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Video Games Aren't All Bad: Study[ Comment ] Print News | Mail News News you already know: video games give you a positive social life. Results of a study released from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign concludes what gamers have known all along, that it's fun to hang out with other people in MMOs:
Virtual Interaction
Video games may actually boost sociability.
In the past, the typical hangout spots for kids were playgrounds and street corners. But today, they�re just as likely to be hanging out at castles or on battlegrounds.
In this case, the castles and battlegrounds are virtual environments in what are known as �massively multiplayer� online video games, or MMOs. But contrary to the common perception that video games isolate people and stunt sociability, some of these MMOs �promote sociability and new worldviews,� say Dmitri Williams, a speech communication professor in LAS, and University of Wisconsin researcher Constance Steinkuehler.
MMOs draw in millions of players worldwide to interact with each other online in 3-D computer fantasy worlds. Williams and Steinkuehler claim that by providing places for social interaction and relationships beyond the workplace and home, MMOs function not like solitary dungeon cells, but more like virtual coffee shops or pubs where �social bridging� takes places.
They even liken playing such games to dropping in at the famous Cheers bar �where everybody knows your name.�
�Spending time in these social games helps people meet others not like them, even if it doesn�t always lead to strong friendship,� says Williams, who combined survey research with interviews and even played the games.
However, he and Steinkuehler caution that heavy game-play might not be positive in the short-term for people who need strong connections, since it could take the place of healthy offline relationships.
�It�s really a question of what kind of balance the person has in their life,� Williams says. �For that reason, online spaces are not a one-size-fits-all phenomenon that can simply be labeled as �good� or �bad.��
.....
It's good to see that someone is saying something besides "video games are bad!" Of course, your friends in EQ are much like the strange people that hung out in the Cheers bar .... my friend Ignatious the monk comes to mind here .... However, I do wonder what "healthy offline relationships" are, and even more interesting, what are "unhealthy offline relationships?" Is it better to play EQ than go hang out with your crazy cousin who asks you for money all the time? Just thinkin'.
Our Culture:
Vallis Aspectus is a family friendly guild whose members have chosen to dedicate themselves to the progression through EQ content. We have a diverse population of members from many nations around the world. Although we are focused on advancing into end game content we are not as fast paced as some other guilds. Real-life interests remain priorities as we pursue our in game goals. Members of Vallis Aspectus frown on immature or inappropriate in-game behavior, and take great pride in maintaining the traditions and values of the guild. Many of our members enjoy tradeskilling and developing new characters. In short, we have a guild of diverse members who have many in game and out of game interests who support each other in meeting individual and guild goals.
Our Current Goals:
Vallis Aspectus is currently farming the Citadel of Anguish, and exploring new DoDH and TSS content.
Raids are scheduled to occur five to six nights a week. Raid attendance is not compulsory. Most raids have scheduled start times of either 8pm or 9pm EST. Vallis Aspectus uses a DKP system to manage the distribution of raid loot. Raid attendance and loot obtained by each member is tracked in the DKP database. Probationary members are not eligible for loot except under special circumstances.
Who We Are Looking For
Vallis Aspectus is interested in recruiting mature and knowledgeable players of all classes. Please visit our recruitment forum at www.vallisaspectus.org for information relevant to each class. After posting an application to the guild in the required format, you will be contacted by one of our guild recruiters for an interview. A decision whether or not to accept your application will be made by the Vallis Aspectus officer for your class. If accepted, you will be given our guild tag and enter a 30 day probationary period. Following your probationary period, the members of VA will vote whether to retain you as a full member or pass on your membership. While raid attendance is not compulsory, as described above, many members use a recruit's raid participation percentage as a gauge of their interest in becoming a full fledged member of VA.
May your year be wonderful and your gaming the best ever.
The next year gives us lots to look forward to. The newest expansion for EQ is under way, Fan Faire is coming, and I am sure more surprises are in store.
I am sure many of you have New Year's resolutions, and I hope you can keep them. My first New Year's resolution will be not to write January, 2006 on my checks.
Network for Virtual Reality Games[ Comment ] Print News | Mail News The formation of a new kind of network designed for the transmission of gaming data, among other applications, has been announced by The International Association of Virtual Reality Technologies, called "The Neuronet."
"VANCOUVER, Dec. 28 /PRNewswire/ - The International Association of Virtual Reality Technologies (IAVRT) today announced the formation of a first generation network created specifically for the transmission of real-time, virtual reality (VR) and gaming data. The network, called the Neuronet, will evolve into the world's first public network capable of meeting the data transmission requirements of emerging cinematic and immersive VR technologies. The Neuronet will be used for everything from gaming to entertainment to 'v-business', or virtual business.
...The first generation Neuronet network is slated to go live in 2007 through the interconnection of regional VR and gaming R&D; consortiums being formed under the IAVRT umbrella in metro markets worldwide. Consumer-accessible applications will follow as early as 2009.
...Neuronet domains are not compatible with the Internet, nor will Internet domains be compatible with the Neuronet. The Internet was not designed to support the data transmission requirements of real-time VR data so the Neuronet is being created as a separate and distinct network."
New to EverQuest?[ Comment ] Print News | Mail News Since EverQuest makes such a good gift, I am thinking that some people may be starting the game or perhaps coming back after a long absence. Welcome, or welcome back!
The EverQuest community is a great group of gamers. For those who would like more information about various things, the ongoing and very helpful returning players FAQ thread on the EQPlayers boards is great.
For those who might still be considering buying the game, the Titanium package, which includes all the expansions before Echoes of Faydwer is available in the SOE store for just 19.95, and comes with one month free playtime and free items for one character for new accounts. It's not expensive at all to get started these days.
For returning players, your characters are all still there on your account, probably no matter how long the account has been inactive.
As those who play know, EQ has the most complex and fun MMO gameplay out there, and many annoying "features" from the past have been changed to make the user interface much easier and the gameplay smoother. People ask, "is it worth coming back?" and the answer is always "yes, it is." There is a reason EQ has such a loyal and long-lived player base: it's a great MMO that has stood the test of time. See you in Norrath!
High End Raiding Phases[ Comment ] Print News | Mail News A post by Kneesmasher on the phases of high end raiding is making the rounds of the EQ community, and for good reason: it's an excellent commentary on what it takes to defeat new content in the game.
His nickname is "Mr. Sunshine," and he describes himself as an optimist. His impression of how EverQuest is perceived by the playerbase is that it's a "hard" game to play and has a very specific target audience, but in general he thinks that MMOs in the future will become less specialized and appeal to a broader audience.
I take that to mean that he would like EQ to appeal to a broader base of players.
He also seems to be focused on overall game issues, and not single-player problems that come up. For the producer, that's probably a good thing.
"In the future, I�m sure we�ll be making more instanced content."
...
"The idea of redoing PoK comes up a lot and I�m sure we�ll do it at some point. Right now, though, we�re focusing on graphical revamps of the original EverQuest zones."
...
Nolrog: "just confirmed that the code change we needed to implement the Forage AA for those players that don't have a Forage skill is done. I don't have a timetable for when you'll see a Forage AA but it will be Soon(tm)."
....
Brannoc: "We don�t have any plans to remove flags from older flagged zones. As the game progresses, getting those flags becomes easier but we like people to be able to experience the game flow in the way it was originally built."
...
Merloc: "I've gotten several dozens of pages of feedback on weapons in TSS, and I'll be looking them over for possible upgrades over Christmas."
There's lots more information of interest in the chat logs, so be sure to check them out. Thanks devs for taking the time to talk with people and take questions.
Kwill's Quill December 22[ Comment ] Print News | Mail News A recent exchange between John Smedley from SOE and Michael Zenke from MMO Nation got me thinking, What Makes a Good MMO Universe? Not every fantasy land in a story will make a good playable game ... and some fantasy lands in games don't make for good stories. I share my opinion about why that might be in this latest Kwill's Quill.
Gather rare fish, help recover fireworks, find a special doll for "Ebenizer" and save a sick child (where are all these children in Norrath, exactly?), and participate in the quest with "Santugs" Frostfell Goblins to help save the holiday!
Ahoy There![ Comment ] Print News | Mail News Who doesn't like pirates? When you want to play something else besides EQ --- maybe you died just a few too many times on that last raid -- try SOE's newest game, Pirates Constructable Strategy Game Online for some high seas action!
SOE says:
"The Pirates Constructible Strategy Game (CSG) online is an all-new miniatures strategy game features legendary ships and animated firing cannons and all the fun of the runaway constructible card game pioneered by WizKids.
Hear the roar of cannon fires and the crash of waves as you sail across a beautiful 3-D seascape.
Play with other buccaneers online to strengthen your fleet and uncover hidden treasures.
Amass wealth and fame by challenging opponents from all over the world."
Please join us on Wednesday, December 20th, for a House of Commons with the developers of EverQuest at 5:00 PM Pacific / 8:00 PM Eastern in the #StraticsHoC channel on Stratics IRC.
You can connect to one of our IRC servers through the use of your favorite IRC client, such as mIRC, ircle, xchat, or whichever you prefer. Connect to irc.stratics.com port 6668 or whichever server is closest to you:
stratics.frws.com port 6668, USA - Colorado
irc.glowfish.de port 6668, EU - Germany
stratics.afraidyet.net 6668, USA - Atlanta
You may also connect through our handy Java link which may be found right here. You must have Java installed to use this which can be downloaded from the Java homepage.
We will be discussing general topics with the developers, and general chat will be in our IRC channel #everquest before, during, and after the House of Commons.
New EQ Producer[ Comment ] Print News | Mail News Chris "Rhagnell" Lena has stepped down from his post as EQ Producer, to be replaced by Clint "Jourdian" Worley. Change can be a good thing for an MMO, bringing in fresh ideas, so we will see what a new producer has in store for the development team. Jourdian's letter seems to suggest that the next expansion may have some kind of pirate theme? Interesting. Here is the official announcement from EQLive:
Producer�s Letter - Announcing a change in the guard�
Farewell... I am here to bid a fond adieu. It has been an incredible honor to work on the EverQuest team these past years but it is time for me to move on. I never would have dreamed of this when my Druid was baking Batwing Crunchies back in '99. Yeah, I know they were useless but I liked to bake!
For me EverQuest has earned a place in video game history and I feel lucky to be one of the many people that have gotten in the saddle for a while. Not only that but to have the timing to have been at the right place and the right time to accept the star on the Walk of Game on behalf of the game was fantastic. To represent EverQuest shoulder to shoulder with the greats such as Final Fantasy, Starcraft, Sid Meier and John Carmack was a great experience.
We all know that EverQuest is more than a game to most of us. I have met a number of you at Fan Faires and various functions and I have always been impressed with the maturity and passion that I have seen. There are a number of you that I now count as friends. I guess what I am saying is that this has been more than just a fun job but also a personally rewarding experience. Thanks to all of you � even the cranky ones!
Happy trails and good hunting.
Chris "Raghnell" Lena
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hello EverQuest players! My name is Clint Worley and I would like to say that I am very excited about becoming part of the EverQuest community.
I started at Sony when it was Sony Interactive back in 1995, then we made the transition to 989 Studios, Verant followed and now Sony Online Entertainment. I have seen EverQuest grow from the initial launch to what it is today and I have to say that I am impressed! The player's feedback and SOE's internal dedication have continued to fuel the creative work that expands the EverQuest world to this day.
I am looking forward to talking with many of you and helping the future of EverQuest continue to grow. We are very busy right now on our next expansion and I can assure you that you will all be saying "Aarrr!" once it is done!
Clint "Jourdian" Worley
EverQuest Producer
Sony Online Entertainment
He writes:
"I�m very proud to announce that SOE has launched the online version of Pirates Constructible Strategy Game (based on the collectible card game from Wiz Kids). It�s our first foray into online collectible gaming which is something we see being a key part of SOE�s games in the near future. In addition, all proceeds generated today from Pirates CSG are going to be donated to Child�s Play Charity. For more information, visit childsplaycharity.org."
DENVER, CO � December 14, 2006 � Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a global leader in the online games industry, announced that an online version of the Pirates constructible strategy game� (CSG) is available for purchase via digital download at www.piratesgameonline.com.
Developed by SOE-Denver, Pirates CSG Online is based on WizKids� successful and critically acclaimed constructible tabletop strategy game, where players use die-cut cards to construct 3D galleons, sloops and frigates and plunder the high seas in search of treasure. Similarly, the digital version of the CSG allows players to build and customize fleets, explore islands for treasure and attack fellow online buccaneers for their booty. Players can also communicate in real time with opponents and allies to trade treasure and ships to round out their collections.
�Bringing the immensely popular Pirates CSG to 3D online play is the next step in collectible gaming,� said Scott Martins, director of development, SOE-Denver. �We�ve taken the fun of high seas treasure hunting and ship-to-ship combat and made it accessible to a worldwide audience in a shared experience.�
Guild Profile[ Comment ] Print News | Mail News There are so many great guilds out there in Norrath! If you would like your guild featured on our site, send a description of your guild and a link to your website and you can get some recognition from EQVault!
This week's guild is Endeavour, from the Cazic Thule server:
"Endeavour is a raiding guild with a family atmosphere. Our current raid schedule is 3-5 nights a week at 8:30 PM EST until roughly 11:30-12:00 PM EST. Currently, our goals are Anguish and Tacvi. We have just recently become Txevu flagged, and are a couple weeks out from Tacvi. We have completed 3 MPG raid trials and are close to Anguish access as well. Endeavour uses a DKP loot system. We are seeking the following classes:
Our High priority classes are as follows:
Enchanters, Monks, Rogues, Wizards, Bards
We require level 70 minimum for high priority classes with a minimum of 150 AA. All applicants must maintain at least a 50% attendance to raids in order to make full member. All classes are welcome to recruit, however there are higher level and AA requirements for other classes than those listed above.
Feel free to visit our website Endeavour Guild for more information and videos of our recent kills. We look forward to raiding with you!
Great Holiday Gift for the EQ Player[ Comment ] Print News | Mail News Wondering what to get the EQ fan in your life for the holidays? SOE has the ability to buy expansions and game time for other players through the Station Store. All you need to know is your giftee's character name, email, and the server they play on, and you can give them play time or buy them an expansion.
