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Wargaming.net funds expedition to recover WWII aircraft in Burma
Making World of Warplanes is not all Wargaming.net does to pay homage to the World War II-era aircraft. The studio has announced that it will fully fund an expedition to try and recover vintage British Spitfires in Burma. David Cundall, an aircraft enthusiast with experience in aviation archaeology, has already recovered a number of other WWII craft in the UK. Over the last 14 years, Cundall has researched rumors of Spitfires buried in the Southeast Asia. Now, thanks to the funds provided by Wargaming.net, he will be able to work together with the Burmese authorities to continue the project and hopefully recover the aircraft. Victor Kislyi, CEO of Wargaming, emphasized the company's dedication to historic preservation, stating: "Since its founding, Wargaming has been dedicated to bringing military history alive, whether through video games or more recently through historic preservation and educational initiatives with museums. When we learned of David's long quest to track down the Spitfires, we reached out to support him, not only to recover the planes if they are there, but also to help tell the story of the air war in Burma –- which is of great interest to our community." Wargaming.net will also launch a blog chronicling the expedition's progress.
The Tattered Notebook: Final thoughts on SOE Live 2012
If there's one word that perfectly sums up the spirit of SOE Live, it's family. I don't know how, but SOE always manages to deliver a big gaming event and make it feel like a casual, intimate get-together at the same time. The picture above epitomizes that, and I'll explain the story behind it below. There was a lot to cover this time around, and I would argue that this year's convention included more titles than ever before and brought more game news than it ever has. It was a hectic pace, but we all survived in one piece. Well, actually, there was that one guy at the pool (a Ranger), but he turned out to be OK too. You've probably seen the many articles that MJ Guthrie and I put together over the past few days, but I'd like to use this week's column to do one final wrap-up of things that weren't covered but deserve a look. Read on for my final wrap-up of a very busy SOE Live.
SOE Live 2012: An exclusive look at the future of Free Realms
SOE Live might be over and done, but it wouldn't be complete without news from one of SOE's kid-friendly titles, Free Realms! The game's been around for three years, but it hasn't showed any signs of slowing down. In fact, over the past year, the game has seen new areas, new minigames, and even a special world event in Shrouded Glade. The dust is still settling in Sunstone Valley, yet the team announced even more new additions coming to the game in the near future. Along with it is a new philosophy aimed at making Free Realms more social and designed around what the players wish to see in game. Free Realms Producer Clint Worley sat down with Massively to give us all the details. Grab a slice of vampire cake and check out the highlights below!
SOE Live 2012: Dragon's Prophet invigorates sandbox hopes
While I can't exactly say that the best report was saved for last (there was so much awesome at SOE Live 2012), I will say the Dragon's Prophet announcement was the most unexpected exciting news of the weekend. A new sandbox game, with dragons! I'll admit -- I should have seen the writing on the breakfast table. When I sat down for the meal that first day, my table-mate John Smedley, CEO of Sony Online Entertainment, mentioned that the others seated with us were making a dragon game. He then introduced them as developers of Runes of Magic. It was only later when the press learned a new game would be introduced that evening that the connection clicked! After the official announcement, I looked forward to learning even more about the new dragon-laced world. I was pleased to sit down with Smedley and those members of the Runewaker team again -- namely, CEO John Tang and VP of Business Development Tony Tang -- this time to discuss the new partnership and the upcoming free-to-play game.%Gallery-169367%
SOE Live 2012: To City of Brass and beyond for Vanguard
Though off the radar for a long while, at least where updates were involved, Vanguard has enjoyed a resurgence of late. Inspired by the recently rebuilt (and still growing) development team and increased support from Sony Online Entertainment, excitement has burgeoned for the rebirth of the five-year-old game. So while Vanguard may not have presented the as many panels or pulled in as many fans as the bigger titles at SOE Live, player and developer dedication and enthusiasm was abundant. Besides attending the "The Future of Vanguard!" panel, I sat down with Producer Harvey Burgess to get his thoughts on how the game has performed since the move to free-to-play and to learn both what's around the corner (City of Brass, finally!) and what's on the horizon for the fantasy MMO.
The Guild Counsel: What I learned at the SOE Live player panels
It was easy to overlook, but hidden among the mountains of new announcements and game panels at this year's SOE Live were several panels that were organized and run by the players themselves. Players were asked to submit ideas for panels across a wide spectrum of game topics. They came up with some terrific ideas, and Linda "The Brasse" Carlson, SOE's Global Director of Community Relations, used every tool at her disposal to fit in as many as possible in the lineup. Thanks to my time-turner necklace, I was able to catch several of these player panels in addition to the regular game panels, and I've summed them up below. There were some great moments from each of these panels, and if you missed them, you'll want to check out the highlights below!
SOE Live 2012: EverQuest II interviews highlight focus on crafting, player stories
It is undeniable: Between panels, keynote addresses, and interviews, SOE Live offered fans a smorgasbord of information this year. Even as we reported on some information, more came our way. Such is the case with EverQuest II and its upcoming Chains of Eternity expansion; no sooner had I shared the new tradeskill AA and prestige lines than I was able to sit down developers to gain more insights into the new features. And of course, another panel came along offering even more tidbits about the expansion and beyond! Did previous announcements leave you wondering whether crafters will be required to grind their own AA tree up from 0? How many crafted items can actually be mass produced at one time? And what's in store for the Dungeon Maker and SOEmote? These questions and more were answered as I sat down with Brain Ferguson (PvP and tradeskill game designer), Holly Longdale, (Producer), and Dave Georgeson (Director of the EQ franchise).
SOE Live 2012: Building your business and selling homes with Player Studio
We've all had that moment. In your mind's eye, you see the perfect item; whether you are a decorator or adventurer, you've imagined that one item that would look perfect in your EverQuest II house or on your EverQuest character. But alas, since you aren't on the development team, your awesome idea could not be realized. That was then; this is now. With the new Player Studio announced last month, that idea can not only come to fruition but net you some cold hard cash as well. So how does one transition from imaginer to bustling entrepreneur? Devs hosted a panel at SOE Live 2012 that discussed the steps of getting an item from your mind's eye out into the Marketplace for others to buy and enjoy. But what if instead of imagining new items, you take existing items and create incredible displays that are the envy of others? Devs announced a feature that will allow decorators to fully furnish a home, bundle it up, and offer it for sale via the Marketplace as well. After the informative panel, I caught up with Producer Holly Longdale and director of of the EQ franchise Dave Georgeson to uncover even more details about the opportunities available with Player Studio.
SOE Live 2012: PlanetSide 2 interviews emphasize universal appeal and focus on fun
Watching Creative Director Matt Higby in a failed trailer attempt or with Senior Art Director Tramell Isaac on Command Center videos, you get the idea that PlanetSide 2 developers are having fun. And talking to them in-person in an unscripted environment, you know they do. Whether listening to a panel at SOE Live or catching them randomly in a hall, their passion and enthusiasm for the game is unmistakable... and contagious. But fun wasn't the only theme present. In fact, the focus throughout the weekend convention can be described in three F words. (And no, not a one of them is the one you are thinking!) If you wanted to sum up the PlanetSide 2 message, its fun, friends, and the future. I was able to catch both Higby and Isaac over the weekend to talk with them about the emphasis on players telling their own stories, plans for bringing new players into the game, and the future of PS2. Keep reading to see what they have to say, and enjoy some Amerish concept art along with the continent's reveal trailer.
SOE Live 2012: Dave Georgeson on the business side of the EQ franchise
There were many terrific panels this year at SOE Live, and as usual, there's a very good dialogue between the players and the developers on a variety of issues. Among them was one that looked at the EverQuest franchise from a different perspective than usual. Instead of discussing expansions, class balance, game mechanics, or itemization, it addressed the business model behind the games. Over the past two years, both EQ and EQII have seen enormous changes, but even if you go further back, you'll see a dramatic transition away from the traditional subscription model. Dave Georgeson, Director of the EverQuest franchise, gave a talk that shed some new light on the philosophy behind some of the changes. In addition, he outlined some upcoming changes to the SOE update cycle, marketplace, and other areas of monetization. We've got all the details below, and some of the changes are not at all what you'd expect!
SOE Live 2012: An exclusive sneak peek at the future of Clone Wars Adventures
SOE Live (formerly Fan Faire) is traditionally a gathering for adult audiences, but over the past few years, the younger fanbase has been growing. This year marked the first time SOE included a "Kids Day" complete with a special gaming area, coloring pages, fun food, and a special preview of the newest episode of the Clone Wars Adventures cartoon on the big screen of the expo floor. Meanwhile, the team had some exciting news about what's planned for the future of the Clone Wars Adventures MMO itself. While the recent focus has been on combat and there are plans to continue to add even more in the future, the devs also have some new additions for the trading card game, crafting, and even home decorating. Read on for the skinny!
SOE Live 2012: EverQuest's Rain of Fear includes offline selling and item progression
If you think that after 13 years and 18 expansions there is nothing new left to do for EverQuest, you don't know Sony Online Entertainment very well! In fact, developers at SOE Live 2012 announced a bunch of new features and content for the game's upcoming 19th expansion, Rain of Fear. Due out on November 28th, this expansion has plenty of things for players to enjoy. And by plenty, we mean more than you can shake a dragon at. And trust us, there are lots of dragons, too! Besides an enormous tree (that's like its own zone), an aggro meter, tons of dragons, a slayer system, and a collection system, EverQuest players will find a more robust and flexible broker system, over 3000 new tradeskill recipes, more than 1800 new spells, and a new item progression system. And that's really just the tip of the iceberg.
SOE Live 2012: John Smedley on EQ Next and SOE's future
There's been a never-ending news stream this weekend at SOE Live, and underlying all the announcements has been a single theme: a fundamental shift towards emergent gameplay. We had the chance to talk to SOE President John Smedley about that philosophical change and how it fits in to current and upcoming titles. He spoke about the growing popularity of MMOs as viewing entertainment and how it's caught on in PlanetSide 2. And while he wouldn't go into details about EQ Next, he did give some exciting hints about what players will get to experience with this third EverQuest title. Read on for a look at the future of SOE!
SOE Live 2012: Getting to know Wizardry Online
There's probably no better way to sum up Wizardry Online than with the phrase, "Be careful what you wish for." If you've been yearning for a game with permadeath, you have reason to celebrate. At this year's SOE Live, the Wizardry Online team showed off the game, and it's every bit as hardcore as promised. If you're looking for an old-school challenge, you'll want to check out the highlights below.
SOE Live 2012: A deeper look at DCUO's housing lairs
Thursday's announcement of the addition of player lairs to DC Universe Online set this little housing-lover's heart all aflutter! While there were more bits of news about the new Home Turf DLC coming next year, my focus was understandably on the lairs. And I was very happy to sit down at SOE Live and talk shop with Jens Andersen. As creative director for DCUO, Jens shared many juicy tidbits about the new system for this special edition of Some Assembly Required. So what's in store for denizens of Gotham and Metropolis? Let's start with personal instances that are accessed from realistic points within the cities, functions that stretch to accommodate different levels of creativity and decorating savvy, and a unique dueling system that will be unlike anything players (or their furniture!) have seen before. Players can even get rewards and achievements for collecting items and decorating their homes. Sounds intriguing, no?
SOE Live 2012: EQII's Chains of Eternity adding tradeskill prestige and much more
Players were so excited about some of the announcements made in yesterday's EveryQuest II's panel on mechanics for Chains of Eternity at SOE Live that the room erupted into applause multiple times. What types of goodies brokered this response from attendees? How about new tradeskill specializations (including a separate AA pool and a gathering sidekick that can harvest rares!), new guild amenities, new adornments, and even adornment removers? Of course, those aren't the only incoming changes. Others include increasing in the level cap to 95, alterations to the mentoring system to prevent AFK XP farming, and new prestige abilities.
SOE Live 2012: Friday keynote highlights DCUO, EQ, and EQII
Day two of SOE Live wrapped up with yet another keynote, this one focused on DC Universe Online, EverQuest, and EverQuest II. Creative Director Jens Andersen of DCUO, Executive Producer Thom Terrazas from EQ, Executive Producer Holly Longdale from EQII, and Dave Georgeson, the EQ Franchise head, all took a turn on stage to give a rundown of what each game had launched over the past year, and more importantly, where each is headed for the future. But before that, SOE paid tribute to the military veterans in attendance (pictured above) and gave two of the longest-serving military members NVIDIA cards to thank them for their service. Read on for the highlights!
The Tattered Notebook: What does a sandbox look like in Norrath?
Last night brought a flurry of new announcements for SOE titles, but one of the more curious moments was when SOE President John Smedley got to talking about EverQuest Next. He started off by bringing out two of the handful of screenshots that we've seen time and time again, and with a click of a button, made them evaporate into a shower of pixels, to be followed by a blank screen and the sound of crickets. In short, they went back to the drawing board. It's a bold move to take a year and a half of production and completely scrap it, especially at a time in the industry when the competition is so tight, but Smedley promised that what we'd see in the end would be unlike anything we've ever seen. Perhaps, though, we've already seen a glimpse of the future in the other two titles in the EQ franchise. What will the sandbox gameplay look like in EQ Next? I'll prognosticate below.
SOE Live 2012: Smedley assuages ProSiebenSat.1 concerns
When announcing that European players can keep their accounts with Sony Online Entertainment during the move to ProSiebenSat.1, SOE President John Smedley specifically mentioned three games, concerning the players of other SOE titles. However, during an exclusive interview with Massively today, Smedley clarified that those three are not the only games involved. As he explained, those games were just the most topical, not the sole selections on an exclusive list. Players of other SOE games such as Vanguard can rest assured that they have the same opportunity to choose to stay with SOE. That answer covers all current titles that are already published, but what about future SOE titles? And how does the ProSieben partnership affect Station Access? And when will these changes be taking place for the different games? Continue reading for Smedley's insights on these matters.
SOE Live 2012: Dragon's Prophet trailer, website released
Sony Online Entertainment hinted at Dragon's Prophet during last night's SOE Live keynote. Now the firm has released the game's first official trailer as well as a new website destination. The class-based free-to-play fantasy MMO is a collaboration with Runes of Magic developer Runewaker, and it boasts some curious features like extensive player housing and frontier systems. The site says the housing system allows for the construction of "epic structures that defy imagination," while the frontier mechanics grant guild leaders the power to build a kingdom complete with citizens and a powerful military. Check out the gameplay trailer after the cut.
