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MMORPGLand 8: Retired Fan Class

By Heath | May 3, 2010 at 10:33 pm

This edition of the MMORPG news roundup includes looks at EverQuest II not quite luring retired players back the way SOE would like to, World of Warcraft class update previews, TERA, and much more.

Oh, the TERA!
Upcoming game TERA got a makeover for its official website. News also came forth that the Western version of the game will have different customization options, quests, lore, and voice-overs than its Asian release.

EverQuest II: Passport to Cost Effectiveness…Sort of
Sony Online Entertainment recently introduced the Passport System to EverQuest II, which allows veteran players to pay $5 US for three straight days of gameplay rather than the $15 for a month. This seems designed for players without as much time for gaming, but the community doesn’t seem to be digging it as much as SOE might have hoped.

The system only allows the $5, three-day period to be purchased once per 30 days. So, for example, if Joe can only play on weekends, hes limited to buying this one weekend per month. Yes, it’s still more economical than a monthly subscription in a way, but why not let this be purchased twice per month, at least? That’s $10 SOE could be making for a player only using the service for 6 days. If the player wants that, maybe that works better. Maybe two weekends a month for $10 is more appealing than paying $15. I mean, Joe probably doesn’t want to jump into the game every weekend, after all.

While Sony is in business and there is nothing wrong with a business making money, this deal seems way to slanted in Sony’s favor for the liking of most community members. Some are suggesting a slightly more favorable version of this idea, but right now, SOE seems very confident in its offer. We’ll keep an eye on things to see if this offer changes to become more appealing in the future.


World of Warcraft Cataclysm Complete Class Previews
As we near the launch of Blizzard’s next expansion pack for its megahuge MMORPG World of Warcraft, the company has been doing previews of updates that will be made to the classes. rather than regurgitate them myself, I’ll hit you with the links to each preview.
*Paladin
*Shaman
*Priest
*Warlock
*Warrior
*Death Knight
*Rogue
*Hunter
*Druid
*Mage

Runescape Sees biggest Update in its History, Will Hold Fan Gathering
Players of the free-to-play Runescape recently saw the launch of an expansion, Dungeons of Daemonheim. Developer Jagex has called the update the largest in the long-running history of the game, and it features new explorable underworld areas that change depending on the players who enter. The new dungeons are randomly generated, but the game tailors the experience therein to the level and abilities of the character in question, which has the devs particularly excited.

Runescape fans can also gear up for RuneFest 2010, a fan gathering to take place in London this August. Investigate its features, schedule, and tickets at the official site.

Fallen Earth Gets Tweaked
Patch 1.3.11 of Fallen Earth recently went live, featuring some nerfed XP amounts, namely cutting vehicle crafting XP in half and reducing research book crafting XP by 80 per cent. There are also changes to the dueling system and a new fatigue system.

Patch Notes: Short Stories and Links from the MMORPG World
*Final Fantasy XI players can presently enjoy the Feast of Swords, which runs until May 11.
*Trading of diamonds in Runes of Magic was temporarily suspended, due to an inordinate amount of real-world money transactions going on.
*Age of Conan will gets its first official expansion, Rise of the Godslayer on May 11. Not sure if our RandomNPC friend who goes by the screen name Slayer of God is involved.
*IncGamers has an interesting column on Elitist Freaking Bastards in MMOs.
*Quest Online has relaunched its MMORG Alganon.
*Mytheon‘s open beta test has started. Sign up here.
*Darkfall is trying to win back former players by offering them 14 free days of play.
*Star Wars: The Old Republic‘s official site saw updates to the inhabitants and biographies sections.

Thanks for reading, everyone!
If you have any feedback, be it positive or negative, lemme know via email, FaceBook, or Twitter.
See you next time~

-Heath Hindman

Topics: Darkfall, EverQuest II, Fallen Earth, Final Fantasy XI, MMORPGLand, Runes of Magic, Runescape, Star Wars: The Old Republic, TERA, World of Warcraft