Aug
3

SOE Deals its hand

I just finished listening to the SOE announcement, and the new game is going to be Legends of Norrath. Yes…the website pretty much appeared as the announcement was made. Here’s the deal…it’s a card game.

From the website:

Legends of Norrath is an online-only trading card game, based on the richly-detailed sword-and-sorcery world of Norrath from the massively multiplayer online role-playing games EverQuest and EverQuest II. Playable from within the MMOs and separately, Oathbound, the first set for Legends of Norrath features over 375 digital cards and is available in both a 55-card digital starter deck and 15-card digital booster packs. Play as one of many Oathbound avatars and decide your own fate as you choose between the paths of good or evil.

EverQuest? and EverQuest?II Interactivity: Catered specifically for the EverQuest and EverQuest II gamer, Legends of Norrath has been specially designed to work both with and within your existing EQ and EQII games. Launch LON from either game or individually via the stand alone client.
Earn EQ and EQII In-Game Special Rewards: Earn special loot cards from Legends of Norrath including mounts, potions, baubles, cloaks and more! Redeem these cards for your in-game loot items and deck out your EQ and EQII character.

Single-Player Campaigns or PVP: Test your skills against a sophisticated, re-playable AI system and earn special reward cards by completing campaigns or challenge players all over the world in online game lobbies where you can play both casual games and high-level tournaments.

Sophisticated Online Play: Featuring tools perfected through five previous collectable trading games, utilize the Deck Builder, Collection Manager, Trade Lobby, Tournament Lobby and numerous Casual Games Lobbies where you can find opponents any time of the day or night.

Multiple Ways to Win: Win by completing a series of four quests or reduce the health of your opponent’s avatar to zero. Be the best ultimate strategic mastermind as you choose your path towards victory.

Original Fantasy Artwork: Featuring original interpretations by experienced fantasy artists, players of EverQuest and EverQuest II will find themselves reacquainted with legendary EverQuest and EverQuest II characters, creatures, locations, and items. In addition, witness new avatars and minions introduced for the very first time.

Actually, I’m pretty excited about this. I’ve never played card games before, but I may have to try this one. What separates this from the WoW offering is that cards will drop in game…so you get some of these things for free without going to a store and buying them. I think, and please correct me if I’m wrong, that everyone who plays EQ and EQ2 will be getting a starter deck. Nice.

Looks like SOE is one-two punching Blizz in this round of MMO announcements.

D out.

Posted in SOE Uncategorized
11 Comments Posted by Darren

Esp3n says:

August 3, 2007 at 9:40 pm

cool^^ so its a card game, inside a game, wonder how its going to be playing this (or did I get this all wrong? xP )

pvthudson says:

August 3, 2007 at 10:36 pm

Is FANTASTICAL a word?

Otherwise, looks cool. I like Star Chamber also

cyanbane says:

August 4, 2007 at 1:09 am

I’m pumped. I think it looks great, i probably won’t be investing a huge amount of money building a deck, but hell I don’t have too.. i will get them taking out mobs.

ogrebears says:

August 4, 2007 at 2:31 am

ya i am excited as well… Though i did find a bad part.. the Loot card as the site calls it. On there site they said you will get some loot card for every booster pack you buy. If you can pick which ones you get you could esstialy buy a bunch of xp potions and level up faster than anyone else would. Other than that i’m pumped.

Lishian says:

August 4, 2007 at 6:50 am

I’m pumped… I already diddled about it too

Bildo says:

August 4, 2007 at 10:01 am

Leveling up faster? Meh, it’s not the end that matters, it’s the journey there. Let the PLers get there faster, I’ll take my sweet old time.

(Hell I am only 17 after all). EQ2 is starting to convince me I’ll be playing it a long while. It’s such a breath of fresh air after WoW and LotRO’s bleh-ness.

Pixie styx says:

August 4, 2007 at 10:05 pm

ok ive done it i joined eq2 to see what all the fuss is about, on AB look for my name sake and give me all your gear he eh or Riverstyx. As for the card game, could be entertaining but I really dont need another addiction he eh

Pixey styx says:

August 6, 2007 at 7:53 am

hmm seems like they will be charging $9.99 for starter packs and $2.99 a booster pack, usual standard fair for ccg’s. Not sure with sub chgs for eq2 or station pass if this is going to be as popular as they think … I’m certainly not going to be paying that … but there again others may

Lars says:

August 6, 2007 at 9:52 am

Yes, fantastical is a word. Its a fantastical word. Its also in the English dictionary.

This is a great idea on Sony’s part. I wonder why it took so long for someone to do this. Square-Enix dropped the ball when they released Tetra Master and FFXI all those years back. Players were surprised they kept the games separate considering their history of having mini-games within each FF game.

As for the booster packs providing xp potions, /shrug. Its not a competition. Even on the PvP servers, since they all level lock. So what if people want to blow all their money to skip all the content and reach the end game where they complain there isn’t enough to do? At least they are investing in Sony who will theoretically pour that money back into the game, as opposed to an MMO power leveling sweat shop in East Asia.

Town Crier » MMORPGs Communication in IGSKY says:

August 12, 2007 at 8:17 pm

[...] Sense Gamer reviewed the information of the newly announced card game, Legends of [...]