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Good things afoot for established SOE MMOs
By Michael Lafferty

Permanent grouping coming to some SOE titles

Once upon a time there was a massively multiplayer online game that employed what was known as a patron system. Consider it a pyramid system but instead of money, experience would flow up the line to the monarch of a clan, making stops at each choke point along the way. A player would earn experience and some bonus XP would filter up to his or her patron, and a tinier bit would move up the line until it eventually got – in tiny increments – to the leader of the clan.

Alas, that game is no longer, but a version of that system is coming back to the MMO market, thanks to Sony Online Entertainment.

During the 2007 SOE Gamers Day held May 3 in Los Angeles, the SOE team announced a new feature coming to some of its games, known generally as permanent grouping. Part of the problem with gamers playing is that if someone can’t get online for whatever reason, his or her friends (the ones that do play) gather experience and soon get to a point where adventuring with the lower level is not feasible. Permanent grouping will solve that. Join a permanent group and as they get experience, so will you.

That was just one of the announcements made during the Gamers Day held on a lot at Sony Picture Studios. There is a lot in store for the PC titles that make up the bulk of SOE’s stable.


EverQuest: The Buried Sea

Though it is heading into its 14th expansion since it launched eight years ago, the EQ franchise is going to slow down just a bit and only release one expansion each year. And a new expansion is in the works for EverQuest II (referred to as “one of our flagship franchises” by the SOE crew). Rise of Kunark is slated for release in November, and will introduce the island of Kunark – another territory familiar to fans of the original EQ franchise. The expansion will have a new playable race, the Sarnak, and the level cap will rise from 70 to 80. Other features of the expansion include:

  • New Starting Area – Begin your adventure from the new starting area in the islands of Timorous Deep.  Conclude your day of epic quests and retire to new housing within the Village of Gorowyn.

  • More Unique Zones – Advance your way through new massive regions, containing many zones filled with nostalgia and danger, such as the Emerald Jungle and the Skyfire Mountains

  • Hundreds of New Quests – The tale of Kunark is told through hundreds of new quests, aimed at gameplay of all types: solo, group, and raid.

  • More Weapons & Armor – New Epic Weapon quests for all 24 classes, with new weapons for both those who raid and those who choose not to.  Battle through the opposition and acquire additional fabled and legendary armor sets as well.

  • New Mount – Explore the world on the shoulders of a new rampaging beast - The Kunarkian Rhinoceros.

  • New Deities – Recent activities on Norrath have again attracted the attention of the gods.  Bertoxxulous the Plaguebringer, Karana the Rain Keeper, and the mysterious Tribunal return to exert their influences on planet.  As with the existing gods of Norrath, players may pledge to these new deities to gain access to their Blessings and Miracles.

An evil Fae race is also coming to EQII, the Arasai, so EQII players had better free up some character slots.


Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising

Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising is on track for a fall release, and is looking very good. The title combines mythology with squad-based combat elements and the other standards expected in MMOs. It is a very visceral experience and one that should strike a chord with MMOers looking to break away from the high-fantasy setting. Vanguard: Saga of Heroes will have a new zone coming soon, and will feature a new dungeon with an evolving quest that will result in players obtaining a flying wyrm mount.

Work continues to evolve the Star Wars Galaxy franchise with the recently revealed Beast Master system, and just released was the Stargate Online Trading Card Game that joins the relaunch of the Star Chamber trading card title.

Two new MMOs were also announced at the Sony event, but you will have to wait until they are officially annonuced on June 11.