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Everquest 2 Premium Services Preview

Posted by Zonk on from the more-bang-for-your-plat dept.

Anonymous Coward writes "SOE has launched a beta preview of their EQ2 Premium Player Services, for current Beta Players. There are a few articles available that describe the services at GamePro, IGN, and GamerGod." An interesting feature, the services include guild websites, character stats, tons of in-game information, and leader boards. Probably part of their final gear up for the November 8th ship date.

24 of 36 comments (clear)

  1. This is a great service actually.. by Pengo · · Score: 2, Insightful


    And really will aid in the retention of players. A lot of the interaction and interest that keeps me playing my games is the friends that I game with . Our guild has it's own similar services, but many people don't have the technical ability to do such a thing themselves.

    I hope WoW will offer a competitive service.

    I know that a lot of small businesses where started offering services such as this to the exact same market. I am sure they aren't happy to see Sony jump right into their space.

    1. Re:This is a great service actually.. by EngineeringMarvel · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree, why wouldn't a MMORPG producer not want to do this. Even if it means having a third party doing it for you, it still means extra cash flow. I think just about every MMO player likes to see their personal stats and be able to share those stats easily with others. I have always been a big fan of forum sigs that show player stats for online characters.

      --
      I couldn't think of anything witty to say, so...you're stuck with this.
    2. Re:This is a great service actually.. by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I think it's a great idea, but the fact that they're working on this instead of making the game more fun, playable and bug free bothers me.

      It's another steep level treadmill. There's nothing fun about it. The only thing fun really about original EQ are the higher end raids which unfortunately very few get to enjoy. That occurs only after you invest around 20 real life days worth of time building your character, buy (eBay if you want it fast) equipment etc. Getting to that state is pure tedium. I seriously think all of us who have done this are people who need psychiatric treatment for OCD, it's the only thing that explains why we put up with (and pay for) it.

      As far as I can see, nothing is fundamentally different about EQ2. More candy, same substance.

      The door is still open for someone to make a really good MMOG.

    3. Re:This is a great service actually.. by fireduck · · Score: 2, Informative

      I hope WoW will offer a competitive service.

      I imagine they will have something similar, at least in terms of the premium content EQ2 is offering. For War3, Blizz implemented a fairly slick ranking system with web-based searches for an insane amount of detail (which race does player use most often, which hero, how many times has a player played an arranged team game on a certain map and how long did it take them to win, etc.) They've already built an excellent tool for the task and modifying it for WoW shouldn't be much of a problem. The real question is whether Blizzard trumps SOE by releasing it for free...

    4. Re:This is a great service actually.. by Ben+Brighton · · Score: 1

      They already have some of this working in the beta (very little). Each player's forum avatar has their character and level. I don't know if they are going to expand on that though.

      --
      Just back up one song from the album, and a text file that says "more shit like this". Think of the space you save -Mant
    5. Re:This is a great service actually.. by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 1

      I guess that's more or less my point. The journey wasn't much fun in EQ, and doesn't appear to be fun in EQ2. Just another level grind, with prettier graphics (now featuring bad voice actors!)

      It shouldn't be about grinding, it should have a plot, a story, a goal and a challenge. The killing of a thousand a_giant_wasps should be a side effect of the quest to do . People shouldn't be gathering in their favorite XP zone to kill a hundred million wasps, they should meet because they have a common goal that takes them on the same path a while. Along they way they may kill lots of wasps, or find out the wasps were merely slaves of a giant bird named Bob, who really needs to die, and go do that, etc.

    6. Re:This is a great service actually.. by DrSkwid · · Score: 1



      As far as I can see, nothing is fundamentally different about EQ2. More candy, same substance.

      I know, I can't wait !

      --
      There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
    7. Re:This is a great service actually.. by startled · · Score: 1

      It is a great service. The fact that they're charging for part of it, though, shows that they really don't understand their current underdog status. (Yes, despite their high number of EQ subscribers, Blizzard's huge, loyal fan base makes Blizzard top dog.)

      They've got a chance here to say, "look-- those Blizzard rookies don't know what goes in a MMOG. We know how it's done. Don't leave your gaming to novices, come play with the experts.".

      Instead, they go off and charge 99 cents extra a month for some of the extra features. They need to fight Blizzard like crazy to keep them from destroying their primary revenue stream, and that includes locking up players ASAP. Instead of pulling all the stops, they're pretending EQ2 is entirely threatened by this, what do you call it, "World of Warcraft"?

      Combine this with their premature launch date and lack of real outreach to new MMOGers, and things look grim for SOE. If they don't wake up in a hurry, Blizzard's gonna eat their lunch.

    8. Re:This is a great service actually.. by Pengo · · Score: 1

      "Combine this with their premature launch date and lack of real outreach to new MMOGers, and things look grim for SOE. If they don't wake up in a hurry, Blizzard's gonna eat their lunch."

      I agree with everything you said.

      What would you like to bet that Blizzard anounces their open beta for the day EQ2 is supposed to go live.

      I am sure that they are going to do something to try and rain on Sony's launch-day parade.

      I surely hope that EQ2 does do well. I would hate to see Blizzard left as the only player standing. After playing DAoC for 3 years, Mythic customers loose big because of the lack of real compitition in the RvR space 'niche' (if you can call it that), that DAoC occupies. I know that people will be leaving that game in droves to WoW, not one person I know is going to do anything more than just 'try' EQ2 , at best, along with WoW and pick the one that intrest them the most.

      DAoC doesn't have many people that I know who really are into the crazy treadmill grind to only get either more treadmill with another release or raid content.

      Trials of Atlantis really ruined DAoC for most people I game with, myself included. Hopefully Blizzard will learn from that mistake.

    9. Re:This is a great service actually.. by Hott+of+the+World · · Score: 1

      www.thottbot.com

      Contains an easy to access item, character, skills, spells, mobs, and quests database.

      I'm not sure how much use a "Guild webpage" would get that could not be easily gotten elsewhere. But hey, if you must have, you must.

      --
      | - | - |
  2. This game is not ready, plain and simple by sgant · · Score: 3, Informative

    I wish all the luck to SOE and the people that buy and play EQ2, but the simple fact is, this game is in NO shape to ship yet. This in fact is in worse shape than SWG was when it shipped, and you know how that fiasco finally turned out, they're STILL trying to fix things in it.

    Honestly, they need at LEAST another 6 months on this game before shipping. But we all know it's marketing that's forcing them to ship early.

    Again, I wish the best, but be warned.

    --

    "Leo Fender was in a 'state of grace' when he designed the Stratocaster." -- Paul Reed Smith
    1. Re:This game is not ready, plain and simple by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 1

      The overpromised SWG, they over promised the EQ expansion Omens of War (released last month) and they are over-promised on EQ2. They just don't learn, and of course we continue to pay.

      Over-promised for them means a) they led people to believe the game was going to have features that will never be in the game or b) they promised certain features which will simply not work on release.

      "A" is criminal, just impossible to prove based on their wording. "B" happens because they're working on extra revenue products like the guild management system referenced above, rather than making the game good.

      Bah!

    2. Re:This game is not ready, plain and simple by Warped1 · · Score: 1

      Odd ... I've been beta testing the last 4 days or so, and it certainly hasn't been a bad experience.

      It could be the market is forcing them to release early, but probably not in the way you expect. The Market does not allow for a company to develop extremely complex software long enough to fix every problem and include every feature before release. If this was required, only simplistic software would ever make it to market. You *must* have a certain tollerance for problems.

      That said, I've had a pleasant experience beta testing so far. I haven't found any major issues personally, but then again theres a lot of content I haven't explored.

      So ... while you're trolling, why don't you do something constructive like list some things that need 6 months (!!) to work out?

  3. I hope this is better than the Legends services by BrotherZeoff · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I subscribed to the Legends service for about a year. Part of the higher cost was a similar online service--showing what zones you'd travelled to, where you were currently camped, and a character info page showing your stats and gear.

    The website was frequently down. Even when it worked properly, The page was a disappointment. Item stats weren't given (part of the Vision, I guess), and the character info took at least 15 minutes to update after your logoff, if ever.

    What's really mind-boggling is that the Magelo service (www.magelo.com), a free third party application, is much, MUCH better than SOE's own Legends page. You can either update your character manually, or capture your char and new items by running the autoupdater in the background. Within days or weeks of each new expansion, Magelo's character database is updated with new character attributes, etc.

    If the EQII premium services are as bad as Legends, I can only think that SOE will get far worse press. Legends was restricted to less than 5% of the EQ community; EQII's premium services are targetted at the entire population. I really hope they've learned from their EQ1 v. Magelo experience.

  4. Already done FOR FREE in WoW by Moo+Moo+Cow+of+Death · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://www.thottbot.com/

    Check it out, it's already done for FREE in WoW by the most dedicated guild out there from EQ, Afterlife. Not only does Thot have a good system up and running with this program, he has WAY more stat tracking and creativity than SOE ever showed, and his dedication to games along with his technical skills outweighs anything they can throw his way (except maybe a couple million dollars :P).

    That's right, ONE person outdid all that SOE is trying to do at the last minute (copycat of what he already did if you ask me).

  5. As a beta player... by Jerrith · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Let me just say I think this site is great! It's got a ton of neat stats and useful information, including listings of every item found in the game, and the first person to find it.

    You can also chat with people in game, both via your guild channel, and also via tells (private messages).

    I am a bit concerned about the update rate, as my character's information hasn't updated since the 24th, but I suspect this will be worked out. It's still in beta. I've seen a few other minor glitches too, such as spelling the name of the class one of my characters is (coercer, not coercor), but I'm not concerned about it.

    Here's one of my beta characters:

    http://eq2players-beta.station.sony.com/en/pplayer .vm?characterId=121640001

    1. Re:As a beta player... by Inda · · Score: 1

      "This page currently has its access restricted to members of the beta program"

      Probably too late now...

      --
      This post contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.
  6. Re:EQ2 si teh sux!! by Ben+Brighton · · Score: 1

    This is why I've stopped reading anything about WoW other than release dates and such. I don't want my experience spoiled by all the information that is out there.

    --
    Just back up one song from the album, and a text file that says "more shit like this". Think of the space you save -Mant
  7. Re:EQ2 si teh sux!! by superpulpsicle · · Score: 2, Insightful

    People play Everquest because it has something FEW games in the entire industry can brag about.

    It has a history of people dying, losing jobs, divorcing, suffering from insomnia, and emptying out bank accounts over.

    Any game that has this much addiction is worth people's time.

  8. Re:EQ2 si teh sux!! by DrSkwid · · Score: 1


    you said it

    I *know* that eq2 won't be finished at launch, just like eq1 and swg before it

    but I, and my friends, will be there day 1

    I only stopped playing cos of needing a rest, we've been drumming fingers in anticipation, even avoiding the beta program so that we aren't jaded

    --
    There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
  9. Cost of an Early release by Everguide · · Score: 2, Interesting
    SOE just announced that they would be releasing EverQuest 2 on November 8th http://eq2players.station.sony.com/news_archive.vm ?section=Headline&id=215 ahead of their main competition World of Warcraft (last predicted release date: Week of November 22 http://www.freep.com/entertainment/videogames/gbit s24e_20041024.htm).

    SOE is notorious for launching games with content that is not finished or buggy (SWG Launch, EverQuest Expansion end game content, etc.). Blizzard on the other hand is known for at times delaying a game, and then delaying a game again just to work out all the minor bugs.

    The question I would like to ask Slashdot readers is if it worth launching a game early, yet buggy to grab a certain market from competition? I know Themis group thinks a poor launch can cost a company millions of dollars http://www.themis-group.com/uploads/Cost%20of%20La unch.xls, but will the benefit of launching early exceed the costs?

    Brian Whitener

    http://www.gameguidesonline.com/

    1. Re:Cost of an Early release by Schnarl · · Score: 1

      To a certain degree, it may be worth it to the company. As players are loath to leave something they already payed for I would imagine.

      So, if you can grab the impatient players early, they are more likely to stick it out with your game rather then cancel their subscription on the first game to start over at a new one.

      But then you have the examples of products that completely screw up their initial release, only to get it right much later. And are kicking themselves the whole time.

  10. Re:I am shocked! by Cosmik · · Score: 1

    I'll take that Anarchy Online, and raise you a World War II online.

  11. Re:I am shocked! by Schnarl · · Score: 1

    Yes, but I'm sure they'll sell some pre-levelled characters to interepid players with too much cash.