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SOE Live 2012: PlanetSide 2 launching November 20th, 2012
Already alerted to the fact that tonight would be the night, PlanetSide 2 fans have been waiting with bated breath for the official launch date announcement at SOE Live. And now, the magic words have been uttered: PS2 will go live on November 20th, 2012. The beta, which began in July, is held up by devs as a real and honest beta in which systems are tested, rather than a soft launch. But some players wondered whether it'd be finished in time. During a press conference before the announcement, Creative Director Matt Higby addressed this concern by reminding players that an MMO will never be "finished" as in completed or done. As he put it, the game is "not finished because it's finished; it's finished when it's at a level [SOE] think[s] it should be." He further outlined the state of beta now, saying that the development team has turned the corner, moving from just implementing mechanics that were planned to reacting to beta players' feedback to improve and adjust the game. He emphasized, "Now we know what works better and what doesn't." Stay tuned as Massively brings you more details about PS2's beta, launch, and upcoming plans. What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, at least where SOE Live is concerned! Massively sent intrepid reporters MJ Guthrie and Karen Bryan to this year's SOE Live, from which they'll be transmitting all the best fan news on PlanetSide 2, EverQuest II, DC Universe Online, and the other MMOs on SOE's world-class roster.
PlanetSide 2 release date to be announced this Thursday
Sci-fi MMOFPS PlanetSide 2 has impressed beta testers with the sheer scale of the game's warzones and its rewarding cooperative gameplay, but there are still a few problems to iron out before launch. In this week's State of the Game development update, SOE announced the main areas developers are currently working on and promised to give the game a final release date this week. The release date announcement is scheduled during the SOE Live keynote at 10 p.m. EDT (7 p.m. PDT) on Thursday, October 18th. SOE has promised to have PlanetSide 2 out in 2012, and that leaves some fans skeptical as to whether the beta is far enough along to be released in the next few months. Developers are pressing ahead with plans to fix the performance issues some players are having, and the studio aims to release with a complex metagame involving three continents. Remaining development time will be spent on issues ranging from weapon balance to a tutorial that gets players into the action as quickly as possible.
SOE's Smedley responds to ProSiebenSat.1 concerns
Earlier in the year when Sony Online Entertainment announced the move of European EverQuest II player accounts to ProSiebenSat.1, many players voiced concerns. Since then, the deal changed to include more games and then was delayed for EverQuest II. Today, SOE President John Smedley took to Twitter to explain that the company was listening to and addressing fans' concerns. He stated: "We've found a way to let existing players of our current games that are migrating over to Prosieben (EQ, EQ II, Planetside 2) keep their SOE accounts and stay with SOE. Down the road we may offer an option to move over to Prosieben. Just to be clear after these games launch on Prosieben's service new accounts will be created on their sites. However all US and EU players can still play together no matter which service they are on." He continued by emphasizing that the partnership with ProSiebenSat.1 is still on, and that he feels that the company will provide better customer service and payment options to the EU community.
DUST 514 claims five-year roadmap with expansions
DUST 514 Executive Producer Jonathan Lander is in it for the long haul, as is his team. Lander said that CCP has a five-year roadmap for the upcoming console MMOFPS that includes expansions and enough "crazy ideas" to last for 20 years. "The whole way that we're doing our development process is so that we can push out expansions on a regular basis," Lander said. "We're not going to ship a unit and then in six months it's off the shelves and people have stopped playing it." Lander said the team's been working closely with Sony to overcome technical challenges and make sure that it's as stable and accessible as its EVE Online counterpart. DUST 514 is currently exclusive to Sony's PlayStation 3. Of course, the big unknown is what will happen to that exclusivity if DUST 514 outlives the console's lifespan.
PlanetSide 2 Command Center brings a beta update and spotlight on Heavy Assaulters
Creative Director Matthew Higby and Senior Art Director Tramell Isaac are back with the sixth episode of PlanetSide 2 Command Center, everyone's favorite show about the adventures of a wacky MMO. On tap for this episode is an update on the beta, the reveal of Esamir, a video featuring the Heavy Assault class, some fan movies, an interview with a concept artist, news about SOE Live, and... fan spam. Higby says that the team just did a full wipe in the beta due to the sheer amount of changes and improvements that SOE made. He also said that the population cap has been increased for this next step. Isaac invites SOE Live attendees to participate in the $10,000 PlanetSide 2 tournament. While online registrations for it are closed, players can sign up in person at the event. Check out episode six after the break!
SOE shows off new PlanetSide 2 Esamir video
Yesterday we took you on a textual tour of PlanetSide 2's new Esamir continent. Today Sony Online Entertainment has released a new video so that you can actually see it for yourself. Beginning this weekend, the new landmass will be accessible to everyone via the game's external beta. SOE says that Esamir "shield generators won't be disabled as easily, so expect to run an overload process to secure victory." There are also new vehicle and weapon certifications available, as well as new empire-specific sidegrades. Check out the clip after the cut to get up to speed. [Source: SOE press release]
PlanetSide 2 revises membership benefits
As players get ready to start blasting away for control of the landscape in PlanetSide 2, the question becomes whether you want to be a subscriber or just an occasional visitor. Players weren't entirely happy with the original list of membership benefits put forth a couple of weeks back, so the team behind the game has put together a revised list explaining what players will get for the price of a monthly subscription fee. Increased resource pool caps have been removed from subscriber benefits, as it was felt by the team that this could potentially give subscribers an unfair advantage in the long run. The increases to resource gain, XP gain, and cert point gain have also been revised; these benefits start at 25% and increase by 5% for each consecutive month, capping out at a 50% increase after six months. Priority login access and early access to microtransaction items remain unchanged. Players looking for a more thorough explanation can view Matt Higby's post on the revised subscriber benefits.
PlanetSide2 Command Center video highlights Engineer class, new livestream, and more
In the fifth episode of Command Center, PlanetSide 2 devs Tramell Isaac (Senior Art Director) and Matt Higby (Creative Director) discuss various aspects of the upcoming MMOFPS. At over 22 minutes, the video is full of information, including a beta update, a report on PAX 2012, information and a video on the Engineer, and a preview of SOE Live. They also highlighted fan-made movies and fan art. Maggie Krohn, game designer, also joined the show to explain the new weekly livestream special, Friday Night Ops, that will have interviews, community spotlights, and more every Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. PS2 is currently in closed beta. Players who want to get in and test can obtain guaranteed access by purchasing the Alpha Squad package for $39.99 USD, which also comes with 40 bucks worth of Station Cash, a six-month XP boost, a buddy key, and more.
Sony plans to support PS3 through 2015 at least
Sony isn't abandoning the PS3 any time soon, PlayStation VP of hardware marketing John Koller tells Gamespot."We are increasingly bullish on the PS3's prospects not only this year but over the next few years," Koller says. "A lot of great content is coming. And over the next two to three years, the PS3 has got an incredible lineup."As long as developer interest exists for the PS3, Sony will continue to support it, similar to the PS2, which launched in 2000 and still scoops up a few games each year."We're going to continue supporting the PS3 for the next few years. Absolutely. And we're going to continue supporting it not only that long, but as long as there is a development spigot that's running hot," Koller says. "Same thing with PS2... it's kind of stuck around as that old warrior, many years after its launch. But there's still games launching for it."Sony is launching a super-slim version of the PS3, the console's third design since it hit shelves in 2006. A new, 250GB PS3 runs $270, while the 500GB is $300 – both of these will have to compete with the Xbox 360, which has a $200 option, and the Wii U, Nintendo's new console that starts at $300.Koller stands by the price of the PS3 redesign, citing the $270 version's full-time bundle package. Consumers want "value," and the new PS3 offers "a $70 consumer value when you get Uncharted 3 Game of the Year... and Dust 514 with $30 extra DLC coming in," Koller says.
PlanetSide 2's Higby talks member benefits, pay-to-win
PlanetSide 2 creative director Matt Higby took to the official forums recently to address concerns about potential pay-to-win aspects of the title's monetization scheme. "As much as I want to give you the definitive answer that PlanetSide 2 is not pay-to-win, it turns out it's actually a fairly personal question and people define what exactly pay-to-win is in their own way," Higby wrote. He also went into details about the nature of the cash shop, saying that PS2 will not restrict characters from any type of gameplay based on paying money. "No weapon, vehicle, attachment, continent, class, or certification is unavailable to you as a free player. Everything and anything that can affect gameplay is available to unlock through gameplay." Higby also spent some time discussing what SOE will sell (cosmetics and advancement-related convenience booster items) as well as the state of the game's membership benefits. Currently SOE plans on members receiving offline certification points, 50% XP and resource boosts, increased resource pool caps, and priority login preference.
SOE announces Live tournaments, schedule
Sony Online Entertainment is gearing up for its annual Fan Faire SOE Live event in Las Vegas. The shindig starts on October 18th, and this year's edition features a load of tournament-style get-togethers as well as over $30,000 in prizes. Scavenger hunts, boot camps, PvP battles, live quests, and the renowned costume contest are all part of the fun. Most of SOE's game roster will be represented, so whether you're an EverQuest die-hard, a DC Universe Online or Free Realms fan, or you're curious about PlanetSide 2 or Vanguard, you'll want to keep your eyes on Massively for all the latest convention coverage as it happens.
SOE working on two additional PlanetSide 2 continents
Those of you enjoying er, testing the PlanetSide 2 beta have thus far been confined to a single continent. That's about to change, as Sony Online Entertainment is getting ready to Galaxy-drop a new landmass into the thick of the game's closed testing phase. CEO John Smedley took to the official forums earlier this week to provide some details. Not only is SOE working on a second continent (Esamir), but it's got a third one waiting in the wings. We are working hard on Esamir. It's getting closer and closer to a finished state where we want you guys to play on it. It's pretty awesome and very different gameplay-wise than Indar. After that, Amerish will go back to being worked on. These continents are taking longer than we expected and it's possible we end up launching with two and delivering the third shortly after launch. We're working super hard but we have some resource bottlenecks. We also are going to see how the game plays with two continents before making any final decisions, so please do us a favor and don't judge any of this before you play the game with two. Further updates, including performance, gunplay, and spawning tweaks, are all viewable on the official PS2 boards.
PlanetSide 2's Alpha Squad offering beta access, in-game goods
So PlanetSide 2 is a thing. A pretty large, persistent open-world MMOFPS thing with plenty of interesting places to explore and plenty of interesting players to meet kill. Sony Online Entertainment has put together a pre-launch promotional package called Alpha Squad that will grant you instant beta access, a founder's title, and in-game exclusives (including XP boosts and guns, lots of guns). The pack will set you back $39.99, but it also comes with 4,000 Station Cash to use in SOE's item shop. Your account will be flagged for beta access immediately upon purchase, so if you absolutely can't wait to tour Auraxis, Alpha Squad is your best bet.
Final Fantasy Ultimate Box goes from PSOne to PS3: All 13 games for $450
To mark 25 years of dungeon crawling (and soft-resetting), Square-Enix has packaged together all of its core Final Fantasy titles for this elaborate fan-baiting package. Alongside discs for Final Fantasies I through XIII, the games-maker has packaged a numbered presentation plaque -- replete with new artwork from renowned character artist Yoshitaka Amano -- alongside a two-disc soundtrack and commemorative DVD. The price of a limited-edition slice of Final Fantasy heritage? A total of 35,000 gil yen, (around $450) will net you the compilation, which lands on December 18th. Japan residents can hit the source for preorder details, while global enthusiasts can read up on the full title (and format) breakdown -- there's no news of an international release just yet.
PAX Prime 2012: Hands-on with PlanetSide 2
Sony Online Entertainment's PlanetSide 2 is still in the process of development and beta testing, but the team brought the game to PAX for its North American tradeshow debut. If you really want to know what it's like, you can always sign up for the beta yourself. Otherwise, you can skip below this cut to hear about our hands-on time with the game on the show floor.
PlanetSide 2 lifts beta NDA, heads to PAX
We're another step closer to getting our combat boots on the ground and our itchy fingers on those triggers, as SOE has made the move to drop PlanetSide 2's non-disclosure agreement. This NDA drop follows a month of external beta testing and just prior to SOE's debut of the game at a North American show (in this case, PAX Prime). SOE President John Smedley reminded fans that this didn't mean the title was ready to ship. "Beta has a long way to go folks," he posted on Twitter. SOE released plenty of fun statistics about the beta process so far. According to the studio, 535 million shots have been fired, and out of those, 194.6 million hit a target. 6.3 million players were mowed down in the bloody conflict as well. The breakdown of the three factions is more or less even, with the Terran Republic edging out the other two sides by a couple of percentage points. If you're heading to PAX this weekend, you can see PlanetSide 2 at booth #3317. The team has plenty of demo stations on hand, and is planning to participate in several panels and daily livestream casts. [Source: SOE press release]
First impressions of PlanetSide 2 through the eyes of an FPS noob
Rather than give anyone the wrong impression, let me begin by saying that first-person shooters are far from being my thing. I don't pant in anticipation for the latest Battlefield or Modern Warfare game. I do, however, like my share of third-person shooters. Global Agenda and the Mass Effect series come to mind immediately. So what in the world would make someone like me interested in Sony Online Entertainment's latest craze, PlanetSide 2? RPGs are my thing, and I have always had respect for SOE as a developer. Despite some obvious mistakes the company's made when under the umbrella of large intellectual properties like DC Comics and Star Wars, SOE has handled its own IPs very well. It was also one of the first Western AAA studios to step into the world of free-to-play (with Free Realms, which continues to perform well). And now PlanetSide 2 proclaims that online FPS titles can not only provide exciting vehicle combat but do so in a persistent world. So when SOE invited Massively to join Game Designer Margaret Krohn on a guided tour of PlanetSide 2, I thought, "Why not? At least I'll get to shoot some people in the face."
How Jace Hall ruined the latest PlanetSide 2 trailer
Some guys have all the luck. While at the Sony Online Entertainment office, the video-game-focused internet reality series The Jace Hall Show was tasked with creating a trailer for the upcoming MMOFPS PlanetSide 2. SOE President John Smedley himself requested a Saving Private Ryan-esque feel for a serious portrayal of the epic battle players will experience. The result, however, was not quite what was expected. Check out the final product (including Matt Higby's impressive acting debut) in the humorous video after the cut. The PS2 trailer adventure begins at the 2:20 mark. [Source: SOE press release]
The Daily Grind: Do you use MMORPG mobile apps?
So PlanetSide 2 has a pretty spiffy looking mobile app on the horizon. Assuming the developers make an Android version, I'll definitely check it out thanks to the slick-sounding map updates and the nifty stat-tracking functionality. I'll probably also enjoy a superfluous geek moment or two by opening the app on my tablet and my phone while sitting in front of my command center display PC monitor. That said, I'm not a fan of the small screens and crappy controls that go along with mobile gaming, so PS2's mobile app is something I'll rarely use after the novelty has worn off. What about you, morning folk? Do you use the mobile apps tied to your favorite MMORPG, or are you content to wait until you're in front of your computer to check in with the game? 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!
PlanetSide 2 mobile app to feature 'near real-time' map updates, voice chat
We first heard tell of PlanetSide 2's extensive metagame features at the title's big GDC reveal earlier this year. Skills, achievements, stats, and performance graphs are all part of the equation, as are external fansite-friendly data feeds and a mobile app. As it turns out, said mobile app is being developed by a company called AppBurst. Eagle-eyed users on the PlanetSide Universe forums spotted some details on the company's website that include the aforementioned stats as well as "near real-time" interactive map updates and voice chat. The app's website shows screenshots only for iOS devices, but AppBurst bills itself as an Android developer as well.
