[Labyrrinth]

“We’d like you to be our guest at Sony Online Entertainment’s upcoming Community Summit to be held August 1st and 2nd in Las Vegas…” (the aforementioned quote is not verbatim)

Almost everyone is aware of the upcoming SoE Fan Faire, which, if the truth be told, I originally had no intention of attending. What a lot of people aren’t aware of is that prior to the Fan Faire, SoE generally hosts an invitation only Community Summit. Heck, I wasn’t even aware that there was going to be a Community Summit until a night in the not so distant past. One evening, while checking my email, one of the many items in my inbox was a letter from SoE’s Brenlo and Ashlanne. Prior to opening it I sighed to myself, expecting a generic type of correspondence which would serve to try and reassure me and other relevant parties that SoE was working hard to make Vanguard the best game it could be …blah, blah, blah. You get the picture. However what I was expecting to read and what I actually read were worlds apart. Imagine my complete and utter surprise when I read that I was being invited to attend the Community Summit as SoE’s guest. I reread the email to make sure I wasn’t misinterpreting and then, with thoughts of roundtables, a diverse selection of community members , concerned developers, and other SoE staff dancing in my head, I responded with a resounding “Yes, I would love to attend!”

For those that aren’t aware and based on my limited understanding thus far, SoE’s Community Summits focus more on community issues and less on specific game related issues. The Fan Faire is where the specific game related discussions will take place. With that said, should any of you have specific questions or concerns of any type (community or Vanguard related), please feel free to post them. I am not going to promise the world to you all, but I’ll do my best to ask what I can and post the answers I receive as well as a general summation of each days events. Keep in mind that I am not going to promise a post every night or heck, even post the entire time I’m gone. I’ll try but you may just have to wait until I get back home for any news. After all, this is Las Vegas we’re talking about…

To end this little diatribe I’d like to say that as of right now, I’m excited. Very excited. I’ve done a bit of research and I’ve read nothing but wonderful things about the past Community Summits. I’m thrilled that I’ve been given the opportunity to see and hear what SoE is really about when it comes to community relations. I’m eager to hear what SoE has to say and what I and other community members have to say. I’m anxious to hear their ideas, our ideas, and where our differences and similarities are in relation to how we view the communities. All-in-all, I have no doubt that it should prove to be an interesting time.

[Faelor]

Very exciting!

Wish I was going

[Molpadia]

Perhaps the question I would most like to ask is:

Given that Sigil drew many people with hype about what the game was going to be, and many people, myself included, wanted that game, we have seen the game change and no longer resembles the original hype in any form. >>>Is the game going to continue to a raid only end game such as WoW or EQ2, or is there a chance for VG to be a different gaming experience?<<<


By way of explanation, a game that has Corpse Runs, slow leveling, non-instant travel a lot of meaningful content spread throught the world and the reason to adventure in every area of the game environment, produces a different community of players, instead of the rush, rush; me,me; now,now; instant uber leet click my level 50 button NOW, atmosphere I find in WoW et al.

Every time I hear the argument "WoW has 8 million ( or is it 9 million ) subscribers, any game that isn't like WoW is doomed to fail." Following that logic, Any beer that isn't bud light will fail, any cheese that isn't Kraft American will fail, any restaruant that isn't McDonalds will fail and any retailer that isn't Wal-Mart will fail. I seem to be qutie happy drinking Sam Adams, eating Cabot extra sharp chedder, dinning at the Blue Benn and shopping at the local downtown merchants. In other words there is more than one market out there.

Not everyone that playes MMO's wants the WoW experience of rush to end game and raid raid raid. I enjoyed most the old EQ community up to maybe Luclin, I started to lost interest after PoP and LoDN. I found the community feeling, both in game and at official and fan sites much more helpful and friendly, and not what I see today.

[Joodah]

I too will be at the Summit courtesy of SOE (also noticed you on the community mailing list!) and greatly look forward to it! I'm hoping we hear good things

[Labyrrinth]

I will be checking this thread often, so be sure and post any questions you may have!

And for those attending, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and meeting some new ones

[CaveatEmptor]

I really hope that SOE is able to do something with this community summit, however I'd take it with a huge grain of salt if I were you.

Just ask Woody about his experiences at the summit hosted by SOE about the Omens of War/GoD boycott in EQ. Lots of fluff given by the developers and staff of SOE who in essence wanted to create a bunch of cheerleaders to send back to the community.

I'm very jaded and very cynical when it comes to SOE and their little three ring circuses. This is a pretty cheap form of damage control for them.

However all that being said I hope you have a good time Labyrinnth. Get what you can out of it. Ask the hard questions but don't expect much more than polished PR.

[Durt]

I know this is a bit last minute. But if you get a chance to read this before you dive into the summit. I myself would really like to know what there long term plans are for VG. I recently recieved a voucher in the mail for eq2 subscription. While on the same card reading vanguard and no subscription for it. This concerns me that they might have just bought out VG to funnel people to there old standby EQ2.

This is a little blunt and forward but yet it is a very big concern of mine as one who plays VG daily and enjoys it very much.

[Labyrrinth]

Originally Posted by Molpadia

>>>Is the game going to continue to a raid only end game such as WoW or EQ2, or is there a chance for VG to be a different gaming experience?<<<

I just returned from a "state of the game" panel where end game was discussed. Vanguard end game is not slated to being raid only. The devs specifically said that while there will be raid content added, there will also be fun and exciting end game content geared toward players that prefer to solo and group.

[Labyrrinth]

Originally Posted by Durt

I know this is a bit last minute. But if you get a chance to read this before you dive into the summit. I myself would really like to know what there long term plans are for VG. I recently recieved a voucher in the mail for eq2 subscription. While on the same card reading vanguard and no subscription for it. This concerns me that they might have just bought out VG to funnel people to there old standby EQ2.

This is a little blunt and forward but yet it is a very big concern of mine as one who plays VG daily and enjoys it very much.

This issue was addressed in the same "state of the game" panel. Vanguard is going to be around for a long time. Sony isn't getting rid of the game, there are no plans to shut it down ... nothing at all like that. They (Sony, the devs, etc) realize that the game had and has issues that need addressed and though it may not seem like it to those of us that are on the outside looking in, they're activily working on the bugs. Unfortunately it's not a fast and easy process.

[Molpadia]

Originally Posted by Labyrrinth

I just returned from a "state of the game" panel where end game was discussed. Vanguard end game is not slated to being raid only. The devs specifically said that while there will be raid content added, there will also be fun and exciting end game content geared toward players that prefer to solo and group.

Thanks Labyrrinth, I am disappointed with the current state of the game, but I will continue to keep up in hope of changes.

[Puffy]

Originally Posted by Labyrrinth

... Vanguard end game is not slated to being raid only. The devs specifically said that while there will be raid content added, there will also be fun and exciting end game content geared toward players that prefer to solo and group.

Sigh...you can apply this same answer to eq2, wow and <insert any other mmorpg>.

[Moonchyld]

I don't know what this is. I think the next one is Sept 30ish. The CS I went to was last Feb around no FF. So /shrug.

[Joodah]

Here's the notes I took at the Vanguard panels at FF

Vanguard: State of the Game panel Friday 8/4/07

- Update 2 will come first as it contains code needed to make the merge work.
– Merges will follow just after Update 2.
– Performance is 20-60% better on the Trial Island due to optimized art assets.
– AWP will have new loot class - “Fabled”, which is between Legendary and Heroic.
– Crafting recipes will drop in the AWP.
– AWP loot will be the best in the game.
– AWP will have a lot of Diplomacy in it as well as Adventuring.
– AWP will have “Gnomish Commandos” wandering around for Diplomacy parlays, Academic presence, and parlays will open quests and more content.
– Diplomacy will soon have “Saved Decks”.
– Spam/Gold selling filters are being worked on.
– No plans as yet for more bank space or space in houses for items, but are reviewing the subject.
– Hacks/Wall exploiting fixes are being addressed.
– Quests that are far below your level will soon appear as gray shields instead of gold.
– Pathing issues are being addressed (npc's walking over rocks/barrels, “Can't See Target”)
– Merchant clothing will start dropping soon.

Vanguard Design Panel - Saturday 8/4

– Flying mount quests will be in sooner than later.
– Thestra Web quests (diplomacy) will be in with Update 2.
– There will soon be more quests that make all three spheres useful – ones where you must get an item, and you can kill a mob for it, do diplomacy for it, or craft the item.
– Tier 4 clothing will be related to gods and lore regarding the gods.
– There will soon be diplomacy cards dropping from Adventuring mobs.
– There will be more Boss parlays for Diplomacy: Eldor in 3 Rivers will parlay and the rewards are Diplomacy clothing.
– There will be crafting in Raids – recipes and parts for the recipes will drop from raid mobs.
– There will be Diplomacy buffs in the APW.
– More Rumor/Heresay/etc brokers will be placed in more locations, as they are currently hard to find.
– “House Burser” will be appearing in game shortly – turn in prestige to get a coin that you can use to get rewards such as 32 slot Diplomacy containers.
– Places like “Hillsbury Mansion” and other places with mobs that are too close together or have impossibly high agro range will be getting a balance pass.

[Spirit]

What about stuff like Fishing, cooking, languages, backstory, lore etc. I'm hesitant to call some of those fluff, because they really aren't. Any word on stuff like that, or is it too early to be talking about that?

'Legends Of Telon', or any other game-within-a-game - anything like that?

Basically, what are they going to do to attract people who tried the game in Jan, but proclaimed it to be the suck? What are they doing to remedy that, if anything? Who is vanguard aimed at?

Tia

[Joodah]

Originally Posted by Spirit

What about stuff like Fishing, cooking, languages, backstory, lore etc. I'm hesitant to call some of those fluff, because they really aren't. Any word on stuff like that, or is it too early to be talking about that?



Tia

Actually altho we didn't go into great detail about it, they were making it very clear lore is going to be hitting the game hard and they are really intent on going full steam ahead with it. It is one of their biggest design priorities.

[Labyrrinth]

If I remember correctly, fishing will be introduced to the game too

[Spirit]

Can you guys explain exactly what a "state of the game" and "design panel" actually are? Is that "whats getting done now" and "whats happening in the future" ?

[Joodah]

Originally Posted by Spirit

Can you guys explain exactly what a "state of the game" and "design panel" actually are? Is that "whats getting done now" and "whats happening in the future" ?

State of the Game was a general "this is where we are and what we want to accomplish", where as Design was more of the detail on future stuff and the process they go through. There was also "Adventuring classes" (which I missed unfortunately) and "Adventuring Content" where the devs actually went through designing a quest step by step and then went further with more info on future quest ideas.

[Spirit]

Thanks, Joodah. Confirmed a few things I already guessed on VG's future.

[Spritzen]

As you said it will be mostly community driven; What are the development plans for VG Players? I assume that this is a separate team that develops/maintains VG Players, why has no progress been made on the functionality? Why should players, who are paying for this continue to pay?