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Legends of Norrath expansion announced
The Legends of Norrath trading card game was only released a few months ago, but already Sony Online Entertainment is planning for the future. This past week they announced the first expansion to the title, Forsworn. Combined with Oathbound, the current card set, Forsworn will open up a series of new options for the player. Set highlights include: 2 on 2 multiplayer - small scale team combat to change up the game types. New Avatar Races - The high elves and the Iksar will join the game, opening up new Light and Shadow options. Raids - Groups of players, each with their own deck, can team up to take on AI opponents of great power. Players who complete enough of the single-player content can actually run these raid decks against their fellow players. New Loot Cards - Up to twenty new cards representing in-game items will be released with this set. New single-player scenarios, pitting your avatar against the forces that oppose the Seventh Hammer and the Tribunal. The single-player elements will introduce new game concepts, like the Overwhelm, Sentinel, and Reinforce key words. There's no word yet on when the set will be released, and more features are promised in the future.
Blogger unleashes awesome Rise of Kunark screenshots
The NDA for the closed beta of EverQuest II: Rise of Kunark has finally been lifted. Expect to see a lot of new information about the new expansion in the coming days. The first wave has already begun. For example, MMO blogger Ogrebear unleashed several outstanding screenshots of the Fens of Nathsar and The Kylong Plains. These zones are looking fantastic.The Kylong Plains were covered in our own tour of the Rise of Kunark beta if you want some more information. The expansion is expected to go live next week, so sit tight.
So your guild wants into Beta?
Craig "Grimwell" Dalrymple is the Senior Community Manager at SOE, and handles EverQuest 2 specifically. He's been going through his first Beta process with the Rise of Kunark expansion, and jotted down some notes about the process as he went along. His personal site, Grimwell Online, is playing host to some of his thoughts on what it takes for a Guild to get into a Beta test. It's a great, simple guide on what the development team is looking for from the players, and is easily applicable for any Beta experience.Suggestion #4: Be coherent"This zone sucks! The Designers are idiots!" That is not coherent feedback. We see stuff like this daily, and the part that is honestly frustrating is that the negative feedback has nothing to act upon. Obviously someone is angry, but why are they angry? What specifically do they not like? Even negative feedback can be delivered coherently."I do not like the changes in the zone because the danger factor has been significantly reduced, and the loot is now trivial. All the work my guild put into earning the loot from the boss in the zone is now solo content, and I feel like my work has been devalued."That's useful negative feedback. It points to risk/reward levels and becomes a valid topic of discussion.
EverQuest 2 to add epic quests; bad memories of EQ1 epics come back
As Dan O'Halloran mentions in his write-up of the new EverQuest 2 expansion, Rise of Kunark. epic quests are coming to EQ2. If you played EverQuest, this could cause you to roll your eyes and exclaim, "Oh, no. Not this crap again!"This is likely to spark some debate, but I think epics rank high on the list of "Worst ideas in EverQuest." People felt a sense of entitlement to the damn things. It wasn't uncommon for people to cause guild strife getting the fool thing, only to quit their "fun" guild and join the uber guild that smartly required people to already have the items so they didn't go through all that malarky. Not that I'm bitter about it. mind you.It was the Cleric "click stick" epic that broke many guilds and player's spirits. EverQuest had a hefty experience point loss on death. The Cleric epic was a mana-less, instant-cast stick that gave you 100% of the xp back. [Edit: I stand corrected, it is indeed 96%. That's what I get for trusting my memory. What's 4% amongst friends?] If memory serves me right, it was also the only class epic that ended up being a have-to-get.
Local TV visits SOE San Diego
Scott Hartsman posted a link to local San Diego TV station KUSI, who invaded the SOE studios there for a "special report" about the people who make these things called Massively Multiplayer Online games. As mainstream news reports about our favorite pasttime go, it's actually not too bad, though there are a few chuckle-worthy moments-- apparently saying Dad "wasn't too happy" turns into his "outright horror" on local news, and is it just me or did anyone else have the thought that Sasha Foo is probably the most attractive person to ever enter the SOE game testing room? I kid, I kid!But otherwise, it's a pretty solid report on what it's like making MMOs at SOE. If you're an artist, you can probably drool over that paintbox they're using, and there are also shots of Everquest 2 in wireframe, the making of casting animations, a look at some concept art for Rise of Kunark and a few other games and even some news about a new MMO aimed at a younger audience due out next year called Free Realms. Even if you watch it with the sound turned off, it's a cool look inside SOE studios and what it's like to work there.
Legends of Norrath dev chat set for November 6th
Fans of SOE-Denver's most excellent online trading card game Legends of Norrath have yet more entertainment to look forward to this week. I know you're already in-game picking up some of those great booster pack drops. When you get done with that at the end of the weekend, you can hop into a chat room to ask the devs about the future of your new cards. The official EverQuest 2 site has the word that a LoN developer chat will take place Tuesday, the 6th of November, from 7 to 8pm EST (5 to 6 pm PST).If you are interested, point your IRC client to "forthegamers.org" or "irc.eu.forthegamers.org" if you live in the EU. The chat will take place in the room #mmorpg. Tell them Massively sent you!
Clarifications on EQ2's Bonus XP Sundays
After it was announced that there would be bonus experience on the two Sundays leading up to the EverQuest II expansion Rise of Kunark, it looks as though a few players have been confused about the finer details. A thread surfaced on the game's forums, that kicked off with one unhappy customer stating that the bonus experience was for US servers only. This was quickly cleared up by a community relations representative, along with some other questions that came up later in the thread. Here is a compiled list of the clarifications found in the thread: It is for ALL servers, not region-specific or US only When the clock ticks over, the bonus xp will be in effect -- no need to log out and back in If you already have vitality saved up, the bonus XP stacks with this Because the first bonus day, November 4th, is that day that clocks get turned back for daylight savings, there will actually be 25 hours of bonus on that day. This should apply for servers in all regions too -- from the thread, "everyone will get 25 hours of bonus time since the person turning the time on and off is going to be affected by that time change. I'll leave ya'll to figure that one out" So there you have it. Everyone gets to take part, and there's even a little bonus hour this Sunday -- better get some rest now so that you can last the full stretch.
Race to Kunark with bonus XP Sundays
Our favorite events are ones that net us heaps and loads of experience points. What could be better than that? You have fun, and you become more powerful so you can have even more fun. It's a win-win situation. So we want to point out to all the EverQuest II players out there that SOE is running a bonus-XP event called "Race to Kunark."Players will receive 50% more experience than normal in both PvE and crafting "from midnight to midnight pacific time" on the two Sundays preceding the expansion's launch -- November 4th and 11th. This is a pretty nice boon for adventurers looking build up in so they can vanquish all the new monsters. So if you're an EQ2 player, make plans to order some pizza and start grinding this Sunday. Oh, and check out our overview of what Rise of Kunark has to offer if you're in the dark.[Via Stratics]
Legends of Norrath booster drops increased in promo this weekend
If you're a fan of Sony Online Entertainment's Legends of Norrath card game, you're set to have a good time this week. This coming Friday to Sunday is a promo weekend for the collectible card game, with increased drop rates of booster and combo packs. In order to snag them you're going to have to play EverQuest or EverQuest 2, the two games directly connected to Legends of Norrath's lore and gameplay. The card game's booster packs drop normally in those two titles, but this weekend SOE has decided to up the ante and ensure that you'll probably get a reward or two from your time in-game.Players will also have the opportunity to snag two brand (non-foil) new cards in the booster packs, both of which (for the moment) are only available via this promo weekend.
EQ2 helps teach English in pilot study
You may pick up the odd new word here and there playing MMO's, but a recent university study has used the game EverQuest II to reinforce the entire English language. The article was noticed by one of EQ2's senior producers Scott Hartsman on his personal blog. Hartsman muses that people will always find new ways to use code or software to achieve things that they had not been designed for, but also says that this particular use of EQ2 "wasn't something that was on the radar".There were a number of reasons that EQ2 was chosen by the Northwestern University researchers for their project. They had considered World of Warcraft too, but in the end EQ2's clear descriptions and labeling made it the ideal choice. Everything is explained in detail in the game, and most items and places have extra labels on them. The researchers said that there is simply a lot more text in the game than in WoW.
New monsters revealed for EverQuest II expansion; producer Scott Hartsman weighs in
MMORPG.com has posted part one of their Creature Feature article, in which they had a chance to chat with Everquest II senior producer Scott Hartsman about monsters being introduced for the game's upcoming expansion, and about bringing new monsters to an MMO in general. The feature will have two parts, and cover five new monsters from Rise of Kunark. The two nasties that we meet in this episode are the Burynai Casters and the Devourers. These races both debuted in the Kunark expansion of the first EverQuest. Fans will recall that the Burynai are usually located deep underground -- if you see one walking above ground, you can be sure there's a cavernous tunnel nearby. Devourers seemed to show up all over the place, but I always wondered what the heck allowed them to float in mid-air. Regardless, a very cool-looking mob.Hartsman's contributions to the article are insightful as he discusses ideas, balancing and time frames when bringing new creatures to MMO's. He also reassures us that beyond the five monsters featured in the two-part series, there are plenty more to discover in EverQuest II's new expansion. Click through to the full article below, and we'll let you know when part two goes up.
EverQuest II upcoming expansion details: Set sail for the Rise of Kunark
Since we've now heard that pre-orders are becoming available for the fourth expansion to EverQuest II, expected to be released November 13th, let's take a look at what players will have to look forward to. Rise of Kunark will focus on the continent of Kunark, including its dragon-lizard inhabitants, the Sarnak. Veterans of the first EverQuest game may remember these annoying fellows, introduced during its first expansion, and be keen to relive old memories by relentlessly hunting them down all over again. But this time around, you can expect them to have a little help.The Sarnak will be greatly bolstering their numbers, as for the first time they become a playable race. Sarnaks will have their own new starting city located in the islands of the Timorous Deep, and the surrounding areas will support advancement to around level 20. The Kunark mainland is designed for the upper echelon of levels, and the expansion itself includes an increase of the existing level cap from 70 to 80. Along with the raising of the level cap and new race, other highlights of Rise of Kunark include an increase in the current achievement point limit of 100 to 140, and a new player mount, the Kunarkian Rhinoceros (which for some reason instantly brings to mind Donkey Kong Country and the rampaging Rambi) to traverse the lands upon. There will of course be new dungeons and raid encounters for the high level folks to sink their teeth into, with Veeshan's Peak (making its return from the original EverQuest) for the top raiders. You can read about the expansion or pre-order the game from Sony's Station Store. Those that pre-order will receive a new pet for their house, a Burynai Seeker. If you wanted to give the game a go before the expansion hits, EQ2's main page includes a download link to a 14-day free trial.
Everquest I and II adds card game Legends of Norrath
How do you renew flagging interest in an MMORPG, especially when there's clearly another top dog? For MMORPG granddaddy Everquest, part of the solution (they hope) comes in the form of a new, digital collectable card game called Legends of Norrath: Oathbound. The first of what Sony says will be a series, Oathbound features 375 cards in 55-card starter decks for $9.99 and 15-card booster packs for $2.99. The game is playable from EQ I or II, thought a stand-alone client is due for free on Sept. 12. You can test your skills (and decks) against others in the Tournament and Casual lobbies that have been set up or you can play against the AI. This isn't necessarily the sort of thing that would make us cheat on WoW, but if you're still a Norrath denizen, it sounds like this would certainly beat /gems.
Interview with a farmer
No, not a farmer in World of Warcraft gold farmer, but an Everquest 2 plat farmer. When EQ2 player Ogrebear received a tell from someone trying to sell him plat, he responded how he usually did -- with a threat. However, this particular plat seller actually responded to Ogrebear's tell, resulting in an interesting conversation that gives us a bit of insight into the industry.So what does this farmer make? About $100 a month for seven hours work a day. (Ogrebear notes that that's 71 cents an hour if he only works five days a week.)How many characters does this farmer go through in a week? Seven. But apparently it's profitable enough to keep at it.What's this mean to those of us playing World of Warcraft? It means that Blizzard has an uphill battle ahead of them -- the farmers are making enough money to keep at this, despite bannings. And I've got to wonder if they can ever ban enough of them. Perhaps this explains Blizzard's recent push to resolve this issue via legal methods.[Via PlayNoEvil]
Why other MMOs remain the underdogs
Over at MMOG Nation Michael tries to answer the question of why Everquest 2 remains an underdog in the MMO market despite numerous updates and improvements to the game by SOE. And I've got to say I agree with his answer -- whether we're talking about Everquest 2, Lord of the Rings Online, or even Star Wars Galaxies (do people still play that game?). Despite how good other games may be, if all of your friends play World of Warcraft, I bet you're going to be playing World of Warcraft, too. While MMOGCHART hasn't been updated in nearly a year now, their last set of data breaking down the number of active subscribers maintained by all of the major MMOs at the time showed World of Warcraft holding over 50% of the market, leaving a dozen games to split the remaining half of the market. And just looking at my circle of friends, all of them play World of Warcraft -- a couple of them play Everquest on the side, several of us play Lord of the Rings Online as well, and one dabbles in the world of Final Fantasy. But if I want to hang out with all of my friends, I've got to log on to World of Warcraft. So how's the next big thing going to break into the market when all of my friends -- and probably yours -- play WoW? I'm guessing it won't be able to simply be a Warcraft-alike, but be something so far beyond World of Warcraft today that it will draw in the same mass of subscribers WoW did in its initial release. So what do you think the next big thing will be in the MMO market -- or is it so far off that we'll all just be playing a different Blizzard game by then? (I'm still waiting on World of Starcraft, thank you very much!
EverQuest II on the PS3, or a bad case of the mis-typings? [Update 1]
French website Play 3 Live has upped some scans of, supposedly, a PS3 port of the moderately popular MMORPG EverQuest II: Echoes of Faydwer. The pictures they threw up depiciting the apparent port are all of some pretty freaky-looking fairies with quality not much enhanced from the PC version of the game. This could be because of fears of lag issues for the PS3 version, or because it might end up being a fully downloadable title. The latter speculation is an extreme stretch, but who can be sure? After scouring the SOE Press Center, we've located what possibly could be the root of this rumor. The listing on Sony Online Entertainment's official site teases readers with the listing of the game as a " PC PS3" release. The pictures aren't in widescreen -- a staple of the PS3 gaming library. We're still keeping this as a rumor, but from the shady speculation surrounding this event, we'd bet our pirate booty that this is all a big error in typing. A mis-type, if you will. For the uninitiated, just in case this turns out to be true, EverQuest II: Echoes of Faydwer tells the tale of [insert cookie-cutter MMO plotline and gameplay mechanics]. Don't get us wrong, we're not hating on EQ2, but just like many MMO's, FPS's based in WWII, and JRPG's featuring spiky-haired and oddly prepubescent youths, there's not much to separate it from a crowd. [Update: IGN contacted SOE and as we imagined, the rumor has been confirmed to be completely untrue.]
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A whole slew of EverQuest and EverQuest II, electric boogaloo
Sony Online Entertainment gave us a lot of EverQuest to digest recently, including the fact that they are only going to be releasing one expansion per year from now on. Players were complaining that with the expansion packs coming out every time they blinked six months, they weren't getting enough time to explore the new worlds. Speaking of new worlds, if you've never jumped on board the EverQuest bandwagon, you can pick up the just released EverQuest: The Anniversary Edition for only $19.99. It contains every expansion ever made for EverQuest, which at last count was thirteen. That's a lot of adventuring, folks. Hard to believe it's been around for eight years now. EverQuest II also gets some love in the form of a huge new expansion called The Rise of Kunark, which comes out in November. It adds a new playable race, weapons, armor, zones, deities, now level cap at 80, and even a new mount ... a rhinoceros. We're not sure about you, but tooling around on a rampaging rhino sounds like sweet ride. %Gallery-3065%
EQII: Echoes of Faydwer previewed
GameSpy has put together a preview of SOE's new EverQuest II expansion, Echoes of Faydwer. Scheduled for a November launch, Echoes is the third proper EQII expansion following Desert of Flames and Kindgom of Sky. Perhaps hoping to court new players who may only be familiar with the PS2's Champions of Norrath series (or to convert stalwarts of the original EQ), SOE returns the action to the popular setting of Faydwer. The Faydark zone will actually be a starting point for a new pixie race, and you'll have the opportunity to pray at the altars of classic deities such as Mithaniel Marr and Innoruuk to earn miracle items that will aid you in your quests. While you're on your knees, pray you have enough time to actually play Echoes with the deluge of new games and console launches arriving this holiday season.
First impressions: Everquest II addons
Everquest II, released over 18 months ago, is being continually revived with expansions and adventure packs. Expansions are full-blown boxed releases which add a great deal of content to the game, sometimes introducing major gameplay changes -- adventure packs are cheaper digital downloads that add new zones and story arcs. The third adventure pack, The Fallen Dynasty, features the addition of a new set of Eastern-themed zones. In order to feel foreign, a strong Oriental touch runs through the landscape, from pagodas to rice paddies. The adventure pack is heavy on story, and players will have to earn the trust of NPCs before parts of the story unfold.
Sony's MMO marketing shows signs of desperation
Many of you showed scorn at one of Sony Online Entertainment's recent moves, their "all-in-one" Station Access Collection MMO bundle. But wait; they're not done yet. If playing PlanetSide for free isn't enough for you, SOE have teamed up with FilePlanet to offer a month's free play of EverQuest II. Not tempted? How about some Star Wars Galaxies TV commercials to pique your interest? (Ignore what dedicated players are saying; hardcore players are so last season.) We hope the marketing department hasn't run out of ideas yet; SOE are definitely piling on the publicity, but given the reaction to their Station Access Collection announcement, all this still won't be enough to rejuvenate their aging MMOs. Casual gamers or those new to MMOs might get suckered in briefly, but we're unlikely to see a huge rush of new players as a result of all these campaigns; if anything, the over-promotion will put people off.
