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EverQuest II moves expansion to November
EverQuest II's next expansion, Tears of Veeshan, has been moved to mid-November, according to a letter by Senior Producer Holly Longdale. Calling the expansion "something special," she said that the team will begin the beta on October 15th and that the project is coming together well. In the letter, she also announced that heroic characters are now scheduled for the first week of October. Longdale said that the team is still "fine-tuning" details for the heroic character release and is making adjustments to Destiny of Velious zones so F2P players have a place for heroic characters to romp. Finally, if you haven't purchased the Age of Discovery expansion, you might be interested to hear that SOE is selling features from that expansion individually.
The Stream Team: Labor Day edition, September 2 - 8, 2013
To the youngsters, Labor Day has always always seemed misnomer since folks actually get to take time off from school and work. So a more appropriate moniker would be Play Day, amirite? But the older crowd knows that the day was meant to honor the hard work and contributions of workers. So in the spirit of honoring hard work, we pay homage to those who tireless toil to entertain us -- The Stream Team! Hats of to you, and a three-BBQ-rib salute to boot! Want to join us in this week-long celebration for our streamers? Then tune in to Massively TV and watch a live show or two and catch a few reruns as well. We've got all you need to know right here. (For the snacks, however, you're on your own.)
The Tattered Notebook: Will EQ Next bolster or break EQII?
Doom! Gloom! Kaboom! As is wont to happen, the recent news about SOE's layoffs sparked a flurry of speculation about the fate of the various games in the studio's portfolio. In fact, it's not terribly unlike the the speculation after the unveiling of EverQuest Next. Will EQ Next/SOE layoffs kill off my beloved *insert game title here*? In the case of EverQuest II, I feel fairly confident that the answer is a resounding no. I've even said as much before. Unfortunately, I can't confidently say the same for other titles, even though I'm pulling for the success of them all. If anything, I get the impression that SOE is circling the wagons around its flagship IP, solidifying its attention on the franchise that started it all. Where do I get that idea? Well, keep reading to find out!
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 publishes panel schedule for PAX and Dragon Con
Going to PAX or DragonCon this weekend? Excited for news about the EverQuest franchise or SOE's other MMORPGs? You should check out the firm's convention schedule, then, because there's a little something for everyone. Whether you're hungry for EverQuest Next tidbits, you're looking to break into the game industry, or you're wanting to brush up on your online gaming history, SOE has a developer panel with your name on it. And of course don't forget to check in with Massively through the weekend and on into next week as our on-site staffers bring you the best DragonCon and PAX scoops! Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 30th to September 2nd, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2013. Whether you're dying to know more about WildStar, The Elder Scrolls Online, EverQuest Next, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
The Daily Grind: What kind of death penalty do you want in EQ Next?
SOE hasn't mentioned much about about what it has in mind for the death penalty mechanic in EverQuest Next. You might recall that the original EverQuest was famous for its unforgiving death penalty, which included corpse runs and XP loss. EverQuest II, on the other hand, did what most newer MMOs do and reduced the death penalty to an inconvenience, and in some cases, a preferred form of fast travel! So what'll it be for EQN? Inquiring minds want to know. A lot of inquiring minds, if an article and the resulting discussion on fan site EQ Nexus are any indication. What say you, Massively readers? What kind of death penalty do you want in EQN? [Thanks Maclypse!] Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
One Shots: Pandas rising
Pandas aren't just for Azeroth, kiddos. Your favorite cuddly bears that can rip off your face even as you're saying, "Aww, who's a good little teddy?" have infiltrated many MMOs and risen to the top of the food chain as apex predators. Here is unfortunate victim Paul about to be eaten. His final words are as follows: "This is my highest-level character, a Beastlord called Kaesk who has recently just dinged level 85," Paul writes. "This means that I can now fly, hence the wings, and it also means even more opportunities to get distracted. While it looks like the Hue Mein pandas are sizing me up for the cooking pot, they are actually dancing -- and they know how to shake their booty, it seems. I just wasn't expecting to find pandas in EverQuest II, let alone dancing ones, so it made me giggle." You giggle bravely into the belly of the beast there, Paul. We admire your laughter in the face of doom. And speaking of doom, what other light-hearted pictures await us in this week's One Shots?
The Tattered Notebook: Quips, quotes, and EQ Next tidbits from SOE Live
It's official: I survived SOE Live! (I'd have included "with my sanity intact," but we all know I didn't have any going into it.) It's not that I seriously doubted this conclusion; I did successfully survive my inaugural visit after all. But with so much to see and hear and do, there was bound to be a casualty of some sort. In this case, it was sleep. Even sacrificing that, there was still no way to experience it all -- and I tried! If you haven't been to SOE's annual "family reunion" in a while, you might not realize just how big it has grown. And adding EverQuest Next and EverQuest Next Landmark to the already expanded portfolio of games represented made for more news than could reasonably be condensed into nice little packages. That's where The Tattered Notebook comes in! I'm going to share an assortment of hidden gems and hilarious moments from the convention, including plenty of EQ Next intel from various developer interviews.
SOE Live 2013 recapped in just two minutes
SOE Live 2013 was a blur of tournaments, panels, announcements, and keynotes. It brought news for games like PlanetSide 2, Vanguard, Free Realms, Dragon's Prophet, and DC Universe Online, along with the industry-shaking reveal of EverQuest Next. In other words, it was kind of a big deal. And you can see what it was like to be there in person by watching the two-minute recap video just released by SOE. Check it out after the break, and feel free to browse back through our coverage for in-depth looks at everything that was on display.
The Daily Grind: Have you returned to EQ or EQII thanks to EQN?
I'm pretty excited for EverQuest Next even though I've never been a huge fan of the franchise. I do enjoy EverQuest II to the point where I have a max-level character and dozens of houses, but I was never smitten with the original game due to its lack of features in comparison to Ultima Online and later, Star Wars: Galaxies. EQN looks to be channeling at least a few parts of those two titles, though, and since Landmark is several months away, I've returned to EQII in order to get my Norrath fix. What about you, Massively readers? Are you an expatriate returning to EQ or EQII thanks to EQN? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Tattered Notebook: It's OK if EverQuest Next is a niche game
I'd like to open today's column with my favorite quote from SOE's EverQuest Next reveal: "Enough is enough. Enough of the same game already. It's time to get some new ideas into the genre." Now, you would think that this sort of unambiguous mission statement would be picked up on and understood by everyone who has even a passing interest in EverQuest Next. After all, the quote rolled off franchise director Dave Georgeson's tongue during the first two minutes of the EQN reveal speech. And if it wasn't clear from that opening monologue that EQN isn't going to be your daddy's combat lobby, the rest of the reveals that focused largely on the game world, the building tools, and a wee bit of the ol' ultraviolence should have been the second clue.
EQII gamer goes missing after cross-country trip [updated]
One of EverQuest II's players, Katherine Masson, was driving home from Las Vegas when apparently she vanished. According to The Raven-Mythic, she has been missing for over two days now after sending out a text message from a rest stop in New York. A police report has been filed, but there have been no announced leads concerning her disappearance. So what happens when one of our own gamers goes missing? The community mobilizes, of course. The folks at The Raven-Mythic, an EverQuest II roleplaying guild, are continually updating a thread about Katherine's disappearance, spreading the word, and doing some of their own detective work. Katherine is also known as Jia, Essie, and Willasye in-game. Her last known location was at a rest stop near Albany, NY off of I-90, heading toward Boston. Parties with any information should contact Dan at dmak205@gmail.com. [Update: It now appears that Katherine has chosen to disappear in Las Vegas and she has done something similar at least once in the past. The owner of The Raven-Mythic writes, "By all accounts, Kate's issues caused her to use Dan, and by extension, use a lot of us. And that's terrible on many levels. Please don't let that diminish the fact that, as a community, we proved our worth in spades."]
SOE Live 2013: EverQuest II expounds on Tears of Veeshan
After so much attention has been given to the latest sibling in the EverQuest franchise, some fans have expressed concern about the fate of EverQuest II once EverQuest Next comes out. But anyone who was present at SOE Live had those concerns laid to rest; the passion and commitment of the development team is no less vibrant and palpable now than before the big reveal. Should anyone be worried that EverQuest II will be neglected and just fade away? No -- not if you heard all the upcoming plans for the title, both short and long term. Besides the revelations at the keynote address, EQII fans had myriad panels, events, and even special play-test sessions to attend to learn about the game. There was a focus on the new Tears of Veeshan expansion overall, a dedicated look at just the Channeler class, a panel just for new systems, and more. Players who missed the Q&A session missed out on learning some specific changes that are being added to the list for the future. Luckily, we've hit these all up and have the highlights for you right here.
SOE Live 2013: EQII's Destiny of Velious will be free, Age of Discovery split
If you didn't have the chance to sit in on the EverQuest II expansion panel at SOE Live, you didn't get to hear the outright confirmation that Producer Holly Longdale hinted at in Thursday's keynote address, namely, that the Destiny of Velious expansion will soon be bundled with the previous expansions and available to all free-to-play players. Yes, that means that the game updates including SkyShrine, Scars of the Awakened, and Darkness Dawns will open up to all! How else could everyone get free access to the level 85 Heroic Characters and experience the high-level content? Longdale also added that the dev team has been listening to community feedback and that the stand alone Age of Discovery expansion will be split into its components so players can buy the features they like and not have to shell out for those they don't. This expansion contains the Beastlord class, the dungeon maker, and mercenaries. What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, at least where SOE Live is concerned! Massively sent intrepid reporters MJ Guthrie and Karen Bryan to this year's SOE Live, from which they'll be transmitting all the best fan news on EverQuest Next, EverQuest II, DC Universe Online, and the other MMOs on SOE's roster.
SOE Live 2013: EverQuest Next explained
With that pesky SOE Live embargo out of the way, we can finally stop speculating and start talking about EverQuest Next! And if you're a sandbox fan, you're going to love it because when SOE declared last year that it was doing something really, truly different with EQ Next, it wasn't kidding. EQ Next is set in the realm of Norrath, but this is a rebooted version of those lands. Veteran players will find familiar places and names in the lore and setting, but they won't have a monopoly on the knowledge of this world; players new to the franchise can be equally comfortable because everyone is discovering this new world at the same time. On two separate occasions over the last few weeks, I got to sit down with Franchise Director Dave Georgeson to learn even more details about the game in preparation for today's SOE Live reveal. Want to see what all the fuss is about? Then join me for a tour through some of the key aspects and features of the upcoming sandbox.%Gallery-195288%
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 prepares for record attendance, debut of EverQuest Next
Sony Online Entertainment's SOE Live event is promising to be bigger than ever this year, as the company is reporting that advance passes are sold out and that walk-up tickets are expected to do the same, and quickly. SOE Live 2013, which takes place August 1st through 4th at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, is surrounded by hype thanks largely to the long-awaited debut of EverQuest Next. SOE will also host five tournaments, a silent auction, a pool party, and talent and costume contests. Fans of DC Universe Online, PlanetSide 2, and EverQuest may want to check out the official event lineup for details as to when their games will be featured. We have two Massively staffers on deck in Vegas: MJ Guthrie and Karen Bryan will be covering news as it happens, and Karen is set to host a player panel dedicated to helping guild leaders find better ways to run their guilds at 7:00 p.m. EDT (4:00 p.m. PDT). Stay tuned: SOE Live starts tomorrow Thursday with a keynote address at 10 p.m. EDT (7 p.m. PDT). You can watch it live on SOE's EQ Next and main Twitch channels. [Source: SOE press release]
Second Wind: EverQuest II, part two
Hello again, friends, and welcome back to another installment of Second Wind. You might remember that last time around, I decided to jump into the world of Norrath by way of EverQuest II and found the experience to be more than a little bit... mind-boggling, let's say. The game is so immense, in fact, that it couldn't be contained in a single feature, so I had to split it up into two parts. In part one, I took a look at some of the game's basic features and systems, such as progression, questing, and combat (which I thought were solid, lacking flow, and a bit clunky, respectively), but I didn't have the opportunity to tackle some of the game's deeper features, such as dungeons and crafting. So now that everyone's up to speed, let's get down to business. I've spent a great deal of time in Norrath at this point, and I believe I'm finally starting to get a feel for the game. Of course, the fact that it's taken me this long to get to that point should tell you something, but I'll leave that for later. For now, how about jumping past the cut to find out what I've discovered during my recent adventures?
Darkness Dawns takes the EverQuest II story to new heights today
While many eyes are turned toward Las Vegas in anticipation of big reveals next week, EverQuest II fans get to sink their teeth into a meaty update to help them pass the time until the convention. Darkness Dawns, the continuation of the story developed throughout the previous Scars of the Awakened update, hits servers today. What in GU67 could possibly distract players from thoughts of SOE Live? How about four fabled Desert of Flames dungeons retooled for the max-level crowd, a more flexible AA system, new PvP rewards, more tradeskill apprentice items, three new contested god avatars, a special raid arena, improved inventory management (yay for personal depots!), daily objectives, and -- in the words of Producer Holly Longdale -- "one of most epic events in game." Sounds like a bit to take in, doesn't it? And that's just scratching the surface. Thanks to a tour hosted by Longdale, Creative Director Akil Hooper, Lead Designer Kyle Vallee, and Designer Carlos Mora, I was treated to a preview of EQII's newest features and learned a few extra tidbits to pass along as well as the update trailer (which you can see here as well!).
The Tattered Notebook: Speculation's last stand for EverQuest Next
I found myself in an interesting predicament this week. Today's Tattered Notebook was slated to be my last big speculation about EverQuest Next before I learned the real scoop at SOE Live 2013. However, as many of you know, I actually got the goods in a special preview a couple of weeks back! So until I can talk about what I know, my speculation days are done... at least on the features front, that is. What I can still ruminate on is the hype surrounding the game. After all, who needs concrete information when hype is involved? Hype is a powerful tool, able to work people into quite a frenzy. As often as we've been burned by unfulfilled promises, you'd think we we'd skip the hype boat, but that's not the case; we often book a ticket and hop on anyway. We just can't help but feel our heart strings pulled and hope renewed when a new title comes out flashing our favorite buzzwords. And EQ Next has offered a few: emergent gameplay, sandbox, innovation. From there, every little morsel of news -- no matter how few and far between -- has been like a drop of fuel to the fire, elevating our hopes and building expectations. Is the hype justified? We'll all have a better idea of that soon, though not soon enough. Until then, here's a recap of what we do know to chew on until the main course is served in two weeks. Then you can let your speculation run wild, even if I can't!
