SOE Free Realms

[sam, an eggplant]

It kinda sorta is. It uses decks of cards and you have battles with them and whatnot.

[Mrbloodworth]

It kinda sorta is. It uses decks of cards and you have battles with them and whatnot.

I agree with you , even if others do not. Its been about the only "Card" combat system i have liked, and for what they are, the monster animations are really really well done.

[Ard]

I thought w101 was freeplay. Don't you pay for individual adventure areas or something? Never seriously looked into it.

There are two methods of paying for the game.  One is subscription.  This opens up everything to you.  The other is buying tokens, which can be used for standard cash shop fodder, as well as unlocking individual zones.  If you play very slowly over time, this is probably the more reasonable way of unlocking the game, since it's a one time fee, but there are a lot of zones you have to pay for, and they go up in price as you go, and you can blow through some of the pretty fast.  This differs from most other free to play games in that you literally can not advance without paying to open up the zones.

Now if only I didn't feel all  when I play it...

[Jamiko]

Free Realms will have a family account option: $9.99 family subscription for up to five players.

[Mrbloodworth]

MMORPG.com:What was the inspiration for the art & graphical style of Free Realms? How much did consumer feedback and focus groups drive the direction of the art?
Free Realms:
   

We started the process by thinking up some words to describe the Free Realms style. Our words were “whimsical”, “organic”, “vibrant” and “playful”. The concept artists used those words as inspiration and started to play with painted scenes to establish the forms and color palette styles for the different regions of the world. The artists and designers collaborated quite a bit on this to make sure that the feel was exactly what we were looking for. The feel itself could get pretty complex, for example Briarwood forest was meant to be menacing yet whimsical, and Merryvale was intended to be creepy in a happy way. It was pretty important to get this all done in concept as much as possible so that when it came time to start building in 3D we had a clear vision and not waste time making changes at that point. Even through all of that, we decided several months into production to do a major overhaul to the 3D art and simplify the silhouettes and textures!

Focus tests held throughout development proved to be extremely helpful for fine tuning and getting a feel for what attracted kids. We were a little nervous at that first test but it was a big relief when the kids loved the art! After that it was helpful to show them different characters and clothing styles to see what they responded to best.


MMORPG.com:How do players create their avatars? How much customization is there at creation?

Free Realms:We wanted character creation to be as fun as possible and offer enough customization to engage players right away to give them the tools to feel expressive and creative in the process. We have options of different heads, skin tones, hairstyles, hair colors, face paint, makeup and clothes. Pixies also have options of different wings. Each customization is represented by an icon rather than slide bars because the icons are more playful.


MMORPG.com:Did the technology (how the game is being delivered) affect how much customization is available?

Free Realms:Free Realms was designed from the ground up so we had the opportunity to define and balance the right amount of customization options without much restriction from the technology. The challenge came from providing a large enough library of assets while still maintaining guidelines that provide the high level of quality players expect.

MMORPG.com:What can players of Free Realms customize besides their avatars?

Free Realms:Players can further customize their appearance through various outfits associated with jobs. Jobs offer wardrobes of items that can be combined within that job so players have control of their job appearance. We also offer “Free style” clothes which expands the types of items players can choose from.

Players can also equip fun shirts, hats, collars and shows on their pets! These costumes come in a range of colors and styles. Some are traditional, like a spiked dog collar or a pink bow collar for your cat. Others are more fanciful, like a Ninja outfit or a pirate costume.

MMORPG.com:Do you think that players identify with their characters more if certain basics – such as faces - cannot be changed?

Free Realms:Players will have the option to choose from three face types in character create. Because players will be changing their outfits throughout play sessions we focused a lot on systems that provide mix-and-match outfit opportunities so players could define which items for each outfit are worn.

MMORPG.com:How easy is it to change a look in game? Will players be able to change their avatar’s hair style or color after character creation?

Free Realms:Character create offers a handful of customizations to choose from and once the player is in the client they can continue to customize these features with additional options for each feature. Players will have the option to choose a variety of additional hair styles and tints. In addition, the players have six slots to customize outfits which include: Head, Shoulders, Chest, Hands, Legs and Feet.


MMORPG.com:You are launching with two races. Humans and Pixies. Why the choice of Pixie?

Free Realms:We chose Humans and Pixies as the starting races because each one fits specific roles players may want to play. The Humans offer players the option of choosing a more familiar character while Pixies are more whimsical by nature. It was important that each race be appealing to both genders. In the case of the Pixies, the wings can be customized to look very elegant and floral or they can be bat-like and scaly.

MMORPG.com:Do you think you’ve done anything particularly innovative with the character customization in Free Realms? What are you particularly proud of?

Free Realms:The quality of the design and art is top notch. There is such a fun variety of items and themes players can choose from, exploring these options just adds to the fun and playful experience of Free Realms.

[schild]

It kinda sorta is. It uses decks of cards and you have battles with them and whatnot.

That makes it a cardgame.

Saying it's like MtG when it's like ANY CARD GAME EVER is sort of insane.

[veredus]

"A monthly membership offers additional perks and content to your child's Free Realms experience, such as new parts of the world to explore, the ability to own in-game pets, upgrades for a derby or racing car, or additional new mini-games to master. The monthly membership is $4.99 (plus any applicable taxes). Your child will also be able to purchase individual items for nominal fees if parents choose to place money in his/her wallet."

That bolded part. Yeah that there means if I let me son play I'll have to pay for it. Anytime I let him make a character in any of my games he wants to be a pet class. Looking forward to it though and $5/month is cheap and it really looks like something he'll love.

[sam, an eggplant]

Sorry, guess I didn't phrase my post appropriately for the collectible card cognoscenti. For those of us not immersed in that world, saying something is "like MtG" offers a convenient shorthand reference for the entire CCG subgenre, even if it doesn't share the essential minutiae that enthusiasts fervently feel differentiates one CCG from another, because we lack the experience and context to appreciate or care about such things.

[Lantyssa]

"A monthly membership offers additional perks and content to your child's Free Realms experience, such as new parts of the world to explore, the ability to own in-game pets, upgrades for a derby or racing car, or additional new mini-games to master. The monthly membership is $4.99 (plus any applicable taxes). Your child will also be able to purchase individual items for nominal fees if parents choose to place money in his/her wallet."

Grumble.  Grumble.

Probably means they get $5 a month from me, too.

[UnSub]

Sorry, guess I didn't phrase my post appropriately for the collectible card cognoscenti. For those of us not immersed in that world, saying something is "like MtG" offers a convenient shorthand reference for the entire CCG subgenre, even if it doesn't share the essential minutiae that enthusiasts fervently feel differentiates one CCG from another, because we lack the experience and context to appreciate or care about such things.

Given that Wizards owns the patent on CCG systems, saying it is like MtG is a completely acceptable shorthand.

[Ubvman]

Whats with Card Games and MMOGs nowadays?

I left EQ1 when they integrated the Norrath CCG into the game. Last I heard, people were paying major real $$$ for rare loot cards that had trinkets that actually conferred major buff bonuses. Forget about SOE exchange, thats SOE pushing sanctioned RMT (in which they get a cut) through the back door.

Anyways, I hate the idea of CCG in any MMOG (microtransaction based or sub based). Now, not only do I have to gear and equip the toon, i have to have a l33t CCG pack? Every time I go explore I need to bust out my mad Hearts and Poker skills (gross oversimplification yes).

It seems to me, SOE is throwing everything AND the Kitchen sink of RMT into Free Realms. Fee Realms is right.

[Hawkbit]

On the other hand, when I started EQ2 (a few years after launch) I looted a deck at lvl 21 that sold on the AH for 12pp.  That's a hell of a lot of money for someone just starting the game.  So it was ok in my book. 

[schild]

Fee Realms is right.

Wahhh wahhh wahhh. Don't play it then.

[Sky]

I left EQ1 when they integrated the Norrath CCG into the game. Last I heard, people were paying major real $$$ for rare loot cards that had trinkets that actually conferred major buff bonuses. Forget about SOE exchange, thats SOE pushing sanctioned RMT (in which they get a cut) through the back door.

Anyways, I hate the idea of CCG in any MMOG (microtransaction based or sub based). Now, not only do I have to gear and equip the toon, i have to have a l33t CCG pack? Every time I go explore I need to bust out my mad Hearts and Poker skills (gross oversimplification yes).

Uh, what?

A few mounts, some xp potions, some illusions and cloaks. I see one decent item, a bauble that increases power while reducing power consumption (like 10 and 15%). For a minute. On a three-hour timer. Where are the major buff bonuses? The vast majority is people who want glowy eyes or a cool cloak. Or a 50% mount without needing to join a level 70 or 80 guild.

Hardly required gear. Maybe you can go cut yourself in the corner with Mopps.

[AcidCat]

"A monthly membership offers additional perks and content to your child's Free Realms experience, such as new parts of the world to explore, the ability to own in-game pets, upgrades for a derby or racing car, or additional new mini-games to master. The monthly membership is $4.99 (plus any applicable taxes). Your child will also be able to purchase individual items for nominal fees if parents choose to place money in his/her wallet."

That bolded part. Yeah that there means if I let me son play I'll have to pay for it. Anytime I let him make a character in any of my games he wants to be a pet class. Looking forward to it though and $5/month is cheap and it really looks like something he'll love.

Yeah, I let my daughter dabble in WoW for a bit and the thing she liked the most were the noncombat pets.

Anyway I'll definitely be checking out Free Realms for something her and I can possibly play together.

[sam, an eggplant]

Anyways, I hate the idea of CCG in any MMOG (microtransaction based or sub based). Now, not only do I have to gear and equip the toon, i have to have a l33t CCG pack? Every time I go explore I need to bust out my mad Hearts and Poker skills (gross oversimplification yes).

Sorry, I was talking about wizards101. That game just uses the card playing paradigm for combat. They don't charge for the cards, as far as I can tell. So yes to the hearts and poker skills, no to that particular money pit.

[Grimwell]

I left EQ1 when they integrated the Norrath CCG into the game. Last I heard, people were paying major real $$$ for rare loot cards that had trinkets that actually conferred major buff bonuses. Forget about SOE exchange, thats SOE pushing sanctioned RMT (in which they get a cut) through the back door.

Anyways, I hate the idea of CCG in any MMOG (microtransaction based or sub based). Now, not only do I have to gear and equip the toon, i have to have a l33t CCG pack? Every time I go explore I need to bust out my mad Hearts and Poker skills (gross oversimplification yes).

Uh, what?

A few mounts, some xp potions, some illusions and cloaks. I see one decent item, a bauble that increases power while reducing power consumption (like 10 and 15%). For a minute. On a three-hour timer. Where are the major buff bonuses? The vast majority is people who want glowy eyes or a cool cloak. Or a 50% mount without needing to join a level 70 or 80 guild.

Hardly required gear. Maybe you can go cut yourself in the corner with Mopps.

Sky has this accurately pegged. The marketplace items aren't intended to be mandatory or to replace the best gear in the games.

The card game in Free Realms is more of a hint about how the game is being approached. It's not just targeted differently, it's built differently. With a zero cost entry point I don't think the company is doing anything greedy or harmful. You play or you don't, and you pay or you don't. Back when I was a kid and wanted every pc game sold at Babbages, I'd have killed for 'free to play' games just on the "no harm in trying it" angle.

[Venkman]

Whats with Card Games and MMOGs nowadays?

For realz? That's like asking what's with time sinks and subscription fees, or microtransactions and unique clothing/buffs. Businesses grow into the markets that already exist. This stuff particularly. It's long been proven that people will pay micro amounts of money for ANY type of uniqueness or advantage they can get. So, SOE merely formalized the process.

[Sky]

It's long been proven that people will pay micro amounts of money for ANY type of uniqueness or advantage they can get. So, SOE merely formalized the process.

The part that makes me chuckle, other than ignorant outrage over the way SOE has handled RMT (programming note: I do not like RMT!), is that for some reason the outrage is often decoupled from an outrage over timesinks. Time = money, and I don't have a lot of free time. If anything, I'd lean toward RMT for a particular item rather than put in the amount of time needed to gain it through regular game needs, because I'd rather mow the lawn than go on a raid.

[Venkman]

Yea, I don't really have the time either. And while I have the money, not since I bought that 1.5mm in UO for the Log Cabin near Empath Abbey in Trammel have I come across an item that was worth anything more than the time investment. If I don't have the time, I simply don't care enough about it to try and get around it.

I can appreciate why people get into that mental state. And $0.50 to $1.99 price range is absolutely perfect for this. But I personally don't care enough about achievement to try and buy my way around limitations in the game system which were specifically impossed to compel this type of behavior. Because it works.

[Lantyssa]

For anyone following this, it entered closed beta this weekend.  Hopefully some news will be forthcoming soon.

[Cadaverine]

I know some invites went out this morning.  Being SOE I am almost certain it is a ploy of some sort.

[Tmon]

I got an invite  a few days ago.  There's an NDA but it appears to let me say I'm in it.

[Grimwell]

I too am in this beta. 

[schild]

Free Realms: ACTIVE
Free Realms Unlimited Play

We're excited too! No need to sign up again, we've got your info! Just keep checking for e-mail at the address you gave us during registration for updates and we'll let you know just as soon as you're accepted into Beta.

I AM SO CONFLICTED. I'M GOING TO CALL CS AND COMPLAIN.

[Signe]

 

[Lantyssa]

Guess they're excited, too:

[Sky]

That should be the official ad!

[Nonentity]

Oh, you can say you're in the beta for it!

I am in it. :D

[Jobu]

 

[Mrbloodworth]

[Lantyssa]

While other SOE betas I've been in the devs seemed okay with us saying we were in, but the language was pretty much blanket admit nothing.

Quick, someone read the NDA and don't get back to us!

[Venkman]

"I am in it".

In quotes in case someone tries to attribute that to me 

[Soln]

um.  This looks kind of fun.

[Xurtan]

I'm in it as well.