Everquest II: Age of Discovery is the eight expansion in a growing list for Everquest II, and also marks a rather substantial undertaking for Sony Online Entertainment. Yesterday, servers for both Everquest II and Everquest II Extended were brought down in preparation for a merger of the two games into one free to play service, to coincide with the release of a brand new expansion pack and a fully revitalized city of Freeport. Needless to say, the twelve hour window offered by Sony was not enough, and technical difficulties have delayed implementation well past the twenty four hour mark.
The servers won’t be up until 10am PST (estimated) or 1pm EST, but until then players can still make time by ensuring their launcher is updated and downloading the updates Sony has made available so far.
Let’s be honest, who among us did not see this service merger coming? Back when Sony announced Everquest 2 Extended, and how the game would be its own product split from Everquest 2, I questioned how long it would be before the Everquest 2 community either filtered into the service or filtered out completely, and Sony merged the two. Dave Georgeson states that this is due to Sony reviewing their other free to play games, but the factor of developing two separate versions of the same game must have had some factor.
As a result, EQ2X will be updated to bring gold subscription in line with what live players expect, losing restrictions on classes and races. Silver is being reduced to $5 from $10. Platinum, the $200 yearly membership, will be discontinued while anyone still with time left will live out the rest of their paid time without automatic renewal. In a surprising move, Georgeson revealed that power items will be removed from the cash shop. Potions, Rez scrolls, mastercrafted gear, etc, and a vote will be taken with the community as to how, or rather if, these items will be reintroduced.
This is great for people who have allowed their Everquest 2 subscriptions to lapse, but didn’t want to pay the money to transfer to Freeport and did not want to create a new character and start new. Everquest 2 changes to free to play in early December.
Now I know what you other MMO’ers are thinking right now: World of Warcraft got a mount that generated like a billion dollars for them. Why is it that WoW can pay $25 for a mount, and I can’t?
Well those of you who do not play Everquest 2, you’re out of luck (at least for now). Those who do play Everquest 2, however, can purchase Etheral, Sinister, and Ulteran Prowlers. What does each mount do, you ask? Aside from +65% run speed, each one comes in two version: Fierce and Arcane, each differs as follows:
Sony promises that these mounts will be available at least one month, so our paranoid mount-grabbers should act quickly, assuming this turns out to be a hint that the mounts will not be around forever.
This is one of those times I must issue an apology: Saturday, May 8th, I issued an article (partly in sarcasm) that Alganon’s press releases may be clones of The Old Republic, owing to the following similarities in notation:
But, there is just slight similarity between the following press release on the Alganon website from April:
“Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression,” Derek Smart continued. “In Alganon, in addition to these we’ve added the fourth pillar to the equation; a story. We delivered a fun, immersive adventure that gamers expect in a top quality massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, we’re not done yet. A whole new adventure with new updates will follow soon, starting with a consignment house, new classes, PvP and much more.”
“Traditionally, massively multiplayer online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder and General Manager/CEO of BioWare and General Manager/Vice President of Electronic Arts Inc., “In Star Wars: The Old Republic, we’re fusing BioWare’s heritage of critically-acclaimed storytelling with the amazing pedigree of Lucasfilm and LucasArts, and adding a brand-new fourth pillar to the equation – story. At the same time, we will still deliver all the fun features and activities that fans have come to expect in a AAA massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, Star Wars: The Old Republic is set in a very exciting, dynamic period in the Star Wars universe.”
Due to unconfirmed reports, I was unable to fully verify that the message did indeed originate from Bioware, and for that I must issue a correction. As Derek Smart dutifully noted, the press release did not copy Bioware from 2008, but John Smedley from 2004.
“Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay elements – combat, exploration and character progression. In Everquest 2, we’ve added a fourth element to the equation; a story“
So again, please accept my apologies for noting that the speech was two years old, when I should have noted it as six years old.
On the next episode of Feeding the Alganon Trolls, we answer all of your ambiguous, inflammatory questions: I don my miners hat and hazard suit and descend into the furthest depths of hell to locate Derek Smart’s home town.
This is one of those times I must issue an apology: Saturday, May 8th, I issued an article (partly in sarcasm) that Alganon’s press releases may be clones of The Old Republic, owing to the following similarities in notation:
But, there is just slight similarity between the following press release on the Alganon website from April:
“Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression,” Derek Smart continued. “In Alganon, in addition to these we’ve added the fourth pillar to the equation; a story. We delivered a fun, immersive adventure that gamers expect in a top quality massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, we’re not done yet. A whole new adventure with new updates will follow soon, starting with a consignment house, new classes, PvP and much more.”
“Traditionally, massively multiplayer online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder and General Manager/CEO of BioWare and General Manager/Vice President of Electronic Arts Inc., “In Star Wars: The Old Republic, we’re fusing BioWare’s heritage of critically-acclaimed storytelling with the amazing pedigree of Lucasfilm and LucasArts, and adding a brand-new fourth pillar to the equation – story. At the same time, we will still deliver all the fun features and activities that fans have come to expect in a AAA massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, Star Wars: The Old Republic is set in a very exciting, dynamic period in the Star Wars universe.”
Due to unconfirmed reports, I was unable to fully verify that the message did indeed originate from Bioware, and for that I must issue a correction. As Derek Smart dutifully noted, the press release did not copy Bioware from 2008, but John Smedley from 2004.
“Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay elements – combat, exploration and character progression. In Everquest 2, we’ve added a fourth element to the equation; a story“
So again, please accept my apologies for noting that the speech was two years old, when I should have noted it as six years old.
On the next episode of Feeding the Alganon Trolls, we answer all of your ambiguous, inflammatory questions: I don my miners hat and hazard suit and descend into the furthest depths of hell to locate Derek Smart’s home town.
Here at MMO Fallout, a game doesn’t have to be doing great, or doing poorly in order to make the news. In fact, you’ll frequently find that most of my articles tend to cover MMOs in the lower indie section (Mortal Online, Cryptic Studios, Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment, CCP, and Fallen Earth LLC), for a reason I can only explain is that they take more chances and have larger turn of events, whereas bigger titles are more like an all-terrain SUV: The hydraulics cover for the twists, and the high class cushioned seats make the bumps practically unnoticeable. In fact, World of Warcraft, for the most popular MMO ever, really only appears when the story turns to the issue in China.
As I’ve said before, I am not particularly fond of giving bad news when it comes to MMOs, and I don’t get my jollies by announcing games or companies shutting down, so I always enjoy giving good news. This time, Everquest 2! Senior Producer Alan Crosby (no relation) posted on the Everquest 2 forums to announce big events in store for the game’s future. Due to players returning for the battlegrounds, the servers have been taking quite a beating. Crosby would like players to rest assured that the team is working to boost server stability.
Among the upcoming outlined changes are the oft-delayed shader 3.0 system, a revamped Halas zone, a more streamlined travel system, a storyteller system, a revamped UI, and of course new content (quests, dungeons, etc). To top it off, Crosby announced that the team is looking into alternative rule servers, and you know what new servers means…
“If we’re not adding servers, we’re not doing well.”
-Mark Jacobs, former Mythic VP
Thank you Mark Jacobs. The team is throwing up several ideas, including permadeath (oh my) and alternative PvP rules.
Always good to hear from an MMO that doesn’t make the news that often, considering it is part of the behemoth that is Sony Online Entertainment. More news on Everquest 2 as it appears.
There isn’t much more of a vestigial appendage on the server list for your favorite MMO than seeing “RP” as the label. Back when I first started playing World of Warcraft, the role playing servers were populated with a number of hardcore guilds, granted guilds that would quickly try to get you booted off of the server if you didn’t chat using the correct out-of-context code, but hardcore guilds nonetheless. Over time, it became apparent that those guilds were moving out, and players who really had no interest in role playing were coming in, to occasionally add a ‘th to the end of their words, and doth speak’th like yon medieval men, prithee, despite World of Warcraft not being set in Earth’s Middle Ages.
As a hardcore role player sans rear-implanted-stick, I had to come to the sad reality that my kind is scarce, despite half of the MMO name being Role Playing Game, the in-character role playing was something I would have to search wide and far in order to find an active guild that actually actively participated in role playing (rather than “You role play a tank, I’ll role play support, we’ll pretend…that dragon killed your family and we’re gonna take its loot.”). That’s why I’m drawn to sandbox games like Mortal Online. Considering the title is still in beta, there is a lot more to do in the spiritual sense of thinking, rather than physically quantifying. Yesterday I played cleanup, making sure that the loot from dead criminals was safely tucked away in my bank. Today, on the other hand, I actively hunted down miners who had left their keyboards with a macro set up to play for them (Don’t worry, I check for activity before I attack). More often than not, I play a crafter of some sort.
The latest information from Everquest II was just what I needed to remind me that it wasn’t just writing with my left-handed that made me a minority of sorts, with the finding that only 5% of the game’s population are hardcore role players. Among the 40 page report was other information, including that role players play less hours, are slightly younger, and have a higher percentage of female players.
I am the player who uses the biography section of the character creator, even though it has no physical impact on gameplay. I’ve spent quite a bit of time creating a backstory for not just my superhero, but my nemesis in Champions Online, as well as any other MMO I’ve played in recent years. I don’t consider myself better than those who don’t roleplay, and I am certainly not under the understanding that I am enjoying more of the game than they are. In fact, there are several cases I can mention where I end up limiting myself:
In the case of Champions Online, I ended up passing over several powers that, while powerful, did not conceivably fit my character. My hero is a telekinesis power set, so giving him guns or robot minions wouldn’t fit. Equally with Mortal Online, where my end goal is to be a well known armor-crafter, I will have to give up my combat skills to specialize in the various crafting techniques.
Or maybe I’m just being pessimistic. Are there any other role players out there that are in the same boat?
Today is the day we look at January and say “See you next year!” Yes it can only be February, and February can only mean another Everquest expansion is releasing.
February starts off with two titles releasing: Global Agenda and Star Trek Online, on the first and second respectively. An important thing to remember about Global Agenda is that the game does have a single player and multiplayer free component, and that the persistent world AvA is the only portion that requires a subscription. Whether this subscription will maintain or go the way of Cities XL and Crimecraft is yet to be seen.
Star Trek Online, on the other hand, will be seeking the approval of Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike. Considering its place at the top of Steam’s sales list for the past few weeks, if Cryptic can keep the retention rate high, they will have a highly successful title on their hands. As for the myriad of preorder exclusives, we can only hope they will be available at some point on the Cryptic store.
This month also brings us some interesting news from Star Vault and the oft-delayed and much trolled Mortal Online. This month, today in fact, Mortal Online will be going into an open beta phase, where everyone can join! Although relegated to their own open beta server, that may or may not be capped, alongside a 5 euro discount in the box copy, anyone can join in for free and start playing. And by playing, of course, I mean jumping on the forums to textually assault those who paid for beta access by preorder. Mortal Online will stay in open beta until the game goes gold, when it will start charging the monthly fee and you will be required to own the game.
There’s no time for that, Omali, you say! Everquest 2 has a new expansion coming out this month! Sentinel’s Fate brings with it your normal expansion goody bag. New zones, new dungeons, a higher level cap (90), new loot, new weapons and armor, and new quests. Four hundred quests to be exact, and thousands of new items.
As for MMO Fallout, I decided to prune a couple of categories from the Live list due to clutter and inconsistency of updates. The Anarchy Online, Tibia, and Ragnarok Online categories have been deleted. Hopefully the Live category will be that much less cluttered.
Surely this can’t be all that is happening in February, you say. Of course not, but if I told you everything now, what reason would you have to keep coming back until next month? I see your trickery, internet, and I will not fall for it. Not after all of those lost buffs.
The typical MMO Expansion rules include new zones, occasionally a new class or two, perhaps a new race, and increasing the level cap. Of course, this eventually presents the problem that once you raise the level cap several times, it becomes a very long process for newer players to jump into the game and knock their way up to end-game, compared to those who had been in the game long enough to level with it.
So naturally, every now and then you have to increase the speed that players level. World of Warcraft did this by increasing the experience gained by quests in some levels and reducing the experience needed in other levels. Everquest 2 started with a level 50 cap, and now features a level cap of 80.
In response, Sony is releasing a patch to make the leveling smoother. Levels 1 to 65 have not been made shorter, but the experience has been mixed around to make the process much smoother. Levels 65 to 75 require less experience, and quests in this range will give more experience to adventurers. This is a good move, especially considering that several times during Everquest 2, there were levels that required more experience than further levels, an issue that will be fixed with this patch.
More on Everquest 2 and its leveling process as it appears. Sentinel’s Fate hits next month.
Everquest 2’s latest expansion, Sentinel’s Fate, is right around the corner. Being set in February, the expansion pack is right in the middle of a myriad of holiday events: Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Martin Luther King Junior Day, the whole kibosh. Yes, I said Martin Luther King Jr. Day. On the other side, Everquest players are currently throwing their way through the new zones brought in by Underfoot, the latest expansion.
In order to commemorate the weekend leading up to Monday’s day of celebration of civil rights and those who helped expand them, players will be encased in a magical experience increase that will gift them a bonus 50% of experience throughout the weekend. The bonus has already begun as of thsi writing, and will last until Tuesday, approximately 1pm eastern.
I think that ol’ MLK would be proud to see nerds of all race, creed, and archetype, be they human, elf, dwarf, or even halfling, come together under his name to slay the dragons of Norrath while /pizza’ing until their bellies are nice and full.
More on the not-so-mainstream and questionably exploitative Martin Luther King Junior MMO events as they appear.
MMO Fallout 