Wildwood Demolition Derby Day !!

Pex has announced today Aug 7th from 2pm - 4pm PST (5pm - 7pm EST) that in Wildwood Speedway they will be holding a community Demo Derby on All Servers. This seems fun and maybe players can even demolish some members of the Free Realms Dev/Community Team. Sounds fun !! See you there...Look for Larrz Fackler :)



Today is a great day to crash some karts! Head to the Wildwood Speedway and get ready to do some damage.
Today, August 7th, 2009, from 2pm to 4pm Pacific time, the Community Team challenges everyone to some crazy demolition derby action. It’s a great time to crash into friends and damage the karts of competitors. If you’re lucky, you might even get to topple a member of the Free Realms team!

To get into the fun, head to the Wildwood Speedway. It’s just south of Crossroads.



If you haven’t learned how to drive (or crash) a kart, just speak to Mad Jack. He’ll get you set up with the equipment and training you need to be a demolition derby driver. Once you’re ready to go click on the demo derby icon at the turnstiles and choose the “Demo Derby Lobby”. You can start your own race or join someone else’s. Look for races hosted by Ambassador Pex!



Where: Wildwood Speedway - Demolition Derby Track
Date: Friday August 7 th, 2009
Time: 2pm – 4pm Pacific time
Servers: All

The plan is destruction. The goal is to have fun!

Thanks you for viewing my Blog, and check back daily for updates on Free Realms and Everquest.

Free Realms Game Update

Pex announced a game update last night with some minor changes. Mostly to subscription based palyers.

Members Only - Quests and In World Minigames

TCG :
If you've reunited the cardie crew, Sam Potts has a new challenge for you!
Seaside :
Slinky thinks he's got a cute for the hiccups. Want to help him test it out?
If you can catch him, Wernald needs help by his house.
Durango Zoo :
Zannia Sugarzing is offering a sweet reward for anyone willing to help her out.
Snowhill :
Jonathon Forkpath is looking for the next hero to take up his place as "Protector of Snowhill"
Wugachug :
Wootmoot is looking for those with musical talent for additional help! (Special Members Only quest at the end of the quest line.)
General :
Miscellaneous bug fixes and improvements.

Personally, I'd like to know what the miscellaneous bug fixes and improvements are. What is it they are tweaking? Does it effect game play? Anyways, this is the update for today. On a side note, I think they should give more rewards for the card game when we beat the quests. Throw up like 10 cards and let the player choose 2 or 3 of them. This does 2 things...it allows players to build their own deck faster to immerse them more in the CCG and it makes it so everyone will not have the same rewards, thus the same exact deck. People will still purchase virtual packs, but for those of us who don't it allows us to get more into the CCG with building our own custom deck.





Thanks you for viewing my Blog, and check back daily for updates on Free Realms and Everquest.

Free Realms TCG Updates

The Free Realms CCG is being now sold at a variety of different retail stores. Target, Blockbuster, Best Buy, Rite Aid, Toys-R-Us, and 7-Eleven.



TCG - "Target Exclusive" Special Value Pack - $1.99.
It includes 3 game cards, 1 virtual reward card, 50 Station Cash, and a $2 coupon for the Starter Pack.

You can purchase the Value Pack first, remove the $2.00 coupon, and buy the Starter Deck for $7.99 ($9.99 - $2.00 coupon)

TCG - Passport to Free Realms Starter Pack - $9.99.
Includes 40 game cards, starter guide with playmat, 1 month free membership, exclusive virtual black lab dog, exclusive virtual card player t-shirt, 3 jumbo health potions, and a raceway speed boost.

So for a total of $9.98 you get the 2 purchases.
Target Exclusive Pack and the Starter Deck.
43 game cards, 1 virtual reward card, 50 station cash, 1 month Free membership, exclusive virtual black lap dog, exclusive in game virtual card for a T-Shirt, 3 Jumbo health Potions, and the raceway speed boost.

Not too shabby.

Also they are selling starter these other items…
Starter Card - $0.99
"New Accounts Only" - includes 30 day membership, 250 Station Cash, and 1 magical potion.
1000 Station Cash Card - $10.00
Includes an exclusive red pirate hat for your in-game dog.

The Free month is only for new accounts...NEW Accounts only.
Othewise, I would go buy 12 of them for .99 ea. and keep using it on my account for a free year for only 12 bucks. Sony isn't that stupid.

Also, Best Buy has the Free Realms TCG 11 card-pack for 3.99.

Add to the fun of your Free Realms gameplay experience with this expansion pack of cards for the Free Realms trading card game. Each pack contains 10 game cards plus an online item card to help you expand your fun in online gameplay. The 11-card pack also includes 50 Station Cash for added excitement.

Product Features:
For use with the Free Realms trading card game.
Includes 11 cards that can be used to play the online card game.
Add to your collection with 10 game cards and one online item card.
Also includes 50 Station Cash

Be sure to visit again for more News, Info, and updates for all things Free Realms.

Free Realms Observations

http://terranova.blogs.com/terra_nova/2009/04/free-realms.html

A few more observations, after having clocked up a few more hours playing time:
1. The trading card game provides the PvP element. This is a pretty clever design decision, as it will hopefully not be as prone to griefing as traditional PvP. (e.g. both parties have to agree that want to play the card game against each other).
2. My initial dissatisfaction with the quests was partly due to them being too easy for an experienced MMO player - it gets better once you've moved on to the harder ones. The stories are still lame, but the game play gets more interesting. (Starting players off with really easy quests is clearly the right thing to do, though).
3. The items you can buy on the official RMT market are an interesting combination of things that just look cool and have no in-game advantage (e.g. avatar clothing) and things that give a real advantage. This must be one of the hardest aspect of the game to get right - if they overdo it, the leaderboards will just be the people who are willing to spend the most money.
4. The Ninja magic swords you can get on the RMT market look incredibly like vibrators. The manufacturers of sex toys and virtual magic swords are presumably trying to achieve a similar kind of phallic appearance, but rarely has it been this blatant.You can get a glowing one, too.

Free Realms Trading Card Game in Stores This Week

http://pc.ign.com/articles/979/979221p1.html

May 4, 2009 - DENVER, COLO. - Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) and The Topps Company Inc. (Topps) today announced that the highly anticipated Free Realms Trading Card Game hits stores this week. Developed at SOE's Denver studio in close collaboration with Topps, it integrates a trading card game format with the exciting online world of Free Realms, featuring more than 180 game cards as well as more than 50 virtual reward cards redeemable for exciting items in the online game. "Free Realms is poised to be a tremendous success for us," said John Smedley, president of SOE. "Now, we're taking the next step and putting the trading card game in stores nationwide. This week, you'll be able to walk into many of your neighborhood retail stores and pick up one of the best trading card games I've ever played." As Topps continues to explore fun and interactive ways for their young consumers to get involved, Free Realms becomes the latest in a roster that includes Topps Town, Topps 3-D Live, and BabyBottlePop.com, which link physical products to innovative online entertainment destinations. Michael Eisner, whose Tornante Company and Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC. acquired The Topps Company, Inc., in October 2007, said, "It's been exciting working with Sony Online Entertainment on this endeavor, which has resulted in the development of a multiplatform product that is likely to spark the imaginations of trading card game fans everywhere." The physical Free Realms Trading Card Game features: More than 180 Cards – The premier release of the Free Realms Trading Card Game features more than 180 cards, as well as 50 exclusive virtual reward cards not found anywhere else, and 16 physical exclusive cards with codes that unlock the equivalent card in the online game. Exciting Gameplay – Developed by SOE's Denver studio, the minds behind Legends of Norrath, the Free Realms Trading Card Game brings the lively and colorful world of Free Realms to the familiar and fun format of the trading card game. Virtual Rewards In Every Pack – Every Free Realms Trading Card Game pack features a virtual reward card redeemable for fantastic items inside the world of Free Realms, such as exclusive pets like the Toyger, the tiger-striped housecat, cool virtual clothing like the Rocker outfit, pet clothing, special character effects, and more. The Free Realms Trading Card Game arrives in stores this week and is available in two formats. New players can pick up the Passport to Free Realms Starter Pack for $9.99 USD (plus applicable taxes). The Starter Pack features a 40-card starter deck, one full color playmat with rules, and a virtual reward card redeemable in the Free Realms online game for an exclusive virtual Black Labrador dog, an exclusive card player T-shirt for your character, three jumbo health potions, an exclusive virtual Cardie Racer and a one-month membership with full access to Free Realms (a $4.99 USD value). Players looking to enhance their existing decks can purchase the $3.99 USD (plus applicable taxes) booster pack, featuring 10 game cards, one virtual reward card that can be redeemed for an exclusive in-game item, and 50 Station Cash, the virtual currency for the Free Realms online game. For more information, visit the official Free Realms Trading Card Game site at http://www.freerealms.com/tradingcardgame. About Free Realms Free Realms allows you to do what you want to do, when you want to do it, in a lush, living, 3D world, filled with rich landscapes and fun wildlife. Play as a ninja one minute or be a chef the next! From pet raising to mini-games like kart racing, or battling giant spiders and adventuring with friends – there's something for everyone! With scheduled content updates and special events planned there is always something new to see and do in the world of Free Realms. Visit http://www.freerealms.com/ for more information. About Sony Online Entertainment Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest, EverQuest II, Champions of Norrath, Untold Legends, and PlanetSide, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX; Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; Tucson, AZ and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development. About The Topps Company, Inc. Founded in 1938, Topps (www.topps.com) is a leading creator and marketer of sports and related cards, entertainment products, and distinctive confectionery. Topps entertainment products include Major League Baseball, NFL, NBA and other trading cards, sticker album collections, and collectible games. The company's confectionery brands include "Bazooka" bubble gum, "Ring Pop," "Push Pop," "Baby Bottle Pop," and "Juicy Drop Pop" lollipops. In June 2008, Topps unveiled Topps Town (www.toppstown.com), the first online virtual sports community for kids, bringing together the popularity of trading cards with the exploding world of web-based social networking.

http://www.freerealms.com/

Sony's Free Realms

From our friend Wikipedia.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Realms

Free Realms is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) developed by Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) set in a humorous, kid-friendly, fantasy-themed world[1] for the PC and PlayStation 3. The game was released on April 29, 2009 for the PC.[2] The PS3 version still doesn't have an official release date currently.[3]
The game is available to play and download free of charge. The PC version is accessed via the web. During character creation, a 3D client downloads in the background and then streams as the user plays, which eliminates the need for a large download. The PlayStation 3 version will be accessed via the PlayStation Network.[4]
Free Realms offers an optional subscription for a single player, costing $4.99 per month for a single account, allowing for 3 characters to be created per account plus other benefits.[5] Only one character can be played simultaneously [6] but in the future, a "family" subscription will be offered allowing multiple logins at the same time.[7] Also, micro-transactions will be available for players who are interested in purchasing in-game items for their characters. Unlike typical MMOs, combat is completely optional and the focus, instead, is spread across a variety of gameplay mechanics – exploration, combat, building, housing, pet-raising, mini-games and social networking – to ensure its appeal to a variety of audiences.
Players are able to choose from classes such as adventurer, ninja, postman, medic, blacksmith, miner, warrior, archer, treasure hunter, wizard, kart driver, chef, brawler, card duelist, explorer and switch on the fly without creating a new character. The game limits barriers to entry and encourages social gameplay where, regardless of level or class, players will be able to interact, join forces and play together.[8]
Due to the social networking nature of the game, players are able to send links, share images and videos, and chat with friends from their own, personal, customizable social networking page, which is all optional for parents that want to restrict their child’s access to user generated content.