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SOE gearing up for PlanetSide 2 dev chats
PlanetSide 2 is in the news again this week, but to be honest we don't know all the details as of yet. Sony Online Entertainment has sent out a press blurb stating that it will be "brief[ing] the troops on anything and everything related to the art of PlanetSide 2." This includes a chat with senior art director Tramell Isaac (whom die-hard fans will recognize as the art director on the original PlanetSide) scheduled for Tuesday, September 27th. Tramell will be discussing "the original PlanetSide's legacy and influence on PlanetSide 2's art style, and how SOE's powerful ForgeLight engine will carry this vision forward." Thursday brings a PlanetSide 2 webcast (also with a focus on art direction). After that, fans can look forward to a Twitter chat on Friday, and the dev team will be fielding multiple questions relating to the upcoming sci-fi MMOFPS.
Gamebreaker's This Week in MMO: John Madden edition
Video game enthusiasts, pay attention. Each week, Gary Gannon and the crew at Gamebreaker.TV bring you the latest MMO news with their weekly show called This Week In MMO. The show rotates through a panel of personalities to bring you the latest news and opinions from MMO gaming. Sometimes these panels include reporters from our very own website, like Editor-in-Chief Shawn Schuster and Community Manager Rubi Bayer; even EVE expert Brendan Drain and SWTOR columnist Larry Everett have made appearances on the show. This week, Gary is joined by ZAM's Mike B aka Fony and Hillary "Pokket" Nicole to talk about PlanetSide 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, subscription models, WildStar, Lord of the Rings Online, Mortal Online, Astronaut the MMO, and why women don't like voiceover. First up: PlanetSide 2 will be free-to-play, and SWTOR may be the last subscription MMO. Is anyone surprised? The panel weighs in on whether WildStar mechanics are more of the same or maybe this game has something new. Mike B and Pokket discuss how LotRO is making Isengard appear more epic. We also find out why Mortal Online territorial control is not for the faint of heart. Lastly, is anyone interested in being an astronaut anymore? If you like intelligent, fun discussion about the latest in MMOs (in video format), you should check out the recorded version of This Week In MMO right after the cut, or live every Wednesday evening!
PlanetSide 2 opens up a comm-link to the players
Creative Director Matt Higby has stepped up to the plate to take a few swings at an introductory letter for PlanetSide 2 on the title's official website. Higby begins by laying out his past experience at SOE, citing his enthusiasm for working on the PlanetSide sequel and introducing the team working on the project. The meat of the letter comes as Higby presents the core pitch for the game. "Our goal with PlanetSide 2 is to create a game where you will fight against and alongside thousands of players, competing simultaneously and directly against one another in massive battles featuring intense infantry action as well as incredible air and ground vehicle combat," he writes. "All of these features come together to deliver what we feel will be not only the world's best MMOFPS, but the ultimate online FPS experience." Included in the letter are two brand-new screenshots from the game showing soldiers stalking the enemy on an alien world. You can check out those images as well as past PlanetSide 2 pictures in the gallery below. %Gallery-127964%
Planetside 2 to be freemium in some form, beta coming late 2011/early 2012
How free will Planetside 2 be? So, so free. At least, in some part, according to Sony Online Entertainment prez John Smedley. In two recent interviews, Smedley confirms the long-awaited sequel's business model, saying, "The game will be F2P. What form will it be? We're still working that out." Smedley specifically notes that the team is looking at Riot Games' enormously popular League of Legends as a model, meaning you can pay for visual upgrades, but not for ability upgrades. Those excited about the upcoming sequel will get a chance to go hands-on in the coming months, as Smedley also promises a beta by the end of 2011 or early 2012. That said, it could be a bit longer, as he also notes that the beta will be "ready when it's ready and we are proud of it."
Beta and bucks: John Smedley discusses PlanetSide 2's future
In an interview with Chinese site 17173.com, SOE's John Smedley shared some revealing details about PlanetSide 2, including the fact that the upcoming MMO shooter will be free. MMOsite carried the English version of the story early this morning, but there were a few points that were lost in translation. So we contacted Smedley for clarification, and he said that while he had previously mentioned that the game will be "some form of free-to-play," SOE is not prepared to announce specifics just yet, but we should "expect something that will be very player friendly." He mentioned that a Blizzard-style auction house won't be a part of that plan but that he was fond of what League of Legends had done with its system. It's also his opinion that Star Wars: The Old Republic will be the last large-scale MMO with a subscription fee. "The game looks great," Smedley commented, "and I will be playing myself. BioWare is doing an awesome job." Smedley also made mention of PlanetSide 2's beta schedule. SOE is aiming to begin wider testing of the title later this year or early next year in North America, but the company doesn't know for sure just yet. PlanetSide 2 is aiming to be bigger and better than the original, with battlefields holding up to 2,000 players at the same time, a flexible skill system that allows players to fine-tune their troops and engage in crafting, and a struggle to control territory between three factions. Interestingly enough, Smedley said that the factions might not always be at each other's throats; the PlanetSide 2 team has plans to launch PvE world events such as alien invasions where all players will put aside their differences to combat a shared threat.
SOE releases new PlanetSide 2 art and screens
Sony Online Entertainment is sloooooowly letting a few PlanetSide 2 teases slip through the cracks, and the latest is a set of screenshots and artwork showing off the upcoming massively multiplayer shooter's dazzling visuals. The new gallery features a bunch of combat shots complete with dirty uniforms, spiffy muzzle flares, and some nifty surrounding terrain. You'll also spot a few dead bodies in the background, and the overall mood evoked is one of gritty sci-fi realism. SOE has also tossed in a couple of concept art pieces for your viewing pleasure, so take a look at the gallery below to see some Terran Republic stealth and medic gear. In other PlanetSide 2 news, rumor has it that the title won't be coming to the Playstation 3 console. "I think I would have been told about it by now," SOE's Matt Higby reportedly told IncGamers. %Gallery-127964%
PlanetSide 2 may feature space-based gameplay
A few more PlanetSide 2 details have emerged thanks to a presentation given by Sony Online Entertainment's John Smedley and Matt Higby at a recent SyndCon gathering. The duo explained how PlanetSide 2's dynamic weather system will affect combat and that smoke resulting from prolonged firefights will also play a role. The catch here, according to FPSguru, is that these features "may not be in at launch, but [are] definitely in the long-term plan." Speaking of iteration, Smedley also drew comparisons to EVE Online's "outside-in" approach (specifically, the fact that CCP began with a space game and added planet-based gameplay at a later date). PlanetSide 2 will reverse this process, beginning with a single continent, "then add[ing] more continents and eventually, planets," Smedley said. Plans for space-based gameplay are also on the table. There's a bit more to the article including riffs on certifications (i.e., skills) and the inevitable cash shop. Head to FPSguru for more details.
New PlanetSide 2 screenshots show troops in action
In our opinion, there can't be enough news about Sony Online Entertainment's upcoming PlanetSide 2 these days, which is why we'll enthusiastically shake hands with Tony Park if we ever meet him. Park heads up The9, the Chinese publisher for PlanetSide, and he's posted a couple new screenshots of the hot title on his blog. These PlanetSide 2 pics show armor-clad soldiers getting into position for action. It's interesting to note the distinctive colors that will surely help teammates differentiate friend from foe. We heard a lot about this sequel to SOE's PlanetSide at Fan Faire, including the trailer, a general overview of the game, and an in-depth look with the developers. You can eyeball the new pics in the gallery below! %Gallery-127964%
The Tattered Notebook: Exec. Producer Dave Georgeson on EverQuest II and EverQuest Next
If there's one thing that came out of Fan Faire about EQ Next, it's that no one will talk about EQ Next. No matter who you talked to, any time the subject came up, the answer was always, "I can't talk about that." However, Executive Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson sat down with Massively during Fan Faire to talk more about EverQuest II, and during that interview, he did give a tiny glimpse into what that game would be like. In this week's Tattered Notebook, Massively gets the scoop on Beastlords, the dungeon builder, Freeport's revamp, and much more.
MMO Roundup: RIFT sale, Planetside 2, and more
Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. RIFT offers limited-time subscription discounts Getting into the RIFT groove and certain you'll be sticking it out for a while to come? Then there's a way you could be saving some money, as well, by signing up for one of Trion Worlds' new subscription plans during the "Summer of Savings" period that began this month. SOE reveals screenshots and trailer for Planetside 2 SOE Fan Faire 2011 played host to an official announcement for the highly anticipated Planetside 2. Players looking for a new entry in the sci-fi MMO genre should head over to Massively to check out screenshots and a trailer. Guild Wars: Winds of Change It's time for another major event in Guild Wars, one that's been heavily anticipated by the players -- the next installment in Guild Wars Beyond, centering around the lands of Cantha. There are changes afoot for the land, as evidenced by the title of the new multi-part event, Winds of Change. And if you want to start taking part in the history that will shape Guild Wars 2, now is a fine time to see what those winds are bringing. CCP partners with Nexon to release EVE Online in Japan The Japanese games market can be difficult for western companies to break into, with accurate client localization and translation acting as a huge potential roadblock. In an unexpected press release late last week, EVE Online developer CCP Games announced a strategic partnership with Japan-based MMO publisher Nexon to bring EVE Online to the Japanese market. DUST 514 may go true F2P in the future While we've known that DUST 514 won't be as free as originally thought, there's still hope for a true free-to-play version to come. CCP's Hilmar Veigar Pétursson told GamesIndustry.biz that while PlayStation 3 owners will have to contend with a "cover charge" -- estimated to be between $10 and $20 -- before accessing the game for the first time, the company may drop it entirely in time. Massively Speaking Episode 155 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, returns this week with Shawn and Rubi discussing the week's MMO news. Topics include Planetside 2's announcement at Fan Faire, Global Agenda's success with F2P, EVE Online's CSM results, and Age of Conan's Unchained update.
PlanetSide 2 mashes up MMO and FPS once again
Sony Online Entertainment's PlanetSide Next didn't make it out in the first half of the year, and it's no longer called PlanetSide Next, but it's still coming. During its Fan Faire event, SOE officially took the wraps off of PlanetSide 2, the sequel to its MMO FPS Players in one of three empires (the Terran Republic, the New Conglomerate, or the Vanue Sovereignty) will be able to customize their fighter, vehicle, and weaponry, and build up the character with "ranks, unlockable traits, and skill sets." Creative director Matt Higby talked up the "massive scale of PlanetSide battles" in the announcement. The new game is being built in SOE's new Forgelight engine, and will feature Nvidia's PhysX tech for in-game physics. Check out a new trailer above, and some new screens in our gallery, and then get right back to waiting -- SOE tellingly declined to provide a date, saying only that it's "currently in development" for PC.%Gallery-128006%
SOE Fan Faire 2011: Planetside panel and interview with Creative Director Matt Higby
Sony Online Entertainment President John Smedley and members of the Planetside 2 development team sat down with press to talk more about the highly-anticipated sequel to the original Planetside. Joining Smedley were Creative Director Matt Higby, Senior Art Director Trammell Isaac, and Executive Producer Josh Hackney. Smedley began by talking about how Planetside 2 is both an MMO and a FPS game, and that there are very few titles in that particular genre. He added that it will be a remarkable experience, and that he feels they can deliver in a way that no one else has. Read past the cut for more details.
SOE Fan Faire 2011: Community address highlights
As the lights dimmed and a certain familiar bearded dwarf took the stage, SOE's Fan Faire officially got underway. After a hearty welcome from SOE Community Manager Linda "The Brasse" Carlson, fans were treated to some highlights of what to expect from the panels and events of the coming weekend through a keynote address by SOE President John Smedley. But before all the fancy trailers and big announcements, Smedley made a personal apology to fans for the security breach this past spring. In addition, he unveiled a new tool to protect player accounts -- the Vasco Data Security key fob. He said it's an extra layer of security that will protect against hacking, and it will go live in all SOE games as of tomorrow. All Fan Faire participants get a free key fob, and there will be iPhone and Android versions on the way as well. Read on for a look at all of the highlights from the community address!
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.
SOE reveals screenshots and trailer for Planetside 2
The time has come! As we announced yesterday, the 2011 SOE Fan Faire is playing host tonight to an announcement about the highly anticipated Planetside 2. For fans of the original Planetside, and those just looking for a new entry into the sci-fi MMO world, this news is very welcome. Check out our gorgeous new gallery of screenshots, concepts, and wallpaper below, click past the cut for the brand new trailer, and keep an eye on Gamebreaker TV for more live coverage of Fan Faire. Be sure to also stay tuned to Massively tomorrow morning for complete information on Planetside 2 and what it has to offer hungry sci-fi MMO fans!%Gallery-127964%
PlanetSide 2 info coming tomorrow
Look lively PlanetSide 2 fans. Your long, dark winter is almost over and spring is coming in the form of a major new announcement on July 7th. That's tomorrow if you're counting at home, and Sony Online Entertainment has even provided a helpful countdown timer on the new PlanetSide 2 website to assist in said counting. There's also a new Facebook page with a cryptic teaser for "classified information incoming," so mark your calendars and set your alarms for 7:00 p.m. PDT tomorrow. Is SOE getting ready to drop a release date in the laps of eager sci-fi MMOFPS fans? Are there gameplay feature reveals in our immediate future? We're not sure at this point, but we are sure that tomorrow can't come fast enough.
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!
Five by five: PlanetSide Next reveals the Reaver
For a new MMO that's supposedly launching this year, we've heard precious little about the tentatively titled PlanetSide Next so far. Today, our knowledge grows by an inch as PlanetSide Universe got its hands on an exclusive picture of one of the new ships of the game, the Reaver. Like the ships in other screenshots we've seen, this is a model and not necessarily representative of the actual vehicle in-game. Still, it definitely looks like it means business, and evokes the image of modern attack helicopters minus the rotor blades. SOE's John Smedley has talked up this MMO sequel as having "massive battles on a scale no other FPS will touch." The studio is looking at late Q1/early Q2 2011 for a release window for the game. The first beta testers will be current PlanetSide players, so if you want to get a look at the future, it may behoove you to jump on board the present. %Gallery-115730%
Smedley tweets PlanetSide Galaxy transport image
Oh John Smedley, you coy devil! The enterprising Sony Online Entertainment bossman has dropped another PlanetSide Next tease bomb on the frothing faithful, this time in the form of a new concept model from the upcoming massively multiplayer shooter. Fans of the original PlanetSide will no doubt remember the Galaxy heavy troop transport, and an updated version of the model is now viewable along with the previously released image of what appears to be a New Conglomerate tank. The Galaxy ship was a gargantuan heavy hauler, capable of stuffing nine infantry and two MAX (Mechanized Armored Exo-Suit) units into its ample cargo hold. Fan website PlanetSide Universe notes that this is a preliminary model and not an in-game asset, and the site also managed to get a tiny bit of additional info from Smedley regarding the reveal. "The Galaxy plays an even more pivotal role in the new game," he told the website, while his Twitter announcement is a decidedly more cryptic "I love me some Galaxy!" [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
SOE's Smedley says MMO copycats incoming, drops hints on PlanetSide Next release
Big things are happening at SOE these days, and whether you're talking about the newly minted DC Universe Online or the company's PlanetSide followup and spy-centric The Agency, it's an exciting time to be a fan. Eurogamer brings us a bit of info regarding potential release windows for both PlanetSide Next and The Agency, and the former looks to be gracing our desktops much sooner than we expected given the general lack of information to date. "We're looking at late first quarter, early second quarter [2011]," says SOE head honcho John Smedley in regard to the long-awaited PlanetSide sequel. Players will have to wait a bit longer to get their espionage fix, as The Agency is still slated to arrive "late this year." Why so long? It boils down to SOE's desire to differentiate itself from the competition. "There's some stuff coming out in the next two or three months, MMO-wise, and a lot of it is generic copycats of other games," Smedley tells Eurogamer. He also talks a bit about the impending arrival of Free Realms on the Playstation 3, intimating that the free-to-play title will spread its console wings in early February.
