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EverQuest II Freeport and Beyond panel video released
Earlier this week our own Karen Bryan brought you the details on all the EverQuest II happenings from last week's Fan Faire 2011. Today, EQ2Wire has added some lengthy video coverage to the mix in the form of an hour-long recording of the initial EQII dev panel entitled Freeport and Beyond. The proceedings are captained by producer Dave Georgeson, and the panel features more info than one news post can adequately cover. The highlights include Game Update 61 (to be launched in late August), the new dungeon creator functionality, itemization and AA revamps, the addition of AA functionality to the crafting game, the Age of Discovery expansion, and of course, the Freeport revamp. That's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, so grab your favorite beverage and click past the cut to view the hour-long video.
The MMO Report: The no-class edition
This week the MMO Report was shot at 12 o'clock Tyrian Standard Time, which most likely means that you were fast asleep or eating lunch. To help you catch up on what you may have missed, we will give you a quick overview of what Casey Schreiner had to say about this week's MMO news. First off, the host extraordinaire mentions Massively by name when regarding the new hide-outs in the Champions Online. It appears he is most fond of the Mother's Basement venue. However, the Moon Base may have caught his eye, too. Secondly, Casey reaffirms his love for EVE Online, or not... maybe it is just his enthralling voice that keeps us glued to our computer monitors as he discusses the trailer that tells us why we should love EVE. Next, our intrepid host stealthily guides us through all the non-American names associated with the surreal MMO Glitch. Lastly, he breezes over the new The Secret World trailer before reaching into his glorious mail bag and pulling out some memes. Jump past the cut to witness the full splendor of this week's MMO Report, and don't miss next week's Fan Faire edition that is all about SOE's event in Los Vegas.
The Guild Counsel: A chat with Linda "The Brasse" Carlson
By night, she's the impeccably-dressed, bearded dwarf that MCs Fan Faires and never turns down a good pint of ale. But by day, she's the Community Relations Director for SOE, and she dons several different caps as part of her job with the company. At Fan Faire, she took the time to speak with Massively about a variety of topics, including forum wars, social media, the future of SOE's Facebook games, and even a revamp of the popular Guide program in EQ and EQII. Read below the cut for highlights from the interview.
SOE Fan Faire 2011: The future of Clone Wars Adventures with Senior Producer Todd Carson
Clone Wars Adventures is a unique MMO that links together a children's game with the TV show on Cartoon Network. Todd Carson, the Senior Producer of CWA, sat down with Massively to talk about some of the new content that's coming for fans, as well as a new storyline in game that will complete the transition between season three and four of the TV series. Read on for highlights from the interview, including a closer look at the Battle for Iceberg 3, new housing items, and even some new mounts!
Planetside 2 to feature persistent territory control, huge battles, and player-generated content
Sony Online Entertainment's big Planetside 2 announcement came and went last night, and while we don't have a release date as of yet, we do have a trailer, plenty of screenshots, and a fairly detailed fact sheet and official press release thanks to the folks at Fan Faire. For you rookies, Planetside 2 is a re-imagining of the popular MMOFPS, and SOE is deploying its new Forgelight MMO engine in order to make thousand-player online battles a reality. Planetside 2 will feature three factions that will seem familiar to long-time fans, and players will be able to choose between the Terran Republic, the New Conglomerate, or the Vanu Sovereignty before heading off to the kill zones. Choice also plays into Planetside 2's character advancement, as the game boasts what SOE is calling a "free-form class-based system" complete with skill trees and unique combat roles. Weapons, vehicles, and outfits are all customizable, and SOE's fact sheet also drops a curious player-generated content hint relating to the game's mission system. "Both SOE and players will be able to drive content, easing new players into the game and allowing veterans to feed content to players," says the press release. Finally, Planetside 2 will feature that rarest of MMO prizes: a reason for all the fighting. The core gameplay revolves around holding territories and controlling resources (as opposed to just a match timer). "Battles will last for days or weeks, and finally taking control of the base means it's yours until someone can take it back," SOE says.
Watch SOE Fan Faire address live on Gamebreaker, or listen in-game
Sony Online Entertainment's annual Fan Faire starts this week, but if you can't make it to Las Vegas for the festivities you'll still have a front row seat. Gamebreaker is teaming up with SOE to provide live pre-show coverage beginning July 7th at 6:00 p.m. PDT. SOE bossman John Smedley's community address will happen an hour later and if you can't check it out on Gamebreaker because you're playing EverQuest or EverQuest II, you can listen in by joining the Vivox-powered Station Voice service. For EQ users, it's as easy as enabling voice chat and clicking on the event button in the UI. For EQII, type: /vcjoinuri confctl-3583@e2p.vivox.com Fan Faire. If you're planning to watch the Gamebreaker livestream, you'll need to register and claim your virtual ticket. Head to the official SOE forums for full instructions. [Update: Corrected pre-show coverage time]
The Tattered Notebook: Fan Faire knowns and unknowns
As we inch closer to Fan Faire, speculation begins to mount about what news EverQuest II fans will finally get to hear. Last year, players were smarting from the announcement of EQII Extended, the free-to-play server, and it seemed to deflate the mood among EQII Fan Faire attendees. This year, EQII is full of knowns and unknowns, to borrow a phrase from former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. We have known knowns, which are things that we know we know. And then there are known unknowns, or things that we know but we actually don't know. Lastly, there are unknown unknowns, which are things that we don't know we don't know. That's where things are in EQII currently. Confused? Me too! This week's Tattered Notebook will look at what we know and what we hope to find out more about at this year's Fan Faire.
The Tattered Notebook: Fan Faire survival guide
It's hard to believe, but in just a couple of weeks, Fan Faire will once again be upon us. What started as a simple fan celebration eight years ago has become a massive showcase of Sony Online Entertainment games, fan spirit, and of course, amazing costumes. There's a lot going on, and the weekend really flies by quickly. Whether you're going for the first time or you're a multi-year vet, this week's Tattered Notebook offers up several handy tips to help you make the most of Fan Faire. Read on for all the details!
PlanetSide Next to be unveiled at SOE Fan Faire
Even eight years after its launch, Sony Online Entertainment's PlanetSide still retains a healthy (and borderline fanatical) playerbase. This is almost certainly owed largely to the fact that PlanetSide remains one of the scant few MMOFPS games on the market. PlanetSide players, though, have been thirsting for more for quite some time. Thankfully, it appears the wait will soon be over. Rumors have been flying for what seems like ages alongside a few sparse screenshots, but PlanetSide Next will soon be officially unveiled at the upcoming SOE Fan Faire this July. John Smedley, President of SOE, announced on his Twitter, "For all you PlanetSide Next fans, stay tuned for a big announcement at our upcoming Fan Faire in Vegas!" You heard the man! Keep your weapons in their holsters for just a while longer and keep an eye on Massively because we'll be sure to have all the freshest information as soon as it's out.
Sony Online Entertainment announces Backstage Blogger contest
Are you a blogger? Do you want to go to the Sony Online Entertainment Fan Faire this year? Then you should enter SOE's Backstage Blogger contest! The rules are simple: Make a video or written blog to show the SOE team how much you adore your favorite SOE title(s) and send it in! A panel of judges will rate the submissions and select four lucky winners from the pool of applicants. Those four fortunate folks will be awarded an all-access pass to the Sony Online Entertainment Fan Faire as well as a Sony Bloggie Touch Camera Kit and the ability to publish their posts from the convention on the SOE Station Blog for the duration of the Fan Faire. If you think you've got a shot at the prize, then head on over to the official forum post for the full set of rules and policies. Good luck, readers!
E3 2011: EverQuest II's Dave Georgeson in 3-D
If you're going to fly, why not fly with a little style -- and in 3-D? At E3, we were able to grab some facetime with Dave "Smokejumper" Georgeson, EverQuest II's executive producer, as he showed us the next dimension of MMO gameplay while we checked out some of the new aerial races in the game. "We wanted to do a little more with the flying creatures than to go from Point A to Point B," Georgeson said, referencing EQII's aerial races. "So we put in these flying race courses, which is a good test ground for showing off 3-D." It's one of those things that has to be seen to be believed. The 3-D effect while flying is, in a word, awesome. The user interface is up close, your character is somewhere in the middle, and the environment is in the background. The effect is very noticeable when you turn, which happens a lot while flying. Hit the jump to hear more of Georgeson's thoughts on 3-D in EverQuest II as well as a get tantalizing sneak peek at the game's future!
SOE Fan Faire site back up, early-bird pricing extended
Following the chaos of the PSN breach, the Sony Online Entertainment Fan Faire website is now back up. To sweeten the deal for their fans, Sony has extended early-bird pricing until May 31, allowing attendees to get an all-access pass -- usually $129 -- for the discounted price of $119. The all-access pass includes all of the perks of the standard day-passes plus a copy of the most recent expansions for both EverQuest and EverQuest II, unique in-game items for SOE titles, and access to evening events for those of drinking age. The Fan Faire itself is a gathering to celebrate all things SOE. Prominent faces from SOE will be hosting panels to give players and fans a look behind-the-scenes at their favorite games. It's also an excellent opportunity to schedule a meet-up with your in-game friends and to get together in a friendly, exciting environment. If you're interested in attending, registration is open at the official site.
SOE announces Fan Faire 2011 open registration
Summer is fast approaching, and if you're partial to Sony Online Entertainment's various MMOs, you know that Fan Faire is coming up quickly as well. This year's event is going down at Bally's Hotel in Las Vegas from July 7th through July 9th. Attendees can look forward to developer panels, live game tournaments, live quests, and of course, rubbing elbows with fellow SOE fans and industry luminaries. All-Access passes are currently on sale for $119.00, and the early-bird pricing gets you admission to forums, panels, and round-tables as well as a t-shirt, gift bag, exclusive in-game items, and digital copies of both EverQuest and EverQuest II expansion packs. Single-day passes are also available (they'll set you back $39.00), and you can view all the details at the official Fan Faire website.
The Guild Counsel: What every leader should know about recruiting
We've all been there -- you came up with "Your Vision," the paint's dry on the guild hall, and you're ready to select some quality members, but instead you're surrounded by chirping crickets and tumbleweeds. You patiently wait for people to start knocking on your door, but that turns to desperation as you resign yourself to the fact that someone, anyone, is better than an empty guild. Next thing you know, you have a healthy-sized roster, but you're now leading the misfit robots from Wall-E. Before slipping down the slope of inevitable drama and potential collapse, check out this handy list of dos and don'ts to help you with recruiting.
The Daily Grind: Did you go to a game convention last year?
It is, in many ways, the ultimate gamer's pilgrimage -- to make the long trek to attend a gaming convention. Whether it be PAX, Dragon*Con, Fan Faire, BlizzCon, Leipzig or GamesCom, it's surprising the amount of money, time, effort and willingness to stand in line with sweaty people that we put up with just to see the latest games and talk to our favorite developers. It's hard to explain the allure of these conventions to outsiders, but there's something thrilling in seeing crowds of people who share your same hobby and get excited over all the same stuff you do. Plus, there's the swag. OH, the swag! Did you make your pilgrimage in 2010? Did you manage to get away to a fabulous retreat (from reality) and attend a game convention? And was it everything you'd hoped, or did it let you down? 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 Guild Counsel: New Year's resolutions
This past year for me has been the best year of my guild-leading life, primarily because I'm surrounded by terrific players who are also terrific people. We've had times when key members step away from raiding, and immediately I'll have several members volunteer to roll up new characters to fill the void and meet class needs. We've had issues, as all guilds do, and we have had disagreements, but I'm guilded with people who are classy enough and level-headed enough to understand the big picture and give the benefit of the doubt. As I raise my glass to toast my guildmates, I also look forward to next year. As guild leaders know, you can never rest on your laurels, and I have several New Year's resolutions. Read on to see what I hope to accomplish, and then share your resolutions for 2011.
The Tattered Notebook: Six years of EverQuest II
I looked down at the dog-eared journal and shivered. As excited as I was to finally be in possession of The Tattered Notebook, I recalled the fates of its previous owners. First, seemingly out of madness, Seccia made a sudden and unexpected career change to blog about kittens. Now, Scarve, a Ratonga, has disappeared in the night, leaving behind only a wedge of cheese, this tattered notebook, and a tiny stuffed Kerran doll. Rumors spread of his appearance among a shadowy cult of Gnomish tinkerers, but it's unclear whether he's with them by choice or by force. Regardless, I took a deep breath and opened the cover. What a perfect time to begin adding my entries to the journal, right at the celebration of EverQuest II's six-year anniversary! To celebrate, the game is holding its second annual Festival of Heroes, from November 19-30. In honor of this milestone, my first entry into The Tattered Notebook is a retrospective of those past six years, with an eye towards the future.
The Tattered Notebook: Flying mounts and what's Next
Well, it's been quite the week and a half for EverQuest fans, with not one but two expansion announcements, a few more details on the upcoming EQII Extended service courtesy of various Fan Faire panels, and of course the speculation supernova surrounding the pseudo-reveal of EQNext (is it really a reveal though if we know virtually nothing about it?). You might think that here at the Tattered Notebook, we'd be quivering with excitement for more EQNext info, or salivating at the prospect of a return to Velious as well as gearing up to visit the House of Thule. You'd be right, but all of that pales in comparison to two very special words (no, not Station Cash): Flying frickin' mounts.
Star Wars Galaxies puts up producer's notes from Fan Faire
The big showstoppers at Sony Online Entertainment's Fan Faire this year were the presentations on the EverQuest franchise and DC Universe Online, without a doubt. But to neglect Star Wars Galaxies is unfair to the game's long history, as well as to the fact that the game had quite a presentation at the celebrated event. In a recent producer's note, Teesquared shared several photos from the event as well as the notes from the Galactic Gathering panel, outlining everything planned for the game in the not-too-distant future. While the photos are nice for fans who missed it, the notes are the meaty part of the announcement, discussing everything from the next major content update to future event plans. The Witches of Dathomir is the next planned major content push, with repeatable content and a number of new clothing options for players. Big plans are also on the horizon for the Galactic Civil War, including invasions in space with capital ships and integration for player-created cities. It looks to be an interesting ride for the future of Star Wars Galaxies, so players are advised to take a look at the full notes for a hint of what's coming.
Fan Faire 2010: John Smedley and the SOE crew talk EverQuest Next
EverQuest Next, the surprise news out of this year's Fan Faire, has certainly gathered a lot of attention from the general MMOGsphere since word broke about the game last night. Across Twitter, Facebook, and myriad blogs, many people are wondering just precisely what the plans are, and what this new incarnation of the world of Norrath might be like. Well, the developers behind the game sat down with attendees at Fan Faire not only to show off screenshots and concept art from EverQuest Next, but also to solicit questions and ideas from the SOE-devoted -- and they've captured it all on video for those of us who couldn't make it! While they stress that this is all in the very early stages, there are some great insights on the thinking behind this reboot of their beloved franchise. There's also some information on what players can expect with regard to support for subscribers of EverQuest and EverQuest II once EverQuest Next comes out. If you're hungry for more details straight from the people behind this surprising new title, then check out the videos behind the break!
