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EverQuest II makes new vampire race available for purchase
With all the holiday hype surrounding new MMOs, it's easy to overlook veteran titles like EverQuest II. SOE is doing its part to make sure that you don't, and one of the ways the team is keeping the six-year old title in the public eye is the introduction of the new Freeblood character race. The blood-sucking avatars are available for purchase from the Station marketplace, or if you have a little patience, as part of your subscription fee via the winter rewards program coming in February. Regardless of when you choose to roll your vampire, you'll get a bunch of new abilities, new unarmed combat animations, and access to Freeblood-only accessories like new housing and a speed-boosting bat shapeshift ability. These accessories aren't obtainable in-game and can only be purchased with Station Cash on a Freeblood-enabled account.
Updated: On the eighth day of giveaways, SOE gave to me...
[UPDATE: All winners have been selected and contacted. Congratulations!] On the eighth day of giveaways, SOE gave to me... eight Station Cash cards! On the seventh day of giveaways, Kingsisle gave to me... seven Epic Cards! On the sixth day of giveaways, Nexon gave to me... six Vindictus packs! On the fifth day of giveaways, Mythic gave to me... five upgrade codes! On the fourth day of giveaways, ChangYou gave to me... four welcome gifts! On the third day of giveaways, Icarus gave to me... three months of gameplay! On the second day of giveaways, Hi-Rez gave to me... two gift packages! On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP! Today's giveaway is a little different -- read on! First, Sony Online Entertainment has treated us to eight Free Realms Station Cash cards, each worth 1,000 SC. Free Realms is right in the middle of the Snow Days celebration, and there are plenty of wintry treats to spend these extra Station Cash on! Second, the team has added some bonus items to make up a gift bundle for you to keep for yourself or pass to friends for the holidays: download vouchers for PSN games Crescent Pale Mist, Qlione Evolve, and Swords & Soldiers. Finally, SOE has given us eight mystery gifts. It wouldn't be the holidays without some surprises and anticipation, would it? Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. EDT, you'll want to be watching our Twitter feed very closely -- we'll be handing out the bonus gifts from SOE on Twitter! For now, enter for this portion of the giveaway by leaving a comment! We'll draw eight winners at random Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. EST, so check out our contest rules and best of luck!
The Tattered Notebook: An Appeal for PLEX
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum. There I was, sporting my Santa Glugg hat and all set to merrily report on all the Frostfell news, when the following two questions were posted on the official EverQuest II forums: Am I going to get banned for trading platinum in exchange for Station Cash items, and can we get platinum on the marketplace? Surprisingly, Senior Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson replied to both. Read on to see what he said and why I think it's time for EverQuest II to follow EVE Online's lead and add purchasable, tradable game time or PLEX.
Trading platinum for Station Cash items OK with EQII's Georgeson
EQ2Wire has an interesting tidbit regarding the exchange of platinum (EverQuest II's in-game currency) and items purchased with SOE's Station Cash. With players now able to gift Station Cash items, EQII vets wondered aloud on the game's official boards if trading some of their surplus plat for SC paraphernalia would lead to a ban. Surprisingly, EQII producer Dave "Smokejumper" Georgeson took a laissez faire approach to the discussion, in effect saying that players are welcome to the trades provided they're not facilitated by any third parties. "We really don't want to put a hard value on platinum to SC conversion rates, so we would probably only step in on this if we thought it was going to cause us legal headaches in the future. So...if kept on the low-down, it'll never cause problems. But if someone put up a website selling items officially with posted conversion rates, I have a feeling that legal might want to step in and stop it to avoid issues. Make sense? Keep it person-to-person and I don't think this will ever be an issue," he wrote. In addition to the exchange discussion, EQ2Wire's Feldon chimes in with a brief analysis of the game's economy and inflation troubles that's worth a read if you're thinking of heading back to the world of Norrath.
The Tattered Notebook: Gifting -- 'tis the season?
"Mom! Stop driving through the pink lights! Only go through the green ones!" I glanced over at my two kids and bit my tongue. I was in the middle of speeder bike racing and was having a little trouble navigating the course. In the split second that I turned away, my bike steered off the course, ran halfway up the snowy embankment, and lodged itself in a campfire. I was already dead last, but now I had the pleasure of watching the other racers lap me, not once, but twice. I was playing Clone Wars Adventures, the latest free-to-play game from Sony Online Entertainment, and I was experiencing the full effects of the generation gap. I know, you're probably saying, "Wait a second, this is an EverQuest II column!" And you're right, but this week, I'd like to take a look at something that both Clone Wars and EverQuest II now have in common -- gifting. Read on to see why EQII players aren't necessarily viewing this latest game change as much of a gift.
SOE readies Super Fan Days promotion, Station Cash discounts
Sony Online Entertainment is having a sale and you're invited. Whether you're currently playing Free Realms, Clone Wars Adventures, EverQuest, EverQuest II, EverQuest II Extended, or PoxNora, you'll find a number of daily deals on selected items each time you log into the games between November 3rd and November 9th. Each title will also have a special one-day sale on a particular item to celebrate the Super Fan Days promotion. In addition to the item deals, SOE is offering 50% off of selected Station Cash purchases. You can pick up 2000, 2500, 5000, or 10000 Station Cash for half off the normal fee. Check the official game websites, linked above, for the latest info on the daily deals and other promotions. You can also read the official announcement on the SOE forums.
Free Realms adds land sharks and toilet pools to the store
You can laugh, but it's true. The latest edition to the Free Realms shop includes an above-ground pool that is a giant toilet. The lid even goes up and down, providing a built-in pool cover at no additional charge. There are other new store items that are just as fun and silly as the toilet-pool, such as a land-shark that's actually a groundhog with a fin tied to its back. Other items head in the direction of just plain fun. How about a surfboard or an obstacle course platform that slides back and forth once placed? Check out the Free Realms site for all the details on the new goodies, then come on in -- the water's fine! [Thanks to EAC for the tip!]
SOE offers EQII guild name changes for $55
Sony Online Entertainment has introduced a new item into their EverQuest II Station Cash Marketplace this week, and, while we're not normally in the habit of reporting on individual microtransaction products, this one bears mentioning if only for its rather shocking price tag. For the princely sum of 5500 Station Cash (that's $55 USD for those of you counting at home), you can rename your guild and retain all experience gain and guild achievements since its inception. "The choosing of a guild name is a very important rite. To help ensure that your new name is considered carefully, we are introducing the potion at the price of 5500 SC. We believe this price is fair for those who do want a name change, but will also serve as a deterrent to those who might want to frivolously rename their guild every time they have a [kerfluffle] in the lands of Norrath," reads the announcement on the official EverQuest II website. By way of comparison, kinship name changes in Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online currently cost $12.95 USD.
EverQuest introduces Destrier mounts
It's been just over a month since Sony Online Entertainment brought the Prowler mounts to EverQuest II, and they seem to have been a hit. SOE is extending a similar offer to EverQuest players with the addition of Destrier mounts. The Destriers will have the same price point -- 2500 Station Cash -- as the EverQuest II Prowlers. Players will have a choice of four mounts: the Armored Battle Shire Saddle, the Armored Royal Ardennes Saddle, the Armored Royal Shire Saddle, and the Armored Planar Ardennes Saddle. Want to see them in action? Sony Online Entertainment put together a trailer to show them off, so take a look after the jump, then visit the EverQuest site for more images.
Sony Online Entertainment introduces $25 mount [Updated]
You knew someone was going to try it. Sony Online Entertainment is making their bid for a seat on the Sparklepony bandwagon with the introduction of mounts in EverQuest II. Etheral, Sinister, and Ulteran Prowlers are now available in the Marketplace for 2500 Station Cash each, the equivalent of $25 USD. So are they worth it? Well, that is entirely a matter of opinion, but we can help you decide with a rundown of what's available. These huge felines offer a 65% run speed, and lower your maximum falling speed. You can choose a Fierce version, which will give you a +5 bonus to many physical attacks, or an Arcane version fora +5 bonus to Focus, Ordination, Disruption, Subjugation and Ministration. Each mount is bound to one character and is no trade, so don't expect to use this mount on multiple characters. They're available now, so check out the EverQuest II site for all the details. [Update: Smokejumper has posted to the EQII forums to say that the mounts will be a "heirloom" item, which means the mount is bound across the account. They are not currently flagged as such, but SOE will be correcting that with Tuesday's update.] [Update 2: Smokejumper has also gone on to say that the mounts do not have feather fall, as was stated in the online article. Thanks Conor!]
Empty lots available for decoration in Free Realms
What would you do with an empty lot that you could build almost anything on? Free Realms is interested to see what your answer might be, because they've removed the biggest impediment to building whatever you want: that big, inconvenient house in the middle. Well, to be fair, houses aren't inconvenient when you want one there, but they do sort of get in the way of a giant hedge maze, or obstacle course, or tribute to yourself in real estate form. There are two types of lot currently available, a Briarwood lot and a Snowhill lot. Each one can hold a grand total of 1,500 items, which gives players more than enough freedom to build almost anything. The one catch is that the lots do cost Station Cash, but that's the nature of the free-to-play beast. Free Realms has always had an interesting mix of elements, both sandbox-oriented and quest-oriented, and this one skews toward the side of a sandbox -- which is what you can literally build, if you so desire.
Facebook MMOgraphy: First impressions of The Agency: Covert Ops
Every two weeks, Facebook MMOgraphy brings you the latest news, guides and analysis about MMOs on Facebook and Facebook apps associated with MMOs. SOE's upcoming spy MMO The Agency has been long in the making. We've been covering it at Massively for quite some time now. Though it's not quite ready to launch yet, SOE has surprised us this week with a Facebook gaming app, The Agency: Covert Ops. Though Covert Ops is a Facebook app based on an MMO, it's not an MMO itself. There is no real time interaction with other players, for example. However it does provide light entertainment for those who enjoy the spy genre and has the same tone and feel of their upcoming MMO title. The Basics The core of the game is leveling your spy via missions. The missions follow a storyline and some of them are accomplished simply by having the correct resources needed, others require you to complete a minigame. Rewards include in-game cash, experience for your character and components to build better equipment. Every mission requires a certain amount of Cover to complete and when you run out of Cover, you need to allow it to replenish over time or buy more through a microtransaction store. Pop ups provide a tutorial to walk you through the gameplay flow and videos explain minigame play.
Free Realms and 7-11 offer up a special dino-sized bonus
Just when you thought dinosaurs couldn't really get any more awesome, the team at SOE have managed to do just that. How? By giving away a free T-Rex Free Realms ride along with the purchase of $10 Station Cash cards at 7-11! What's even better is that this special 7-11 logo colored T-Rex mount isn't restricted to just monthly-subscribing members. According to a note on their Facebook fan page, the promotion applies to members and non-members alike and runs from now until April 19th. With that said, you'll also get a special green hat for your Free Realms pet dog -- but really, dog hat vs. T-Rex mount? It's kind of a no-brainer there as to which is cooler between the two. There again, you'll have $10 worth of Station Cash to get a Free Realms dog with if you don't already have one. Alternately, you could gift your child with a cool dinosaur to ride in Free Realms, and use the Station Cash for your EverQuest, or EverQuest II account -- so long as they're all tied to the same Station account, anyway. [Via Brasse]
Free Realms adds new pegasus, horse, ponies, and more!
The Free Realms team has been crazy busy at work lately creating all manner of new things that players have been clamoring for. With the recent addition of dragon and dinosaur mounts came the call for horses for players to ride. As such, they introduced new horse mounts, but then added even more fun in the form of pegasus rides as well! The horses are available for members to pick up at 450 Station Cash each. The White-Nosed Mares are colored in fantasy-like style -- pink, purple, blue, pure white and more -- while the Stallion model features more traditional horse colors like gray, black, tan, and chestnut. Pegasus rides, on the other hand, are available at 550 Station Cash, and come in lilac, blue-black, gray, pink, sea-foam green, and white.
EverQuest: Underfoot introduces new zone, special pricing
EverQuest fans, Underfoot just got bigger and better. Sony Online Entertainment debuted the exclusive new Convorteum zone in their expansion today, offering even more new content for players. The Convorteum brings six new raids, a new mission, and multiple new quests to the game. Have you been wanting to take a look at Underfoot? Now's your chance, as all subscribers -- both current and inactive -- are being treated to a free three-day trial of the expansion until March 12th. If you decide you like it, purchase it from the Station Store for a discounted price of $34.99 until March 31st. Sony Online Entertainment is offering 500 Station Cash, a Legends of Norrath Loot Scenario and the Mark of Brell in-game item with the offer as well, so it's definitely worth it. If you've already purchased the expansion, don't worry, SOE isn't leaving you out. Just log in before March 31st to receive an exclusive Gnomework Mercenary skin of your very own!
Free Realms offers new pets and mounts
If you spent all of your Station Cash on a T-Rex mount in Free Realms last month, it may be time to refill your coffers. Sony Online Entertainment introduced some new Free Realms pets in the game yesterday, as well as some fancy new designs for the mounts. You can now add a groundhog to your pet collection as well as an owl (we're going to have to ask you not to name it Hedwig. Thanks.) The owl, of course, flies alongside you, while the groundhog burrows under the ground, popping his head up when you stop to see where you've led him. If you're more interested in mounts, you'll be happy to hear that the Spotted T-Rex and the Scaled Dragon are now part of the list of available mounts, and both are available in six different colors. These are new versions of the recently introduced T-Rex and Flying Dragon mounts introduced in February, so if you liked those and are ready for some variety, head over to the Free Realms site for all the information. [Thanks to Lizzy for the tip!]
EverQuest II hits ConnectDING goal of 15,000 fans
If you're an EverQuest II player, you should rejoice right about now! SOE's ConnectDING! program has been a success in EverQuest II, granting everyone in game a celebratory 500 station cash and the community pillow fight pillow! The last day was the decider, as the EQII community got over 1,000 more fans to sign up to the game's Facebook and Twitter pages in a single day. It looked a little iffy, especially as the community still needed 947 of those fans to sign up within 12 hours, but they made it with only a few hours to spare, clinching the victory. The station cash has already been deposited into everyone's accounts, however the community pillow has not. Look forward to the community pillow in your inbox tomorrow, after the Sentinel's Fate server downtime.
Win a copy of EverQuest II: Sentinel's Fate tonight in Massively's "Keys of Fate" event! [Closed!]
You have an EverQuest II subscription (or want to sign up for a trial?) You want to participate in a fun event, solve a few puzzles, and have a chance at winning a collector's edition key for Sentinel's Fate just in time for tomorrow's launch? Then do we have the offer for you! Tonight, starting at 8:30 PM ET (5:30 PM PT), boot up your EverQuest II to the Lucan d'Lere server and get your browsers pointed to Massively.com. We're hosting an across-the-internet scavenger hunt, finishing out with a race across Norrath to find our roving Dark Elven reporter, Seccia Ravenloft. Seccia has been equipped with not one, but two key codes that will unlock the Sentinel's Fate collector's edition in addition to 10 key codes that will unlock the standard retail version. All of these keys will let you access the Sentinel's Fate headstart, which begins tomorrow! Need all the details? We have them right after the break!
MMO Family: A parent's look at Free Realms
MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family. This week, MMO Family begins a gaming-savvy look at some of the most popular kid MMOs. You know what you like in an MMO – but what about your kids? And what if you're looking for something the whole family could play together? Today's gaming family can nibble from a whole feast of MMOs: games for grownups (we can help you fence off areas for kids who want to play what Mom and Dad do), games for the little ones, games for tweens and teens, and games for everyone to play together. When it's time to find just the right selection for the kids, we'll help you reticle over the most likely targets. First up: Free Realms from Sony Online Entertainment.
Sony Online Entertainment offers in-game loot for social networking
Sony Online Entertainment has jumped on the social networking bandwagon with a vengeance, setting up Facebook and Twitter pages for Free Realms, EverQuest, and EverQuest II. Of course, they want their player base to get involved and check these sites regularly, but they also want you playing their games. How to accomplish both goals? Simple -- offer prizes for doing both, and offer them up to everyone via a fun new program called "ConnectDING!" SOE has set some goals for followers and fans of the sites for all three games: 5,000, 10,000, and 15,000. Each time they hit one of those milestones in a game they'll "DING!" and everyone in the game in question will be able to claim a little gift. At 5,000 it will be 250 Station Cash, at 10,000 it will be 250 Station Cash plus an interactive item, and at 15,000 everyone will receive 500 Station Cash and another interactive item. Check out the official information page for all the details, and then head over to Facebook and Twitter to make your prizes arrive even faster.
