MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Aeria reveals Lime Odyssey Turga cinematic

Posted: 15 Feb 2012 09:00 AM PST

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Lime Odyssey - Turga on mount
Aeria Games has revealed another opening cinematic from its Lime Odyssey MMORPG. This time around, the focus is on the Turga, a lion-like race that lives in a meadow called the Tumbara Plain. The Turga possess "deep faith and brute strength," and their lives are centered on discipline, honor, and willpower.

In mechanical terms, the Turga represent one of three playable Lime Odyssey races, and they begin their journey on the West Tumbara Plain of North Orta. The village is a stone's throw from Talunvara Canyon, the area's first dungeon that will test the mettle of the Turgas brave enough to enter it.

Head past the break to get a look at the Turga cinematic.

[Source: Aeria Games press release]

Continue reading Aeria reveals Lime Odyssey Turga cinematic

MassivelyAeria reveals Lime Odyssey Turga cinematic originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Guild Wars 2 console version confirmed

    Posted: 15 Feb 2012 08:45 AM PST

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    Guild Wars 2 concept art
    Guild Wars Insider has the scoop on the confirmation of a Guild Wars 2 console version at some point after the game's PC client goes live. The source is an NCsoft earnings call, during which a couple of console-specific statements are made.

    The call also mentions beta testing for the upcoming fantasy game. "In March and April there will be large-scale testing for GW2; depending on results of testing a finalized commercialization schedule will be determined. [The] console version will be launched separately from [the] PC [version] at a later date," the fan site reports.

    NCsoft also says it will be considering "seasonality factors" when determining "final commercialization" for both Guild Wars 2 and Blade & Soul. Head to Guild Wars Insider for more, including audio of the call.

    MassivelyGuild Wars 2 console version confirmed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Editorial examines MMO mentoring, community dynamics

    Posted: 15 Feb 2012 08:00 AM PST

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    RIFT - dungeon group
    A wise man once described current-gen MMOs as "playing alone together." OK, truthfully I don't know who said that, nor do I know if he is particularly wise, but it resonated (and it's also applicable to a new editorial at Gamasutra that focuses on improving the community aspects of our favorite genre).

    The piece looks at several current games -- including Final Fantasy XIV, RIFT, and Dungeons and Dragons Online -- and analyzes how they both succeed and fail at bringing players together. Particular attention is paid to mentoring systems, though EverQuest II's (perhaps the best in the industry) is omitted. What ultimately emerges from the lengthy read is a portrait of a challenging issue that has its roots in both operational and design considerations, and while the piece doesn't offer any particular solution, it does provide quite a lot of food for thought.

    MassivelyEditorial examines MMO mentoring, community dynamics originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    New Secret World ARG puzzle hidden on Funcom website

    Posted: 15 Feb 2012 07:30 AM PST

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    The Secret World logo
    Have you figured out Funcom's newest brain-teaser for The Secret World? We haven't, and we'd take kindly to whatever tips you have to offer.

    What's that, you say? You didn't know there was a new TSW puzzle? Well, head to the official Funcom website. Once you're there, single-click on something that isn't a link (the red title text that says The Secret World should work), and then type in the number 33.

    If you do it correctly, you should eventually see a bunch of glyphs, and we're assuming they're written in some sort of Runic script. That's about where our knowledge stops, though, so check out the forum thread and let us know what you find out!

    MassivelyNew Secret World ARG puzzle hidden on Funcom website originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Webzen giving away fully geared high-level characters

    Posted: 15 Feb 2012 07:00 AM PST

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    Webzen - free characters promotion
    Have you ever played an MMORPG and thought, wow, this would be fantastic if I could ditch the pesky progression?

    If so, Webzen has a promotion for you. It's called Skip the Low, Jump to High, and it kicks off today and runs through March 14th. The company is giving away free high-level characters and items in ArchLord, Soul of the Ultimate Nation, and MU Online. ArchLord players will receive level-60 characters that are fully geared, while S.U.N. fans can look forward to level-90 toons with gear and level-up boxes. Last but not least, MU players will get level-220 characters and +9 weapons and armor.

    But wait, there's more! MU is offering double XP during the promotion period, and S.U.N. is bringing a new server online.

    [Source: Webzen press release]

    MassivelyWebzen giving away fully geared high-level characters originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Aika prepares for battle on March 8th with Epic II: Hestia

      Posted: 15 Feb 2012 06:00 AM PST

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      Aika
      Aika players may have seen strife and war, but they may be unprepared for the sheer magnitude of devastation heading their way. On March 8th, the game will receive its latest major update, Epic II: Hestia, and the world will never be the same again.

      Epic II: Hestia is a top-heavy expansion for the game, bringing plenty to see and do for level-capped players. Not only will it be adding several new regions to the game, but 24-person level-80 raids and a half-dozen additional gear sets as well.

      To assist players in preparing for the epic (II) conflict, gPotato is giving all players level 60 and below a 50% XP boost so that they can get into the endgame by the time March 8th rolls around. You can check out a few screenshots from the upcoming expansion below!

      [Source: gPotato press release]

      Gallery: Aika Epic II

      MassivelyAika prepares for battle on March 8th with Epic II: Hestia originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: What will your favorite MMO look like in 20 years?

        Posted: 15 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST

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        STTNG
        Even though we've certainly seen some short-lived MMOs in our time, the average lifespan and half-life of a title is still up for grabs. Considering that titles like Ultima Online and Meridian 59 are creeping ever closer to the two-decade mark, I think it's conceivable that some of the very MMOs we play today might still be around in 20 years.

        So assuming that they don't go belly-up or invent free-free-to-play-supreme editions that sinks them for good, what do you think your current MMOs might look like in the year 2032? Will we be playing World of Warcraft in holodeck simulators, be teaching Star Wars: The Old Republic in grade-school classrooms, or be experiencing EVE Online's radical "walking in spaceships" feature?

        Cast your prognosticating abilities far into the future and tell us what we have to look forward to with our favorite games!

        Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

        MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What will your favorite MMO look like in 20 years? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Allods Online releases Game of Gods patch notes [Updated]

          Posted: 14 Feb 2012 08:00 PM PST

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          This game is known to gods as 'fishing.'
          If you're looking forward to the latest Allods Online expansion, Game of Gods, you've only got one more day to wait. But if you can't even wait that long without some kind of updates, then you're in luck. The patch notes for version 3.0 have been posted, giving players a full rundown of all the changes and additions coming to the game in light of this sweeping expansion. And it's not just the marquee features being brought in -- there are plenty of smaller changes, quality of life improvements, and other little gems.

          The marquee items, of course, are all still there. The game's level cap will be raised to 51, and the new Bard class will be added to the game for players to enjoy. New areas and new ship mechanics are also being added to keep players engaged. But there are other new features, such as the addition of "overflow" slots to player bags, stat rearrangement for caster classes, and new performance options for older computers. It promises to be a huge patch, so before you go playing tomorrow, peruse the patch notes today.

          [Update: Added the new expansion trailer after the cut.]

          Continue reading Allods Online releases Game of Gods patch notes [Updated]

          MassivelyAllods Online releases Game of Gods patch notes [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Final Fantasy XIV previewing player residences for patch 1.21

          Posted: 14 Feb 2012 07:00 PM PST

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          Living in the inn may not be glamorous, or quiet, or safe, or fun, or convenient, or... I forgot where this was going.
          Among all the cues that Final Fantasy XIV took from Final Fantasy XI, there was an obvious omission -- housing. Players have been forced to live without private rooms thus far in the game, but in patch 1.21, that's going to change. The first version of housing will be rolled out with the next major patch, with a small explanation having just recently been posted to the official site.

          Following the patch, players can acquire a private residence after completing a quest handed out in the inn. These quests can be accepted any time after a player finishes the first installment of the storyline quest, making them rather easy to pick up. When logging out in a private room, players will acquire rest experience to hasten leveling, replacing the previous system of Guardian's Aspect. While it's a bare-bones implementation, it's a foundation to ensure that the game's major revamp coming in November will have something to build off of -- and there's more promised for the future.

          [Thanks to Derrick for the tip!]

          MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV previewing player residences for patch 1.21 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Reports of EverQuest Mac dying have been greatly exaggerated

          Posted: 14 Feb 2012 06:30 PM PST

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          It gets knocked down, but it gets up again.
          Nothing gold can stay, it seems. EverQuest on the Macintosh, affectionately dubbed EQMac, was announced as facing a shutdown in wake of the game's impending free-to-play transition. John Smedley confirmed this, players mourned, and our own stalwart Game Archaeologist lamented its passing. And so, as the game approaches its final month, Smedley has... apparently rescinded the entire thing via a late-night Twitter post that has taken the entire EQMac community by surprise.

          Yes, there is apparently both a Santa Claus and a Tooth Fairy, because John Smedley has stated that not only are the EQMac fans "a wonderful group of players," the game will be left running. Better yet, it will continue to run as-is and with no subscription fees. If you're part of the fanbase, no, you don't need to pinch yourself, this is actually a thing that is happening. Further details are to be announced soon, but just the facts alone should make fans very happy.

          MassivelyReports of EverQuest Mac dying have been greatly exaggerated originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Bigpoint goes live with Pirate Storm

          Posted: 14 Feb 2012 06:00 PM PST

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          Pirate Storm
          Pirate Storm: Death or Glory, a free (you guessed it!) pirate-themed game from Bigpoint, is now live! Hop into the game to act out all your piratical dreams: fighting sea beasties, swash-buckling with the most fearsome of foes, and pursuing that whimsical mistress, fortune.

          Pirate Storm has been launched worldwide and is available in more than 24 languages. It's designed to be beginner-friendly while retaining exciting and challenging missions. Bigpoint's team isn't a stranger to making pirate games -- Seafight and Kultan are other titles it's put out in the same genre -- but the company appears to be taking special pride in this new title. The game world boasts12 different maps spread across three regions, customizable ships and armors, and all the interactive fun of buddy lists, groups, and a guild system. So what's your delay? Those sea serpents are waiting.

          [Source: Bigpoint press release]

          MassivelyBigpoint goes live with Pirate Storm originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            ArenaNet closes the book on Guild Wars' Winds of Change

            Posted: 14 Feb 2012 05:00 PM PST

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            Guild Wars - I assume this image has something to do with Winds of Change
            If you missed the Winds of Change arc that's bridging the gap between Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2, now's a great time to head to the official ArenaNet blog to catch up. The devs have provided a handy summary post and a bit of an explanation for their narrative goals as both Guild Wars and its highly anticipated sequel move forward.

            ArenaNet also acknowledges the community feedback regarding the difficulty of the Winds of Change content, and the firm says that initially "the difficulty was getting in the way of people enjoying the story, making it far more of a slog than we'd intended and actively undermining their enjoyment of it."

            Happily, recent updates have led to "major balance tweaks" and second looks at both normal and hard-mode content, so if you were frustrated before, it's worth your time to give it another go.

            MassivelyArenaNet closes the book on Guild Wars' Winds of Change originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Star Wars: The Old Republic to launch in the Asia Pacific region on March 1st

            Posted: 14 Feb 2012 04:30 PM PST

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            If you play Republic, get used to this art.
            On launch day, fans of Star Wars: The Old Republic were able to start logging into the game simultaneously across the world... assuming "the world" meant North America and Europe. The Pacific regions were unfortunately deferred to a later launch date, something that provoked some ire from fans in that area. However, the wait is now over for an official launch day. A launch of March 1st has been announced for Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong.

            Naturally, there are fans in those regions who would prefer to play on regional servers but have already started play on existing servers via imported copies of the game. BioWare is promising that players in these regions will be able to transfer characters for free for a limited time following the launch date, allowing everyone to move to regional servers if desired. The game is also available for pre-order now, so if you're in the affected region and want a copy, best take a look at stores near you for order options.

            MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic to launch in the Asia Pacific region on March 1st originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            City of Heroes introduces the super pack, players respond with rage

            Posted: 14 Feb 2012 04:00 PM PST

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            I feel like everyone is staring at us.  And not in a good way.
            It's the latest craze sweeping the free-to-play marketplace -- the grab bag! Pay money, open it up, and roll the dice to see what you get. City of Heroes is getting in on the action with the Super Pack, a random grab bag containing a chance at pieces from a new costume set, special Enhancements, and various other gewgaws for players to purchase. Or more accurately, for players to hopefully purchase, seeing as how the grab bag is totally random and may contain nothing of use.

            Do you want to pay money in a store for a chance at getting valuable rewards for your in-game character? Judging from previous community responses, we'd guess the answer is "no." However, the reaction from the City of Heroes community has been... well, still "no." While some players are reporting that the drop rates aren't too bad on a whole, there's a definite discontent about this grab bag among the players. Even if it does contain neat new pieces, the addition has a ways to go to win over the hearts of the players.

            MassivelyCity of Heroes introduces the super pack, players respond with rage originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Gazillion shutting down Fortune Online

            Posted: 14 Feb 2012 03:00 PM PST

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            Gazillion's new Fortune Online title is headed for the scrap heap, according to our friends at Joystiq. The Diablo-style browser MMO was born of a desire to simplify dungeon crawling for casual gamers, but apparently it's taking too much time (and too many resources) away from Gazillion's Marvel projects.

            "We will continue delivering and refining content for Super Hero Squad Online, along with building and developing the Marvel Heroes game," a Gazillion spokesman told Joystiq. The firm also denied speculation that it is preparing for a Disney acquisition, and it declined to announce a timetable or job losses resulting from the Fortune closure.

            [Thanks to Space Cobra for the tip!]

            MassivelyGazillion shutting down Fortune Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Going toe-to-toe with TERA's first beta weekend

            Posted: 14 Feb 2012 02:00 PM PST

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            BAM indeed.
            Over the past months, many fans of En Masse Entertainment's upcoming "real action combat" title TERA have been wondering whether the game will ever see the light of day. Between sparse development details and word of legal troubles, TERA's future seemed to be in constant jeopardy as cries of "vaporware!" grew steadily louder. Well, those voices can finally have a bit of a reprieve because over the course of this past weekend, players were able to jump into the world of Arborea and experience TERA's action combat firsthand.

            I was among those players, and after a joy-filled romp through TERA's gorgeous landscapes (thanks in no small part to my fabulous guild -- hi Territ!), I'm ready to conjure up some thoughts that will hopefully somewhat resemble my impressions of the closed beta weekend. So if you want to know whether the game's real action combat hits the mark or it's a swing and a miss, follow me past the cut and let's take a look.

            Continue reading Going toe-to-toe with TERA's first beta weekend

            MassivelyGoing toe-to-toe with TERA's first beta weekend originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Flameseeker Chronicles: Big changes

              Posted: 14 Feb 2012 01:30 PM PST

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              Guild Wars Beyond
              The last chapter of Guild Wars Beyond's Winds of Change was released just a handful of days ago, bringing nine new quests, fancy weapons, fresh rewards, and a heaping helping of story to the land of Cantha, not to mention a significant update to the way ArenaNet is telling the tale.

              Miku's Tale in particular boasts a few distinct differences from earlier parts of this storyline -- largely, the consensus seems to be, for the better. There was a fair bit of griping after the first portion of Winds of Change went live and a widespread agreement that something was not quite right about the way the quests at the start of Winds of Change were being handled. ArenaNet responded to this with promises to go back and retune quests, mostly in response to the argument that mobs were too hard. While I certainly understand a fiendish level of mob difficulty acting as an intimidating gateway to players less comfortable with fighting in Guild Wars, I don't think it was really the heart of the problem with the earlier Winds of Change content.

              Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Big changes

              MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Big changes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Hyperspace Beacon: Finally 50

                Posted: 14 Feb 2012 01:00 PM PST

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                Hyperspace Beacon: Finally 50
                I see you there -- you've made a name for yourself in Star Wars: The Old Republic, but where do you really fit within these wars? I know what you're thinking: What is this guy trying to sell? Stick with me for a moment; I'm not just a used-speeder salesman (speeders are way over-priced, by the way 00 it's 570 thousand creds just for licensing, and the Empire's making a killing on that). I wanna talk to you about what you do after you conquer the galaxy

                Of course, you've taken a bit of time to explore this wondrous universe. If you're a space explorer extraordinaire like I am, then you've danced with your share of Twi'leks on Nar Shaddaa. It's a good thing they have enough Twi'leks to balance out the Hutts, amirite? Hoth was cold, of course, but there's nothing like a war and a couple of Wampa battles to warm the blood. And what's up with the Voss? People who wear such funky make-up shouldn't be that stuffy. Still, it does make me think: How many Voss can fit in a speeder?

                The galaxy is yours, and you're now a Darth or a Moff or something. Do you sit back and twiddle your thumbs? Of course not! A new game begins. It's a vastly different adventure than the one you just finished, but the features are still shiny.

                Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Finally 50

                MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Finally 50 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  The Soapbox: TERA's rocky road to release

                  Posted: 14 Feb 2012 12:00 PM PST

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                  TERA - Castanic avatars
                  Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

                  What a difference a year makes, eh? February of 2011 found me drooling over my keyboard as I devoured all the screenshots and gameplay footage leaking out of TERA's Korean launch (yes, the westernization process really has been dragging on for a year).

                  Fast-forward 12 months and the game is losing a little bit of its luster because of certain En Masse decisions and in spite of the fact that the firm has a potentially awesome MMO on its hands.

                  Continue reading The Soapbox: TERA's rocky road to release

                  MassivelyThe Soapbox: TERA's rocky road to release originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    WAR producer's letter talks bug fixing, patch schedules

                    Posted: 14 Feb 2012 11:00 AM PST

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                    Warhammer Online - Knight of the Blazing Sun
                    Hey kids, it's time for another Warhammer Online producer's letter (no, it's still not dead, doomsayers). The dev team is currently hard at work on the 1.4.5a patch, and in case you were wondering, that little "a" basically indicates additions to the previous 1.4.5 update. Said additions will take the form of "functionality, messaging, and tweaks to the fortresses and relics," all of which are still being discussed on the official WAR forums.

                    Next up is the 1.4.6 patch, and Mythic has switched gears to focus on bug fixing instead of the previously planned open RvR tweaks. There are also some additional items of interest on the horizon, including a new live event and some changes to crafting. Head to the WAR Herald to read up on all the details.

                    [Thanks to Benjamin for the tip!]

                    MassivelyWAR producer's letter talks bug fixing, patch schedules originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    The Game Archaeologist mourns the end of EQMac

                    Posted: 14 Feb 2012 10:00 AM PST

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                    EQMac
                    In 2003, Sony Online Entertainment tried an experiment to reach out to the (then) small-but-growing community of Mac users. The company released EverQuest Macintosh Edition -- quickly abbreviated to EQMac -- which incorporated the core game and the first four expansions of EverQuest: The Ruins of Kunark, The Scars of Velious, The Shadows of Luclin, and The Planes of Power. Because EQMac was a separate version of the game, SOE segregated Apple players on their own server called Al'Kabor and then, for all intents and purposes, abandoned them as the "real" EverQuest continued to expand and advance.

                    While the population didn't exactly explode, especially as the progression of time rendered EQMac stuck in a type of video game amber, a singular community of dedicated, helpful players formed, and they became proud of their hardcore home. According to many of them, EQMac was the way EverQuest was always meant to be played, frozen in time at the release of one of the game's best expansions. It was a mark of pride to say that you played on Al'Kabor, especially now as massive AAA MMOs dwarf the original EQ -- to say nothing of this odd EQ spinoff.

                    Yet, as SOE posted, "all good things must end," and with the news that EverQuest is being prepped for free-to-play, EQMac players learned that they would not be joining the rest. Unless higher powers intervene, on March 29th, Al'Kabor will be turned off for good. As such, I felt this was a good time to look briefly at the history of this unique title and the testimonies of its passionate fans.

                    Continue reading The Game Archaeologist mourns the end of EQMac

                    MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist mourns the end of EQMac originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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