For the last couple of weekends, the writers here at ZAM have been taking a look at Square Enix’s remake of their second MMO, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. After our first weekend with the game, Corey gave his general impressions of the game while I posted a mountain of text about crafting and gathering. Now that I’ve had time to see a bit more of the game (that and I’ve managed to make myself do something other than mining and goldsmithing), I’m ready to give my early impressions.
Choice can be intimidating.
In cuddlier MMOs, my choices after completing the tutorial would be limited to where I wanted to quest, or what type of hero I wanted to become. In the sandbox of EVE Online, my options were as vast as the universe in front of me. With enough time and skill, I could become anything.
It’s a choice that could wait for now. As mentioned in my previous article, I needed to start earning money so that I could afford whatever I chose to indulge in. For me, that meant mining. It would give me a chance to earn ISK (EVE’s in-game currency) relatively risk free, while giving me time to think about what I wanted to do.
Warping out in my small mining frigate, I left the starter area behind for a new home some distance away. It was a gamble to head out into unknown territory, but one that ultimately paid off.
In each article of The Scrying Pool, I look at what is and what could be. After taking a look at what is present in Guild Wars 2 now, be that lore or game mechanics, I then ask What If? What if this happened in the lore or this feature was added in a future patch.
Like a massive fish tank, EVE Online is a game that I love to watch. Unusually for an MMO, it’s the actions of players that create headlines across the gaming world. Whether it’s a simple mistake that has major consequences, or all-out war between two major factions, it’s fascinatingly unique.
But if there’s one thing I learned from EVE FanFest in Reykjavik, it’s that observation only gets you so far. I couldn’t spend my days tapping on the glass and peering into the murk – I needed to dive in and experience it for myself. I was also curious – could I find my own stories about life in New Eden?
With the rerelease of Square Enix’s second MMO, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, a few months away, a few of us here at ZAM have had the chance to try the beta and see what’s changed. We all tried out the combat and looked at some of the major system changes and you can find out more about those in Corey’s post. While I put in a good amount of time questing and fighting like the other writers, it wasn’t my primary focus this time around. What I wanted to know was this: did Square Enix finally give me full-fledged crafting and gathering classes like they were promising when the first version of FFXIV came out in 2010?
When Square Enix originally started talking about its second MMO, Final Fantasy XIV, one of the points it kept bringing up to show its game was unique was that crafters and gatherers were now true player classes. Players that wanted to dabble in crafting or gathering could still do so on the side, but those who were primarily interested in finding/selling crafting materials or in turning those materials into equipment and supplies for other players now had full-fledged classes to specialize in. There would be actual abilities you used, gear with crafting/gathering specific stats to get, and technique to learn beyond just clicking on an ore vein or hitting Create in a crafting window. When I played the open beta for v1.0, I was… well, I had a lot of less than kind things to say that are unfit for print, especially about crafting and gathering. Fast forward almost three years and a remake later, it was time to find out what had changed and if it was for the better.
Dating back to Final Fantasy I, II, VI, VII, VIII, IX and some of the more recent titles, Final Fantasy has always held a special place in my heart. With its great stories, tactical combat and mystical environments; it was like a series that could never be tainted. Then came Final Fantasy XIV.
Each year SOE Live (formerly Fan Faire) features "live quests" for attendees to take part in. These quests typically run two hours and involve teamwork, roleplay, trivia, ingenuity, and lots of fun. Expect to do crazy things such as be guided through a maze blindfolded, roleplay an orc doing grunt work, answer a crossword puzzle about your beloved game, or say "Mithaniel Marr" with six or more jumbo-sized marshmallows in your mouth (yes Kander, I still haven't forgotten that day!).
The themes change each year, as do the tasks in the quests. The tasks will be revealed when the quest commences, but SOE announced the various times and themes earlier today. Continue after the jump for the full live quest schedule!
Today Holly "Windstalker" Longdale published her latest EverQuest II Producer's Letter, which details Game Update 67 - Darkness Dawns. Highlights include:
Darkness Dawns (GU67) is slated to hit live servers July 30, 2013.
Also mentioned is the Summer Gold Rush promotion. Staring June 21 and running through September 21 existing and new Gold members will get access to a 4-hour daily spell that gives you +15% Coin Loot, +10% Experience, and +5% Mount Speed while it’s active!
Read all of Holly's letter on the Official Forums.
Earlier today, Sony Online Entertainment revealed a teaser website for EverQuest Next. It has little information aside from mentioning that the worldwide debut will be at this year's SOE Live on Friday, August 2, 2013. Along with the website there are several new EQ Next social media accounts that fans can follow for tidbits of information:
Also make sure to tune in to SOE's Twitch TV channel on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at 3:30pm PDT (6:30pm EDT) for the EverQuest franchise E3 live broadcast!
UPDATE: The recording of this video is now available on Twitch TV.
In most MMOs I’ve played, the gallant hero is asked by a desperate kingdom to slay the wicked dragon. Not so for upcoming MMO Dragon’s Prophet. In this latest free-to-play creation from Runewaker and published by Sony Online Entertainment, you get the chance to tame, train and ride dragons of your very own.
For all those eagerly anticipating raising a clutch of magical reptiles, the good news is that open beta starts in North America on May 30. Founders with VIP access will get a 24 hour head start, giving them early access into the world of Auratia. Closed Beta testers will also be pleased to know that the NDA has been lifted from today, freeing them to share their tales of daring draconic deeds with friends.
During the weekend I dived back in, mainly to see how development had progressed since my first look last month. Joined by ZAM regular Chris Rainey, we livestreamed our progress (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4) from character creation to the giddy heights of level 20. As an extra bonus, I’ll be streaming a special session on ZAM's Twitch.TV channel from 4pm Pacific on Thursday May 23, where I’ll be joined by senior producer Todd Carson to answer all your Dragon’s Prophet questions.
