sometimes not so -- we sprung quite a few traps just by walking into them accidentally), the devs talked about how they try to both mix up the gameplay with different types of puzzles, but also give players who aren't as interested in mind games and tricks ways to avoid them if preferred. One example given was an "agility test" -- there were a series of ladders heading up a vertical tunnel, and as players, we had to jump from ladder to ladder (sometimes even from one side of the tunnel to the other) to make our way up top. After a few tries, we weren't getting too far, so the devs pointed out that there was another entrance in the instance that led past the trap, so only one player had to beat the test and then let everyone else through. But on the other hand, the devs said, they didn't want to make the puzzles too easy. They also showed us an extremely elaborate puzzle that could have been designed by Rube Goldberg, consisting of a number of different floor designs, levers, dart machines, and rotating directors. With the short time we had to try the trap, we didn't even get through the first phase of it, but as tough as it was, that didn't even compare to the second trap we saw: In a quest to save a fellow pirate, we made our way through a dungeon, and eventually ended up in a room where the man we were looking for stood in a cage in the middle. As we entered, he beckoned us not to move, but at the devs' hinting, we took a look up around the walls of the room -- every single square inch of the large pedestals of the room was covered in a kind of rotate-able jigsaw puzzle (this one will be familiar to D&D Online players, as you play a much, much simpler version of it early on in the game). The idea was to rotate the pieces to line up and make light paths, but in this gigantic version of that puzzle (the dev who made it, we were told, "is probably certifiably crazy"), there's one twist: every wrong move gets our friend in the cage shocked, and too many shocks means a dead friend and a failed quest. Players who like puzzles will find no shortage of things to do in Module 7.Our final stop in Three Barrel Cove was in the outer area, to get a look at one of the two new monster types in Module 7, the Sahaguin, a race of fishmen armed with spears living on the coast near the pirate ships. Their design and animations were suitably impressive (their spears did a fun flip before planting themselves in the sand when the creatures died), and we were told that this is only the beginning of the story for these creatures.After a look at the updated lower level area, we then headed to a wreckage that will also be very familiar to D&D Online players, and that serves as the mouth of the new higher level quests dungeons in Module 7.Click here to continue the preview...
Massively previews Dungeons & Dragons Online's Module 7
Dungeons & Dragons Online continues to hold their own in a quickly-growing MMO world. When DDO first showed up as a licensed MMO of the grandaddy of roleplaying games, their main goal was just to meet expectations -- so many people have been a fan of the pen-and-paper game for so long that putting it into MMO form was no easy task. But since release, the DDO team has made improvement after improvement, and added so much content to the game that it's moved beyond the license to stand on its own as a very singular kind of MMO.Massively got a chance to sit down with the team and take a look at the latest update, Module 7, due out on June 3, and currently in public testing. In addition to some extended playtime with the new Monk class, we got to see updates to the lower level Three Barrel Cove area, a shrine to recently passed-on D&D creator Gary Gygax, and the new raid area under the destroyed Marketplace tent, as well as a few new monsters and raid bosses that can be found down there.To start your tour through Module 7, just roll a d20 and click on through. To jump to any section of the walkthrough (including directly to our exclusive video preview, if that's what you're looking for), hit the links after the break.%Gallery-23551%
The Monk and more in DDO
Dungeon & Dragons Online's upcoming free content expansion, Module 7, is fast-approaching it's May release date, and we couldn't be more excited about the goodies we have in store for us. The fine folks at MMORPG.com were able take this opportunity to chat with DDO's Senior Producer Kate Paiz about more details on what was previously reported about this expansion as well as future expansions.Module 7 will introduce us to an improved crafting system and new eldritch rituals, a high level wilderness area with two new raids, a revamp of Three Barrel Cove, and something DDO players have been pining after since release: the debut of the Monk. Reportedly, the Monk is in the balance and bug-fixing stage with some minor artistic fine-tuning going on before it's release.
Massively interviews Kate Paiz of Dungeons and Dragons Online
Dungeons and Dragons Online continues to plough on as a successful (to its players, at least) little MMO based on the official, original pen-and-paper board game. Just off the release of Module 6 and the recent second anniversary of the game, Massively got to interview their senior producer Kate Paiz. She talked to us about the upcoming Module 7 (including a little tip that lower level players will enjoy), the main goals of her dev team as Wizards of the Coast heads toward the release of the pen-and-paper game's fourth edition, and, oh yeah, that Penny Arcade comic that Ms. Paiz featured prominently in.The interview starts right after the break, so grab your masterwork Vorpal blade, your +4 Shield of Blocking, and wade on in by clicking below.
Kate Paiz interviewed for DDO's second anniversary
To mark the second anniversary of Dungeons and Dragons Online, RPG Vault interviewed the game's senior producer, Kate Paiz. The interviewer asked Paiz to give a basic explanation of the game, and to comment on the state of the game at launch compared to where it's at now, on its second birthday -- RPG Vault described the overall feel of the reviews that DDO received at launch as "good but not oustanding". Paiz said that she did feel that the launch reviews were fair, but that much has been improved now, especially the significant additions of PvP and solo gameplay.Paiz is also asked to look forward, to tell us what is coming in the future, and to say what makes DDO a game that people should try if they haven't before. She brought up Module 7, which includes the Monk class as well as some new low and high level content, looking after both veterans and newbies. At the end of the interview, she asked to hear from the players of the game about what they'd like to see added, with particular interest in any guild features that people have ideas for -- she mentions the importance of guilds in bringing new players to the game, and wants to make sure that things are kept interesting for these groups.
Kate Paiz discusses DDO's Module 7; Monk demo at Connect 08
Ten Ton Hammer recently had the chance to talk to Dungeons and Dragons Online producer Kate Paiz, and learned about some of the things to expect when Module 7 is released. During the interview, she said that the Connect 08 event that will take place in just a few days time now will showcase one of the main features of this content update, the brand new Monk class. This will not just be a video -- there will be a playable demo available to attendees as well.Apart from the Monk, Module 7 will bring a new high level wilderness and raid based in Shavarath, and some improvements to the crafting system, with more crafting love promised for the future. TTH also asks Paiz about how the 4th Edition D&D Ruleset will affect DDO. Without going into all the detail here, she basically says that they will work out what fits with DDO only after the Wizards of the Coast iron out the new feature set, which is not set in stone just yet. Check out the full interview for more on that and Module 7, with just a hint of Module 8 at the end.
Women of the Agency
MTV Multiplayer's Tracey John sat down with the female members of SOE's The Agency team to talk about not only their upcoming MMO (which looks hot), but what it's like to work in what John calls a "male-dominated field." While it's true that much of the videogame market is still dominated by men, there has been quite a bit of inroads made in terms of female developers in the MMO genre-- DDO's Senior Producer Kate Paiz jumps to mind, but from NCSoft to Bioware to Linden Labs, there is now quite a bit of female representation on MMO and RPG development teams.Most of the talk centers around "G.I.R.L.," short for "gamers in real life," which is a program set up by Sony to "educate and recruit women in the videogame industry." They do say that they don't feel they've faced many challenges because of their gender, and considering that the gaming audience has changed quite a bit in the past few years, that's not really a surprise. But they have had to make a few woman-specific calls as developers, like making sure a female outfit in The Agency didn't show off a characters' bra line.Interesting read, if only to see how far women have come into the field of videogame development, and yet how much farther there is to go.
Massively goes Hands-on with DDO and the Shroud
It's pretty fair to say that Turbine's Dungeons and Dragons Online has never been one of the biggest players in the MMO space-- it was released with relatively little fanfare, and though the setting (Wizards of the Coast's Eberron setting from the pen-and-paper D&D game) appealed to a lot of roleplayers, Turbine's choice to make the game a real-time combat experience turned off many of the hardcore D&D crowd.But since release, DDO has definitely forged a small but strong fanbase. In the game's just under two short years of existence, they've already released fourteen major updates. The latest, Module 6, is due out next week, and Turbine offered us a chance to take a spin in the new content, and join Senior Producer Kate Paiz, Lead Designer Stephen Murray, and Quest Designer Joe Barry in a run through the brand new raid instance, The Shroud. Read on to learn where they took me and what it was like to take down a big red demon in the newest raid.%Gallery-14446%
