Sony(SOE) announces Prophecy of Ro for Everquest

DijonCyanide

  Alas, the most powerful force in EQ isn't Kerafyrm,but the Sony(SOE) marketing machine(freaking Gnomes).  Just when those prospective brand new EQ players thought they were going to be given some time to get their feet wet with EQ & the Titanium compendium for $19.99 plus subscription rate.  Which i'm still wondering why Sony(SOE) stated they needed to raise subscription rates in 2005 because of gaming upkeep then guillotined half the servers.  Don't hold your breath because Sony(SOE) has learned they can generate more revenue with expansion sales, every 3-6 months, so after Titanium's release in about a week wait about a month for Prophecy of Ro for $26.99-$29.99 plus subscription rate.  So far of the listed PoR features i like the arrangement of buffs ability most of course since i mentioned it on another thread.  Expect ingame functions only enabled with the expansion purchase since Sony(SOE) loves to subtlety coerce.  Expect mostly catered higher level content since most of the withering population are veteran &/or multi-accounters.  If PoR is released in Feb. i'm predicting another expansion in the Summer.      

daeandor

Ever since SOE took over complete control from Verant, they "promised" to put 2 expansions per year into the game.  So far they have kept this promise, I don't see why 2006 would be any different.  Raising subscription prices doesn't suprise me either.  When EQ saw its first contractions they raised the subscription price to $15.99 from $9.99.  IIRC you were able to lock in the $9.99 price if you paid for a year in advance.  I guess my point is that this is just SOE's business strategy with EQ.

reavo

Here's a site with some screenshots.  And they look pretty good.   

http://mobhunter.com/001454.html

DijonCyanide

  The screens do look nice & i'm sure the whole expansion will have a great aesthetic appearance.  With the emergence of newer MMOs on the rise i'm sure PoR will have similar/newer/adopted features & concepts as well.  Some of the listed interest points of PoR by Sony(SOE) seems a bit repetitive though & not SO brand-new to EQ.  i like the adage, "Content is king."  i want content with an expansion which i can have challenging fun & progress, not ingame features/functions that should be mandatory gamewide but are exclusive to a particular expansion.  Sure the little gimmick ingame items are cute, they might be the biggest selling point of soon-to-be Titanium besides the account upgrading.  Still not sure about announcing PoR & releasing it right after Titanium, but those Sony(SOE) marketing Gnomes are indeed clever runts.  With all of Sony's marketing focus groups & evaluating to announce back-to-back Titanium & Prophecy of Ro like this i'm sure it's an indicator.  Maybe it's Sony(SOE) stating, without acknowledgement, that confidence in new-players is fleeting & absolute primary focus is on remaining high level players.   i'm just not sure which since not a Gnome.  For me, the Titanium @ least enticed me to maybe resubscribe to upgrade my Platinum, but then PoR has me hesitating.  Glad to see that the Norrath deities are going to be focused on again though!   

Q the MNK, Veiled One resider, (un)official pet class of Sony's EQ  

Anofalye

Expension sound great.

 

My problem is not with the expension, it is with raiding.    Personnally, I actually enjoy when a game I play continually throw in expensions after expensions (eh, you are a TSR fan or not).  I always find it odds when folks complains, they play a game, more stuff is good.  Of course, the coercing nature of the expensions is annoying, they should never made the remaining of the game trivial.

 

Oh well...you guys should just enjoy!

Tithrielle

I'm not pleased at all about the redesigning of Freeport. I can't stand it when old zones are revamped, they just look completely out of place.