Rod Humble Becomes Sim Head

Now here's a name I hadn't heard much since the days back when I played Everquest like a crack addict! Rod Humble, the one-time head of the EQ studio at SOE has just been promoted to Senior Vice President and Head of The Sims label for EA. Rod, who has been with The Sims label since he joined EA in 2004, will be responsible for all things Sims-related, taking the place of Nancy Smith, who will be stepping into a new executive role at EA to be defined in the coming months.

“The Sims Label creates original entertainment experiences which are unique in the way they bring culture, interactivity and creativity together,” said Rod Humble. “It is a privilege to lead The Sims Label team as we look forward to new ways of surprising and delighting customers in this rapid growth time for interactive entertainment of all kinds.”

You go Rod! The Sims need more half-naked wood elves!

Star Wars Galaxies Designer Jeff Freeman Dies

Jeff Freeman, whose work includes stints at Spacetime Studios and Sony Online Entertainment on Star Wars Galaxies as lead gameplay designer, has died at the age of 39, an apparent suicide, reports The Escapist. Freeman was the target of the Star Wars Galaxies community's ire following the launch of the "new game experience" that took players by surprise with its timing and sweeping changes. The Escapist detailed the targeting of the game designer by SWG devotees in this 2007 write up. Freeman left SOE in 2006 to join Spacetime.

Freeman's brother tells the Escapist that "personal issues," not the fury of SWG players were at the root cause of his decision to take his own life.

Jeff Freeman, Former SWG Lead Gameplay Designer, Dies [The Escapist]

SOE Looks To PSP For MMORPGs

Could full-on, traditional MMO games play a part in the future of Sony's PSP? Speaking with MTV Multiplayer at the New York Games Conference on Friday, Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley expressed great interest in the PSP as a MMO-delivery device.

“We started to get very interested in [the PSP] when we switched over from Sony Pictures to Sony Computer Entertainment back in April,” he explained. “And as we’ve kind of got our heads up looking around the world within Sony Computer Entertainment, we’re really starting to see a big push for PSP. We think it’s a world-class device… In the future, we see full MMOs that are designed for the PSP.”

While we wait for a full MMO on the handheld, Mr. Smedley tossed out a couple ideas for integrating the PSP into existing games, including a virtual pet that ties in with a pet in the family-friendly MMO Free Realms, or mini-games that let you level up your character offline. Great ideas both, really. I love my PSP, but it isn't exactly burning up the handheld market right now. Fresh ideas and unique applications are very welcome indeed.

Sony Online Considering MMOs On PSP [MTV Multiplayer]

Vanguard Still Wants You Back, Won't Stop Calling

Sony Online Entertainment's Vanguard: The Saga of Heroes has gone through some pretty big changes over the past several months, including the introduction of new character models and an all-new starting area to take players through to level 10 called the Isle of Dawn, and they'd like you to come try it out again, if that wouldn't be too much of an imposition. Players with deactivated accounts (like me!) will be able to log into the game from now until October 18th for free, continuing their aborted adventures or starting up a new character to try out the Isle. Returning players who progress through the Isle of Dawn into the mainland and then reactivate a paying subscription will receive a free pair of Gnomish Rocket Boots (no relation) to help speed you on your way.

As I've said before, Vanguard has some very good things going for it, and my time in the game was certainly enjoyable to a point. I'd check in again if I had the time, but with the end-of-the-year gaming spectacular in full swing I won't have the time. Anyone still playing out there that can give us the down-low? Worth the reinstall, or no?

Agency Devs Exploring Cross-Platform Play

The developers of upcoming MMO The Agency, Sony Online Entertainment, are releasing the game on two platforms. PC and PS3. So it's natural to hope that they're looking at cross-platform play between users of either system, yes? Correct. Natural and fortunate, because that's exactly what they're doing. Replying to a question asking about play between PS3 and PC users, SOE's Matt Wilson replied "we're actually doing that at the office. Technology-wise, it's really not that complicated". Good news! Temper that good news, however, with a pinch of pragmatism; just because they can do it, doesn't mean they will. There's all sorts of things to consider, from the ease of hacking/cheating on PC to differences in control schemes to the inevitable "that's not fair" whining that comes when one group of players is using a control system they think isn't as good as another.

SOE's Wilson Talks Connected PC, PS3 Game Worlds [Gamasutra]

A less tenacious, more sensible MMO company would have long left Vanguard exposed on the side of a mountain to languish until death, but not our friends at Sony Online Entertainment. No, big things are in store for Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, starting with a brand new starting area and updated character models that could be out as early as this week. Taking a cue from Everquest 2, they'll be launching a new starting area that doubles as a trial version of the game called the Isle of Dawn. Subscribers will be able to choose from their race's starting area or the Isle, which allows players to adventure up to level 10 before moving on, or in the case of free trial players, forking out some cash.

Also included in the update will be the eagerly anticipated new character models, which promise to make the men manlier and the women not-quite-as-manly, which is always a good thing, unlike releasing an update for your floundering MMO weeks before the release of Warhammer Online, and while thousands of bug fixes sounds like a good thing, it does pretty much indicate thousands of bugs to be fixed. Hrm.

Get Ready for Game Update 6! [Vanguard Players via Eurogamer]

'Debunking the Stereotypical Gamer Profile'

Today signals the launch of the first installment of Sony Online Entertainment's brand new online Star Wars trading card game, Champions of the Force. The game depicts the epic battle between the forces of good and evil using a set of over 250 virtually collectible cards. Play alone in solo-play mode or challenge your friends and enemies online in between bouts of whatever it is you SWG players actually do online.

Right now the SOE store has a deal where you can get the original game, The Rage of the Wookies and Jump to Lightspeed expansions and a starter deck for the card game for $14.99, with all paying subscribers receiving five free booster packs each month to help bolster their decks. Starters are available for individual purchase for $9.99, with boosters running $2.99 or $99.99 for a virtual box of 36 boosters. Honestly I am a bit hazy on how the whole thing works, so why not head over to the trading card game page and figure things out for yourself? May the force be with you and all that.

Sony Online Entertainment Fan Fair Reg Extended

The 2008 Fan Faire is right around the corner and Sony Online Entertainment just announced that "due to record breaking response" they've decided to... extend registration. Wha?

SOE tells me that they currently have a bit more than 1,100 people registered for the event and that compared to previous years that is a "very strong number." If you were thinking about going to Sony's celebration of all things SOE, Everquest and MMO-ey, hit up the site to register. You can also register on site, though only pre-registered folks are guaranteed the in-game rewards.

The event is being held at the Las Vegas Hilton from Aug. 14 through Aug. 17 and registration will set you back $89 for the weekend or $39 for a day.

This year's event will include a second annual community address by John Smedley, a Gamers in Real Life breakfast and a chance to pre-order the Everquest 10th Anniversary Commemorative Book.

The full schedule can be found here.

Fan Faire 08 Schedule [SOE]

Jim Lee Dishes On DC Universe Online

Sony Online Entertainment treated members of the press to a luncheon earlier today, part of the Comic-Con 08 push for DC Universe Online. The massively-multiplayer online action RPG, coming to both the PlayStation 3 and PC platforms, will be playable by the public for the first time tonight. We'll be going hands-on with the title this evening, taking part in an in-game Brainiac themed live event with other DC heroes.

We sat down with DC Comics executive creator Jim Lee earlier today to talk about the SOE-developed, DC-branded game. Lee told me that he was the one who had approached SOE after catching wind of the project, an effort which had experienced multiple starts and stops.

As a fairly serious EverQuest player — Lee played Paladin, for the record — the artist turned exec knew his stuff. He dropped MMO-isms (LFG, instances, the grind) like it was his natural language, and with a working knowledge of the DC universe, fans of the genre and the brand should feel confident that it's creatively in good hands.