With the release of the Free Realms TCG this week, eBay has already some auctions up for cards with scratch prizes on them.
I expect this craze is going to get out of hand.
$1000.00 cards anyone ??
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Free Realms Patch Notes
Tonight's update has many bug fixes and changes.
We are planning game server maintenance tonight starting around midnight. The game servers will be unavailable for aapproximately an hour and end around 1am on the 6th.
Highlights
* In Tower Defense, fixed an issue that allowed towers to be placed in invalid locations
* The max limit for tin ore in Rich nodes has been removed
* Pet Trainer quests can now be completed using trial pets
* Declining a friend request will no longer auto accept that person as a friend
* Fixed some flow issues in the Marketplace when consuming a game card
* All-Star Brawler Pauldrons and Helmets have been added as Brawler job quest rewards
* The profile portrait will now update each time you switch your job
See the rest here.
http://forums.station.sony.com/freerealms/posts/list.m?topic_id=4258
Highlights
* In Tower Defense, fixed an issue that allowed towers to be placed in invalid locations
* The max limit for tin ore in Rich nodes has been removed
* Pet Trainer quests can now be completed using trial pets
* Declining a friend request will no longer auto accept that person as a friend
* Fixed some flow issues in the Marketplace when consuming a game card
* All-Star Brawler Pauldrons and Helmets have been added as Brawler job quest rewards
* The profile portrait will now update each time you switch your job
See the rest here.
http://forums.station.sony.com/freerealms/posts/list.m?topic_id=4258
Also, a really nice interview that Massively has done.
Everquest Nostalgia
Here is a great interview with Everquest producer Brad McQuaid and Kevin McPherson from Game Studies. The interview is from 2004-2005, so it is a little dated, but very interesting to say the least.
Interview with Brad McQuaid and Kevin McPherson
by Eric Hayot, Edward Wesp
Brad McQuaid was the co-designer of EverQuest, managing the development team from the project's inception until its launch. He later became a founder of Verant Interactive and its Vice President. Kevin McPherson was one of the first EverQuest team members, working just under 3 years on the project on primarily the EverQuest client, and also writing the original background and setting for the Ruins of Kunark expansion.
This interview was conducted via email in late 2004 and 2005. In some cases, only one of the two interviewees had a response to the question. The order of the questions here is thematic rather than chronological.
This interview was conducted via email in late 2004 and 2005. In some cases, only one of the two interviewees had a response to the question. The order of the questions here is thematic rather than chronological.
Read more at...
In keeping with the EQ nostalgia Raph Koster is devoting this month to EQ Game Studies and publishing other interesting pieces on the history of EQ.
Also, the poll Sony ran for the new server came out to be the 51/50 server.
Yay???!!! Anyone ??
With all the HYPE old schoolers have for the game and wanting to come back to EQ, classic server would of been the way to go on this one.
So, some folks got together and started a petition to roll out a classic server.
It can be found at HERE. - http://www.classiceqpetition.com/
I'll have to say that the memories I have of the years and years I played EQ are some of the best. So, yes an EQ Classic server would get me to resub again if Sony would open one.
Free Realms TV commercials start 5/06
Quoted from http://twitter.com/j_smedley/statuses/1713694205:
According to some late breaking news, Free Realms TV commercials are going to start today nationwide.
So be on the lookout for some cool TV commercials on channels like Cartoon Network, Adultswim, and Disney Channel.
Virtual Goods News: Free Realms CCG In Stores This Week, With Virtual Loot Cards
Quoted from http://www.virtualgoodsnews.com/2009/05/free-realms-ccg-in-stores-this-week-with-virtual-loot-cards.html:
Virtual Goods News: Free Realms CCG In Stores This Week, With Virtual Loot Cards
Free Realms CCG In Stores This Week, With Virtual Loot Cards
This week fans of the free-to-play all-ages MMORPG Free Realms can begin looking for the physical versions of the game's virtual CCG in stores nationwide this week. The first series contains 180 cards developed in partnership between the Sony Online Entertainment Denver studio and Topps. The Free Realms cards play up the link between the physical and the virtual by stuffing each pack with "virtual loot cards" containing codes that can be redeemed for in-game virtual goods.
There are fifty different virtual loot cards in all. Many of the virtual loot items are exclusive to the CCG loot cards and include exclusive virtual apparel and pets. In addition, there are 16 series-exclusive cards that can be used in the physical CCG but also come printed with a code that can be redeemed for a virtual copy of the same card for use in the online CCG. Each booster back of the Free Realms CCG will contain one virtual loot card.
The physical CCG starter deck, priced at $9.99, comes with an exclusive Black Labrador pet and codes that can be redeemed for an exclusive t-shirt and racing kart for use by your Free Realms character. There is also a code offering a free on-month subscription to Free Realms (which would usually cost $4.99). In addition, every physical booster pack for the CCG will contain a code that can be redeemed for 50 Station Cash, the virtual currency of Free Realms.
New EverQuest ruleset: 51/50 server wins over progression server
Quoted from http://mmorpg.qj.net/New-EverQuest-ruleset-51-50-server-wins-over-progression-server/pg/49/aid/131018:
New EverQuest ruleset: 51/50 server wins over progression server - MMORPG News - QJ.NET
EverQuest senior producer Clint Worley of Sony Online Entertainment is announcing that there's going to be a new server ruleset for the EQ fans. The decision for the new EQ ruleset was based on a poll which ended the other week - see, developers do listen!
The new server ruleset now allows players to create level 50 characters for some high-end content on the get-go. In his seemingly final blog post to the community, Worley said that:The winning server rule set was… 51/50 server!!! We are pleased to see everyone cast their votes and can honestly say that we are very excited to see this server roll out to the EQ community. We are starting the work on getting the backend setup and ready to go, and will announce the details soon.
Though this was the ruleset that was most-voted by the community (or so they say), there seems to be some backlash against SOE's decision. What other people seem to want more is the prospect of a progression server - some of the members even openly admitted of reactivating their accounts just to vote for the progression server.
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.
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