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Landmark contest winners enshrined in game world
The vaunted Landmarks of Landmark Competition is over, and the player architects who out-designed the rest have secured a spot in special claims across the game world. These structures will be retained for and used when the game goes live. The contest winners' displays are one part of a modest-sized patch for Landmark that was released today. The patch also added customizable keybindings, Marketplace recommendations, and new craftable outfits that come in various colors (mmm... minty).
SOE Live player panels include support for military gamers
SOE Live posted its list of player panels today for its convention, with topics ranging from supporting military gamers to fansite management. The full list is as follows: Friday, August 15 11:00 am - 12:00 pm -– EQ2U & Dragon's Armory 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm –- Live Together, Die Alone: Surviving H1Z1 as a Group 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm –- Inter-Outfit Operations in PS2 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm –- Become Your Character: Tricks and Tips for Cosplay 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm –- Military Gamers: Taking Care of Each Other Saturday, August 16 10:00 am - 11:00 am -– Social Media/Steaming & Fansites 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm -– Effective Guild and League Management 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm –- Improving Your EverQuest 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm –- DCUO – Advanced Raid Tactics 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm –- The New Conglomerate 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -– Hardcore Decorating in EQII 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm –- EQII Game Macros, ACT Triggers, and You!
Landmark video goes spelunking in caves
Caves are boring, right? WRONG! Well, wrong if you're in Landmark, at least. Caves are a relatively new and unfinished feature to the game, and in a new video, the developers attempt to explain what makes them an exciting part of the exploration process. Landmark's caves are layered on top of each other, with each cave system corresponding to the surface biome. Right now, players can delve into only the first tier of caves, but in the future they'll be able to go as far as three tiers down in the search for treasure and crafting mats. You can watch the full developer video after the jump!
Norrathian Notebook: Building EverQuest Next in Landmark
From the first surprise announcement of Landmark at SOE Live last year, fans have been interested to know how exactly that sandbox would tie into the much anticipated EverQuest Next. In big bold letters on the main site, the devs declare, "EverQuest Next is still in development... and you can help us build it!" So how exactly is that going to come to pass? Through Landmark. Landmark might be a separate game in and of itself, but players can actually build structures there that might one day be gracing the landscape of EQN. At first, we knew only that those structures would be judged and picked through contests. However, with May's racial Round Table vote and the recent implementation of The Workshop, the actual process has begun. And you can get in on it right now!
SOE Live schedule has been posted
Today's the last day for SOE Live 2014 early bird registration. Still on the fence about attending? Not sure if there will be enough awesome events there to justify your presence? Good news, then; the official schedule has been posted, so you can figure out exactly what's going down and when. Fan site EQ2Wire has highlighted the general events as well as the material specific to EverQuest Next, EverQuest II, and Landmark. Landmark players will enjoy the largest number of events, including a special mega-build event on Thursday and a panel explaining how the game will interact with EverQuest Next. There will also be details about the next EverQuest II expansion, previews of combat for EQN and Landmark, and plenty of community Q&A sessions. Take a gander at the full schedule if you need a little more information to justify your attendance.
Norrathian Notebook: SOE says bye-bye ProSiebenSat.1, hello Landmark Player Studio
Double the pleasure, double the fun! SOE made two big announcements Wednesday that brought smiles to the faces of many fans. One said goodbye; the other said hello. But both were good news indeed, especially for Norrathians. Sometimes parting is just sweet, without the sorrow. Such is the case with the first bit of news: the departure of ProSiebenSat.1 from SOE. That's right, my European compadres, rejoice because SOE is bringing you back into the fold! The deal that quickly went sour for fans squished between the US company and the European partner is over, and SOE's titles are returning fully to its portfolio while region locks are being lifted. I can hear you all singing hallelujahs and dancing in the street! The second bit of news worthy of celebration was the launch of Player Studio in Landmark. Although it arrived later than anticipated thanks to the international tax registration processes, the wait was worthwhile because players from not only the U.S but also Canada, Sweden, France, the UK (yes, including Ireland), Germany, Norway, and Denmark can now submit items for sale to other players. That means that aspiring money-makers and non-builders who want to buy their cool items can finally find one another and do business. And that just paves the way for the system to work in EverQuest Next. As great as the announcements are, neither is without a few downs mixed in with the ups. Norrathian Notebook explores both bits of news to get you the necessary details.
E3 2014: Underground and underwater with Landmark's Terry Michaels
You didn't need to be at E3 2014 to partake in Landmark's latest (literally) groundbbreaking patch. In fact, if you were at the con as I was, chances are you haven't been able to log in and experience it for yourself yet! Luckily, Senior Producer Terry Michaels was on hand to offer me a peek at the new features before I broke down in heap of deprivation-induced agony from my Landmark withdrawals. What was the big deal with this latest update? It included the first iteration of caves and the second phase of water. Players can now go spelunking deep in the earth to find large veins of minerals, explore uncharted biomes with new plants, and even find treasure chests filled with special items. On top of that, they can swim through the bright blue oceans that surround each island. As Michaels helped me get my Landmark fix, we talked about everything from the newest content to heroic movement to my pet topics: player books and theme-enforced islands. Oh, and did I mention that combat is planned to appear by SOE Live in August?
Caves and swimming come to Landmark
It's Big Patch Day over at Landmark, and the new caves are the darling of the update. These underworld passages (are there any other types of caves?) offer a different type of environment to explore and exploit. Larger deposits of ore and special treasure chests are the rewards that the dev team is dangling to prospective spelunkers. Interestingly enough, these caves are only the first "phase" of several that will see these subterranian landscapes expanded. Other additions in today's patch include underground resource detection, the ability to swim, a makeover to plant harvesting, and tweaks to trees and potions. You can read up on the patch notes on the official forums and watch a preview video of Landmark's caves after the break!
The Daily Grind: Does an MMO need lore to foster roleplaying?
Commenters in MJ Guthrie's recent Landmark vs. EverQuest Next article brought up an interesting question about lore and roleplay in the two games. EverQuest Next, of course, will be drenched in EverQuestian lore and backstory and high-fantasy building rules, but the player-driven Landmark will have no hardcoded lore at all save what the players create, meaning you're as likely to see a geodesic dome spaceship as an Arabian Nights palace. (In fact, I would like to see both of these, please!) But strict roleplayers going into Landmark might have a harder time immersing themselves in an unpredictable world where literally anything goes, at least in comparison to EQ Next's more formal storyline and concomitant expectations about the way the world works and how the characters got there. What do you think: Does an MMO need dev-guided lore and a common backstory for all characters to make it truly roleplay-friendly? How will you roleplay a serious character in a world like Landmark's? 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!
EverQuest video gives you the skinny on franchise news
SOE released a new video today updating its playerbase with what's going on with each of its EverQuest titles. EverQuest just released its level 95+ Tower of Rot and the living legacy raids and has more content on deck for those who own the Call of the Forsaken expansion. EverQuest 2 is giving a helping hand to players so that they can level up for the new expansion later this year. As for Landmark, the team is pretty excited about its water tech, caves, Player Studio, and Landmarks of Landmark contest. Unfortunately, EverQuest Next did not make the cut and was voted off the island. You can watch the video after the jump.
Caves won't bring universal claim wipe in Landmark
If you've been holding back from building in Landmark because of the impending claim wipe when caves are introduced, feel free to dig in now. There's no universal wipe! Director of Development Dave Georgeson expounded on the change in plans during last night's Landmark Live. "We found a way by which we do not have to wipe all the claims when we put up the cave entrances," he said. If you have a claim placed where the caverns end up, it will be packed in a template for you to use elsewhere. Georgeson went on to assure players that there are only a few entrances to these caves on each island, so very few players will be displaced. To hear more about next week's Landmark patch (including smoothing tool upgrades and more metal textures) as well as see the first 19 winners of the Landmarks of Landmark contest, you can watch the full recorded stream after the break.
Norrathian Notebook: So you aren't Landmark's greatest builder
The walls are lumpy. The stairs are crooked. You couldn't make a statue of a blob if your virtual life depended on it, and everyone comments on your creative Koi pond that's actually a fireplace. So you aren't Landmark's greatest builder. Join the club! Despite how it may appear at times (especially when you see majestic jaw-dropping creations plastered all over Twitter and featured in livestream tours), there really are a number of us. So who cares if you can't build a voxel replica of the Taj Mahal with the Bronx Zoo on the side? Well, you do if your perceived lack of skills is keeping you from enjoying the game! It can be hard when you see such amazing builds springing up around you; it's easy to get discouraged if you are one of the skill-impaired. I already know of players who have lost hope and even some of their interest in the game because they feel their skills are not quite adequate. But I'm here to tell you that you -- yes, you -- are indeed a valuable member of Landmark's community and we need you. So for those without any leet building skills, here are some tips for avoiding creative frustration and ways to more fully enjoy the game.
Norrathian Notebook: The key differences between EverQuest Next and Landmark
What's the difference between EverQuest Next and Landmark? If we've heard that question once, we've heard it a thousand times, which is understandable, considering EQ Next has been totally scrapped and re-imagined more than once and Landmark came literally out of nowhere. Until recently, the two even shared a name; EverQuest Next was dropped from Landmark's moniker when closed beta started at the end of March of this year. We certainly haven't heard the last of the question, either. With new folks finding out about the games and getting interested in them, it's likely to come up a few more times. Those who haven't been following the development of the games from the beginning have a lot of material to plow through to find answers to their questions. For that reason, Norrathian Notebook is going to address the differences and similarities between the upcoming titles in one fell swoop. Hopefully, with a concise reference we can call on again and again, the confusion will dissipate. So what is the difference between EQN and Landmark?
Today's EverQuest Next roundtable video covers SOE Live's EQN plans
During this week's EverQuest Next roundtable video, Senior Brand Manager Omeed Dariani is joined by Senior Producer Terry Michaels to discuss SOE Live, set to take place in Las Vegas this coming August 14th to 17th. The pair explain that players have voted resoundingly that SOE focus on previewing panels, specifically EverQuest Next panels, in the lead up to the convention. And yes, SOE is planning on illuminating EverQuest Next, not just Landmark and the studio's current stable of games, in Vegas. "Remember that Landmark is really the basis for how we're going to make EverQuest Next," Michaels reminds viewers. "So it may be a topic that is primarily Landmark-related, but there's going to be information in there for people who want to know how things are going to work in EverQuest Next." Enjoy the brief video below!
EQ Next roundtable covers combat in Landmark; Landmark arrives on Steam
One feature that many Landmark followers are watching for is combat, and the 35th EQ Next Round Table Response addresses just that. In the video, Lead Systems Designer Michael Mann and Senior Brand Manager Omeed Dariani discuss the difference between the class-based combat of EQN and the sandbox combat of Landmark. In the latter, all players are adventurers, so instead of combat abilities being determined by class, they will be dictated by what is equipped. Focusing on versatility, players will be able to switch between weapons during combat to access the various abilities. The number of weapons available to players will increase over time; a small subset will release first, but more will be added based on player feedback. And yes, there will be magic! How do movement tools play into the combat scene? Players can utilized grappling hooks as a means to gain distance quickly and then use ranged abilities. There will also be abilities that trigger from other movement types, such as dashing and dodging. Hear about all these details in the video below. [Update: In other Landmark news, SOE has just announced that Landmark is now on Steam! Dave Georgeson has stated on Twitter that SOE is not dealing in Steam keys for existing users right now; you'll have to use the old "add game" trick.]
SOE announces game-specific player events for SOE Live
Are you headed to SOE Live this summer? We are, even if the game list is a tad shorter than in previous years. And that's why we're excited to see SOE's latest official post about the convention, set to run in Las Vegas, Nevada, this coming August 14th to 17th. The studio has announced special events for several of the games it plans to feature at the event: Plane raids await EverQuest fans. Deck-building games and PvP tournaments lie in store for DC Universe Online players. EverQuest II players will participate in speed instances and a murder mystery quest. Landmark devotees will be treated to a mega-build event and a harvesting-themed dice event. Finally, the studio has planned a squad showdown event for PlanetSide 2 players. Early bird registration for SOE Live ends on Monday.
Norrathian Notebook: Jump in, the water's fine in Landmark!
The drought has finally ended: Water has come to the parched shores of Landmark. After a day of torturing fans with some not-so-subtle teasing on Twitter involving beach songs, links to life vests, and musings on slow garden hoses, SOE Director of Development Dave Georgeson finally outright admitted that the first phase of water was indeed headed into the game. And as of yesterday's update, the long-anticipated liquid is a permanent part of the landscape. No more shall players stare off over the edge of their islands, eyes skipping over the sand whilst seeking just a hint of moisture. No longer must the faithful beta testers dream of the day the sun's rays would reflect off the rolling waves. Oceans are here! And while there's no need to grab a towel on your way to the beach (you can't actually get in the water), players are still rejoicing. Why? Because it finally feels like beta, baby!
Oceans roll into Landmark today
It's official! Landmark is no longer devoid of water. Thanks to today's update, players now have oceans to frolic upon, if not in. Players who are eager to dive in and swim about still have to wait; this first phase of water deployment only supports walking on it, not swimming in it. However, those who currently have claims that are completely submerged can access their land by using a shard and teleporting. Additional changes with this update include moving item upgrading from the new tech forge to the stone forge, placing additional crafting stations at the hubs, adding the ability to sift stone to the sifters (and changing how sifted materials are converted into gems, ore, and relics), introducing sea shell props, and giving players the ability to group even when on different servers. Check out all the details in the official patch notes.
Landmark reduces teleport costs and brags about player creativity
Getting around quickly in Landmark is now a lot cheaper, as Director of Development Dave Georgeson tweeted that teleport casts have been reduced. Returning to home or the hub costs only one shard and triggers a 10-minute cooldown, while jumping from the gallery to a particular claim is free with no cooldown. SOE also posted a video today showing off some of the most creative efforts from the playerbase and encouraging fans to try their hands at the "Landmarks of Landmark" contest. You can check out the video after the jump!
SOE compensates players for All Access issues
Acknowledging that the recent switchover to the new All Access program has been "frustrating," SOE announced today that it will be compensating its playerbase for these issues. The studio will be handing out 50 replay badges to DCUO players, adding an additional week to seven-day Landmark closed beta keys, and triggering double XP weekends for Dragon's Prophet, EverQuest, EverQuest II, and PlanetSide 2. "The implementation of this new membership plan across SOE's game portfolio has been one of the most complicated updates to our billing system to date," SOE apologized in a post. "As fellow gamers, we know that this has been frustrating and we sincerely regret any inconvenience this has caused."
