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One Shots: The storm has passed
"Here is a picture from my days playing Warhammer Online," reader John submitted. "It will be missed." You know what, John? It really will be. Heaven knows it's been kicked around enough in the larger MMO community, but people doing that oh-so-conveniently forget the great times that were had. In a sea of fantasy games, it's still hard to find Witch Hunters battling mutated madmen or suicidal punk Dwarves getting swallowed by a giant squig. Except for here, of course. So take in that lightning and be kind to those who will go through the grieving process this month when WAR is shuttered. Do it for me, will ya? The Gipper. And as you're doing that, also check out our other player screenshots from this past week!
The Tattered Notebook: EverQuest Next roundtable roundup, take two
Back in September, The Tattered Notebook gathered together the first 10 roundtable questions that EverQuest Next and EQN Landmark devs posed to fans, with their accompanying community thoughts, developer opinions, and video clip answers. However, that was only the tip of the iceberg. The Round Table discussions were not just an introductory fad; they are a permanent part of the development process. As such, new polls are put up every week for fans to vote on and to post their own feedback and thoughts about on the forum. So now that a couple of months have passed, it's time to round up the next wave of questions in one central location, focusing this time on the six questions with dev responses. Maybe there is a query or two that you missed as the weeks rolled by, or maybe you just want to see what direction the community is leaning. Got some strong opinions about death penalties or fast travel in EverQuest Next? What about in-game holidays? This is definitely the time to share them!
SOE offers EQ and EQII rewards with Landmark pre-orders
Here's a gift idea for that sandbox MMO nut on your Christmas list: EverQuest Next Landmark Founder's Packs. Well, probably just one Founder's Pack, but you get the idea. SOE has updated its website with pre-order gifting functionality, and the company has also added a wee bit of extra incentive for current players of both EverQuest and EverQuest II. That incentive takes the form of an in-game flag corresponding to your Settler, Explorer, or Trailblazer Founder's Pack purchase. You can either use the flag as a home decoration or "carry it along with you during your adventures in Norrath."
The Tattered Notebook: The EQN Landmark founders pack fallout
You might have heard about a little piece of EverQuest Next Landmark news about how interested players have the opportunity to purchase Founders Packs. If you haven't (or you missed the resulting maelstrom of responses), the basic gist of it is this: SOE is offering three levels of pre-launch bundles for the upcoming sandbox game, with prices ranging from $19.99 to $99.99. Besides in-game goodies, each pack also adds alpha or beta access to EQN Landmark. Therein lies the rub. That one little bit of intel set off quite a flurry of comments, from valid concerns to some head-scratching claims. Some folks had questions as to whether these packs have anything to do with EverQuest Next (they do not); there seems to be some overall confusion and misinformation mixed in among legitimate points and vitriol alike, so today I'm going to address some of the concerns that cropped up.
Sixteen games that ease the MMO level gap -- and how they do it
There's nothing I hate more than logging into an MMO, running across a friend, and being hit by the wall of levels that separates us. She might act as if she's OK hanging out with a newbie, but the truth is that she'd rather be off doing high-level things with her high-level buddies. If only there were a way for us to jump into combat (or anything else) together from the get-go! In many MMOs, that level gap is not an issue. There are a lot of creative ways to get around the problem, and some MMOs meet players more than halfway. Of course, there are a lot of MMOs that force players into a level-encased tunnel of grind, but today we want to shine some light on some of the ways MMOs help salve the level gap sting.
The Soapbox: Instant high-level characters are a terrible, horrible, very bad, no good idea
While handing players the keys to a high-level character isn't something brand-new that studios are doing, it does seem to be more en vogue these days, from TERA to EverQuest II and now to World of Warcraft. It's a topic that has caused a lot of discussion and debate in the community, not to mention a lot of disquiet and dismay in my heart. In last week's Soapbox, Massively's Mike Foster advocated instant leveling by saying, "There is no downside to giving players a chance to skip to the start of new content." With much love and respect to my fellow Massively writer, I think Mike is completely wrong on this front, as are others that are giving a thumbs-up to any MMO that allows players to jump past content and into a high-level character. It has nothing to do with elitism and ego, as was suggested, but has everything to do with cheapening our mutual experience and the very foundation of MMOs. There are many, many downsides to this disturbing trend, and I need to get this off my chest so that at least I've said it somewhere.
The Soapbox: Instant leveling and the whining fringe
Over the weekend at Blizzcon 2013, Blizzard Entertainment announced the fifth World of Warcraft expansion, Warlords of Draenor. The content add-on brings most of the things one might expect from an expansion -- new zone, new features, new quests, new dungeons -- but perhaps most notably includes the option to instantly raise any one of your characters to WoW's current level cap of 90. While you'll still face 10 levels of Warlords of Draenor questing, killing, and fetching if you opt to take the insta-level, the feature has re-ignited the argument among MMO fans as to whether offering players a maxed-out character somehow violates the core rules of the MMO genre. Should developers really provide high-level characters just to get/keep players in the game? The short answer, of course, is "duh." Here's the long answer.
Dragons take flight in EQII's Tears of Veeshan today
It's all about the dragons. You just can't get more quintessential fantasy than dragons, and EverQuest II's newest expansion is all about dragons. Sure, there are goblins and bow-wielding healers as well, but you can't miss that the focus of Tears of Veeshan is on those massive fire-breathing beasts. From dragons attacking Qeynos and Freeport to the evil dragon arch-enemy bent on destroying all time and space to the dragon afterlife, it is all about the dragons. Heck, even the new AAs are from dragons! So it's safe to say if you aren't a really a fan of wyverns in all their forms (be they live or dead!), you might want to skip this expansion. If, however, you love them in all their scaly glory, you've got plenty to look forward to. While waiting for ToV to take flight on live servers, I got to tour the highlights of the expansion with Producer Holly Longdale, Creative Director Akil Hooper, and Game Designer Carlos Mora. And from them I learned a few interesting new tidbits about EQII's 10th expansion. Want to know how you, too, can get Qho killed? I thought that might get your attention.
The Tattered Notebook: Dishing out memories for EverQuest II's ninth birthday
Like its older sibling before it, EverQuest II doesn't show any signs of slipping quietly into the night as it ages. Another year has come and gone for the middle child in the EverQuest franchise, and plenty has transpired in those 52 weeks. You'd think after all the goings on of the game's eighth year that things might slow down a bit; after all, how do you top monumental occasions like going free-to-play? But no, the content train just kept rolling in. If you thought that there was already too much to do in EverQuest II when the ninth year started, I'm sorry to say that it just got worse -- or better, depending on how you look at it. That's not to say it was all rainbows and kittens and unicorns (although there were those, too!), but there were definitely plenty of positive happenings throughout the year. From demonstrations of great community spirit to updates galore, the past 12 months have been filled with things both big and small. Take a stroll with me down memory lane as we celebrate EQII's ninth anniversary.
EverQuest II video peeks behind the scenes of Tears of Veeshan
You may have to wait until Tuesday to jump into EverQuest II's next expansion, but you can get a peek at the making of Tears of Veeshan in a new behind-the-scenes video now. From the food-fighting goblins, grand vistas, and intricate details of Highkeep to the Naiad-filled halls of the Shissar-built temple Stratum of the Protectors, devs highlight some of the art and animations of ToV. Also included is a brief overview of the new Channeler class by Creative Director Akil Hooper and a glimpse of of an enormous globe of Norrath. Check it all out in the video below. [Source: SOE press release]
One Shots: Why you sit
Why you sit? Why you sit when there is so much to be done? Every minute you spend sitting, a thousand NPCs die a gruesome death that could have been prevented by your immortal battle prowess! But you sit. You sit and you admire daffodils as you ignore the noise of innocents in peril. Hope that's one mighty fine sit! So who is this sitter? I'll let reader John introduce you: "Here is Pearl, my level 20 Archer in Final Fantasy XIV. She's obviously relaxing and enjoying the All Saint's Wake celebration. Holidays are the best time to explore the Final Fantasy world." Why you holiday? Why you holiday when people need rescuing? With great power comes great loafing off, apparently. For more public shaming in this week's One Shots, hit the jump!
Perfect Ten: Virtual haunted houses
Happy Halloween! Or if that's not politically correct enough for you, Happy Scare-Related Holidays feat. the Stylings of Ed Casbar and His Electric Teeth. It'd be the best of holidays if most people didn't have a prejudice against a middle-aged guy going trick-or-treating. Hey, us adults need sugar fixes too, you know! And just because you don't understand my seductive Night Elf cosplay outfit doesn't mean it's less valid than the tots with Iron Man masks. At least the online world is prejudice-free, which is why I love bouncing around between MMOs looking for a little haunted mansion action. Let's take a quick tour through 10 virtual haunted houses that go from zany to freaky, although not necessarily in that order.
One Shots: Certifiably Insane
One of the things that I love the very most about superhero MMOs is that they give players a great platform to show off their creative designs. Yeah, they can be eyesores too, but I find that that's also a blessing in disguise because it's an easy visual indicator of lazy players whom I probably want to avoid. I wouldn't want to avoid reader Carla, however, because she's bringing her crazy-A game to DC Universe Online today. "Here is a photo of my supervillain, Certifiably Insane, posing before the city she's conquered," she wrote. So my question is, what do you do with a city once you conquer it? Get mired in administrative red tape? Does Certifiably Insane have to preside over council meetings and sewage labor union debates now? How does a supervillain deal with zoning issues, anyway? The answers to that and so very much more are all after the break in this week's One Shots.
The Tattered Notebook: Navigating EQII's Nights of the Dead
Halloween is by far my favorite holiday, and EverQuest II is easily one of my favorite games of all time. So when the two combine, it's a match made in heaven. But just like the game itself, the Nights of the Dead live event has so much to it and so much to do that it is easy to become overwhelmed. Cue The Tattered Notebook! I know what it's like to want to participate fully in an event but not know where to start. And now with so many more new players (thanks in large part to the Heroic Characters), it's not even a matter of finding the little changes to this year's event. Let's be honest: Even those of us who have taken part previously can't remember every detail from year to year, especially when more is added each holiday season! So today I'm going to provide a guide to introduce you to all things Nights of the Dead.
EverQuest Mac shutting down (again)
After a stay of execution last year, EverQuest Mac will be shut down on November 18th. SOE cited the need to devote its resources to upcoming games as a reason for the sunset. "After much review and consideration, we have made the decision to sunset EverQuest Mac," the studio posted. "EQMac was originally scheduled to sunset in early 2012, but we kept the game up and running following the passionate feedback received from the community. As we align development resources towards our upcoming slate of games, we cannot justify the resources required to continue to support EQMac. The remaining EverQuest titles (EverQuest, EverQuest II, EverQuest Next, and EverQuest Next Landmark) will not be affected by this closure. We appreciate all of your contributions over the years and hope to see you in other EQ games." SOE President John Smedley added his condolences: "Please know that this was not a decision that was taken lightly. It was a hard call to make, but we know it's the right thing to do." EQMac is a Mac-only version of the game that's been effectively frozen in time since the Planes of Power expansion. You can read our history as well as veterans' stories of the title. The last EverQuest game to be shut down was EverQuest Online Adventures in March 2012.
EQII's Tears of Veeshan opens beta doors today
Waiting until the launch of the latest expansion of your favorite game can be torture -- especially when that expansion adds a new class! Luckily for EverQuest II fans, there's no need to wait until November 12th to get a taste of the new Channeler class, the dragon-themed AAs, or the new zone and dungeons; as of today, Tears of Veeshan is in open beta. To jump in and check out all the new incoming goodies, players use the live launchpad to change game version and download the entire beta, which requires the same amount of space as the regular game install. Players can even copy characters from the live servers to use on the beta server. Full instructions on the process can be found on the official site.
The Tattered Notebook: Forging your own leveling path in EverQuest II
Who needs the straight and narrow? Not I -- when referring to EverQuest II progression, that is. Those who catch my antics on Massively TV can certainly attest to the fact that I am more of a twist-and-turn-loving meanderer than a straight-line kinda gal. And that's even without the inevitable distraction of shinies! Luckily for me, EQII is made for just such a soul as mine with serious emphasis on the wander part of wanderlust. Folks who watch EverQuest Two-sday have seen me lope along the Golden Path, EQII's version of an in-game guide to where to level. But in EQII, the path is not a rigid set-up directing player steps as in many other themeparks. No, the Golden Path here is more of an occasional checkpoint along your journey that offers you just a nudge in the next general direction. Even then, you don't have to follow those implied suggestions. Maybe you'd prefer to forge your own path. That's where today's guide comes in! But unlike the recent guide for the new level 85s, this guide is for any and every level range, so no matter where you are now, you can see all the possibilities for where to go next.
Pre-orders now available for EverQuest II's Tears of Veeshan expansion
EverQuest II's next expansion is right around the corner, and SOE has now opened pre-orders for Tears of Veeshan. Pricing for the pre-orders is $39.99 for the standard edition and $59.99 for the collector's edition. As we all know, pre-orders are all about the goodies. So what do players get for reserving their digital copy of the expansion? Those who go for the standard edition will receive a pre-order exclusive Veeshan Loyalty Cloak as well as an Aerayky Monk mercenary named Slymar. Those who opt for the collector's edition get a new Ethenere prestige home and a Shissar plushie to put in it, an Etherwing mount, a painting, and a two-hour XP potion on top of the previously mentioned items.
The Stream Team: Decisionally challenged weather edition, October 7 - 13, 2013
I don't know about you, but in my neck of the woods Mother Nature is suffering some kind of identity crisis. In the span of a single day we have had bone-chilling cold and frost, sun-scorching heat, and monsoon-inspired rainstorms. Every time we have a season-appropriate cold snap, the second I go to remove my air-conditioner, we have a blistering heat wave. People were pumpkin harvesting in shorts for heaven's sakes! Is it fall? Or is it summer? If the weather is any indication, we need to institute a new season. We could call it Summall. Or maybe Falmer. Then people can just expect to employ heavy coats and shorts within hours. Like they do in Colorado! Like the weather of late, I'll admit to being decisionally challenged at times (especially when trying to pick what to do in a game with so many options!). Luckily, for any who suffer that same affliction, your favorite Stream Team hosts will never conflict on the Massively TV schedule. So who's playing what when this week? Check out the schedule and see!
EverQuest I and II give free gold memberships during Heroic Character event
If jumping in to the latest content on a new level 85 Heroic Character isn't enough of an incentive to check out EverQuest II, SOE has sweetened the deal. During the free Heroic Character promotion running until October 15th, select returning players will also have a free gold-level membership. And those who sign up to continue their gold membership on or before the 15th will receive an extra bonus of their choice of either a mount, a Thurgadin Grand hall prestige home, or a Windwalker robe armor set. EverQuest is also running a Welcome Back to Norrath promotion during the same time frame, offering free gold membership to select returning players as well as a large bag and potions. Signing up for a gold membership before the event ends will net the player his choice of either the Hero's Forge armor system, a mount, or a 36-slot bag. [Thanks to BabaGraPL for the tip]
