Tabula Rasa + EverQuest

EQ: Depths of Darkhollow Preview at IGN
EQ: DoD PV.
First out of the gate after release, IGN has posted a Preview of EverQuest: Depths of Darkhollow, the 10th expansion for the game. When asked about EverQuest, Vin Diesel reminisced about soloing Lord Nagafen two days after release and muttered the following:

" DoD has six new static zones -- Corathus Creep, The Undershore, Stoneroot Falls, The Ruins of Illsalin, Dreadspire Keep and The Hive - and 60 missions, similar to the mission system in the last expansion, Dragons of Norrath. Like the last three expansions, it's for player levels 45 and up and will include raids even harder than the ones currently in the game, some of which are undefeated. "

You can read the entire EverQuest: Depths of Darkhollow Preview at IGN.
Related Links
- Other EverQuest News
Features, Previews

Thu, Sep 15, 2005

Boomjack
EQLive Expansion Released

A busy week for SOE

The big name MMO developer releases its second expansion inside of a week with EverQuest Live's "Depths of Darkhollow." The expansion marks an unprecedented 10th addition to EQLive, coming in its 6th year of existance. And if you want any more stats than that, well, I'm fresh out!

The manual for the expansion is available for PDF download:

Read about new features like Monster Missions and Spirit Shrouds, discover new player spells and abilities or research the caverns of Darkhollow in the expanded history section!

Download the EverQuest "Depths of Darkhollow" manual at the official site.

Download, Media

Thu, Sep 15, 2005

Ethec
EQ Expansion Interview at MMORPG.com

Spirit shrouds and monster missions and evolving items, oh my!

Craig Knapp, Producer for Everquest Live (not to be confused with "Everquest 2 Not Live: Down for Expansion Update This Morning), offers his insight on the upcoming "Depths of Darkhollow" expansion.

MMORPG.com: For all the veteran EQ'ers, could you sum up what makes this expansion different from the others?

Craig Knapp: When we started working on Depths of Darkhollow we wanted to stay true to what made EverQuest so unique in the first place, innovation. We wanted to make sure that each feature was something that hadn’t been done in the MMO industry and I think we’ve done that exceptionally well. In addition, I’m particularly proud that each of these features appeals to players of all level ranges and players of any play-style. As anyone in the gaming industry will tell you, that’s not easy to do.

For the features list and more, read the rest of the Everquest: Depths of Darkhollow preview interview at MMORPG.com.

Features, Interviews

Tue, Sep 13, 2005

Ethec
Tabula Rasa Screenshots

Screenshots for the sake of having screenshots.
Gamers' Hell has posted some fancy new Tabula Rasa Screenshots. From the We-Got-Them-And-Have-No-Bloody-Idea-What-They-Are-Department:

"This is a test of the emergency description system. Had Gamer's Hell taken 30 seconds and posted descriptions of the screenshots you would be reading it here. Remember, this is only a test. In the event of a real emergency we would be running in circles screaming like a mage with aggro. "

You can view the Tabula Rasa Screenshots at Gamers' Hell.

Images, Media

Mon, Sep 05, 2005

Boomjack
Armchair Empire Previews "Tabula Rasa"

If the name means "blank slate," you know it has to have a good backstory!Actually, we know it has an immersive storyline because Richard "the father of MMOGs" Garriott is involved! Since TR is still a long ways out, this preview focuses on what Destination Games / NC Soft developers are concentrating on: namely a pure PvE, soloer-friendly, story-stuffed sci-fi high-octane MMOG with an accent on open-ended, class role-defying gameplay (whoa, there's a lot of adjectives there!).

"With Tabula Rasa, Destination Games is trying to do something a little bit different with the genre, taking certain elements from the first person shooter, and fusing them with role-playing. This isn’t to say that the game is going to be highly twitch-oriented, where dexterity rules the roost, as this simply isn’t the case. The game will still be focused on stats and character advancement like one would expect to find in an RPG, but the developers want to find a way to include some of the visceral, psychological elements of the FPS to include in the game. By doing this, they hope to provide a more intense, fast-paced experience for players."

Sit back and enjoy Armchair Empire's Tabula Rasa preview!

Features, Previews

Sat, Aug 27, 2005

Ethec
Tabula Rasa Screenshots

Fancy pictures of a game you can't play yet.
The official Tabula Rasa site has posted some new screenshots of the upcoming Richard Garriott title. Fanbois of Lord British have begun tatooing the following on their buttocks:

"This is a test of the emergency description system. Had the folks responsible for posting the Tabula Rasa screenshots actually posted descriptions you would have been able to read them here. Remember, this is only a test. Had there been a real emergency we would be watching Stargate SG-1 and missing it anyway. "

You can view the Tabula Rasa screenshots at The Official Site.
.

Images, Media

Wed, Aug 17, 2005

Boomjack
EQ Client Offered Free for Mac Users

The PC Version Is Still Making Too Much Money To Go Free-Box!

Light server loads on EQ's Mac-Only server have driven SOE to throw Mac gamers a bone: a free, downloadable client. Though Mac expansions only run through "Planes of Power," EQ's 4th of 10 expansions, this move seems to ensure the Mac project's continued life for the short term.

However, this isn't surprising to anyone who's played EQ Mac. The one server (Al'Kabor) was always more lightly populated than their PC cousins. The latest community manager even became more a fixture at a fan-based forum than the official ones, in a move eerily evocative of what became of EA's official support for Ultima Online.

Read more about Everquest free for Mac Users!

News

Sun, Aug 14, 2005

Ethec
Interview with Richard Garriott

Lord British - King of Saturn.
The Space Review has posted an interview with Richard "Lord British" Garriot discussing his involvement with space tourism. Marvin the Martian created an earth shattering kaboom before uttering these immortal words:

"Richard Garriott lives in Austin, Texas, and is a producer at computer gaming company NCSoft. He has had many hit computer gaming titles going back to the dawn of the personal computer age in 1979, including his famed Ultima series. Less well known has been his quiet role as vice chairman of Space Adventures, which includes some notable firsts. The Space Review conducted an email interview with him after his first space PowerPoint presentation at the Metropolitan Breakfast Club in Austin."

You can read the entire Richard Garriott Interview at The Space Review.

Features, Interviews

Tue, Aug 09, 2005

Boomjack
Tabula Rasa Interview at MMORPG

Lord British Speaks! You Listen!
MMORPG.com has posted a Tabula Rasa Interview featuring Richard Garriott. Verily and forsooth, we say unto you that his holiness, Lord British, hath spoken and ye peasants hath listened:

"Many know the name Richard Garriott well. Now, deep into his second incarnation of Tabula Rasa, we try to get to know his game as well. Tabula Rasa mixes RPG growth with FPS action into a very unique setting. We came away from E3 with a lot of questions, and this interview answers them."

You can read the entire Tabula Rasa Interview at MMORPG.com.

Features, Interviews

Tue, Aug 02, 2005

Boomjack
Tabula Rasa Interview at TVG

TVG talks to RG on the QT.
TVG has posted an interview with Starr Long, the producer of Tabula Rasa. All hailed Lord British and then wrote something almost like this:

"Richard Garriott and I (Starr Long) started this project together with other key team members so he has been involved since the beginning. For the first couple of years we took the project down a path that was more fantasy oriented, with a very unique combat system and focused entirely on instanced adventure spaces for small groups. After bringing it to E3 in 2004 we realised that the setting and visuals were getting in the way of the game we wanted to make so we decided to make some major changes. We moved the game towards a more science fiction direction for the visuals and setting. We also changed the design towards a focus on large persistent battlefields where player’s actions can impact the state of the battle. We also changed combat to feel much more like a shooter-style game while retaining RPG systems underneath everything. This means while you are shooting your weapon via a mouse click and cycling through weapons like a shooter, the outcome of each shot is being determined mainly by your character’s skills that you have built up over time."

You can read the entire Tabula Rasa Interview at TVG.

Features, Interviews

Wed, Jul 06, 2005

Boomjack

MMO news, guides, reviews, features, interviews and more at Ten Ton Hammer

News from around the 'Net