Filed under: Vanguard

by **Beau Hindman** Jul 28th 2010 at 4:00PM

Recently, we started a static group for Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, and since then we have made our way off of the Isle of the Dawn, the newbie zone. We started out killing hobgoblins and facing down fire demons, made our way through the misty waters of a swamp, and moved on to flying a group of pegasi into the firey Hell of the Temple of the Ancients. (OK, more like "laggy Hell," but they have fixed that issue since then.) I ran through most of the Isle's content alone before, so revisiting it in a full group was such a pleasure.

Well, we fight on! We met on Monday to conquer the Jade Depths: essentially a giant spider-infested system of caves, going through such tribulations as becoming impregnated with arachnid larvae, digging through piles of bones, and using magical portals. All was spooky -- very spooky. We are going to meet up next Monday, the 2nd of August, to take a swipe at the Vault of Heroes. While it might be old, take a look at this entry from Jaye over at Journeys with Jaye to give you an idea of what lies in store! Here is a list of quests in the zone, as well. Be between the levels of 11-14, grab your best armor, and meet us at 9 p.m. EDT (8 p.m. CDT) in Veskal's Exchange. Contact Rikoo Rakoo, Burtimus or Massively Lee for a guild invite!

Hopefully this time the larval-impregnation will be kept to a minimum.

by **Krystalle Voecks** Jul 28th 2010 at 2:00PM

With the news out yesterday that EverQuest II is going to offer a F2P version, there are many who turned to look at the other SOE games wondering if we might see a shift for them as well. For Vanguard, that could mean more people taking a second look at this graphically gorgeous game -- something we're relatively certain the current playerbase would welcome! With interesting visuals like today's One Shots from shanert, along with interesting in-game systems to play through, we suspect others would be doing what he wrote in to tell us about today: "Here's an image of my character on a tour around the rivers with a self-crafted sloop (after finishing a extensive quest-line that takes weeks of harvesting and crafting)."

Have you snapped a great screenshot from your favorite game lately? Why not share it with us! We're always looking for new and interesting things to show off on One Shots. Email your image to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy and give you the credit.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

by **Jef Reahard** Jul 16th 2010 at 12:00PM

Layoffs in any industry are never pleasant, and in a smallish community like that of the professional game developer, they can be even more trying. As we reported yesterday, Sony Online Entertainment recently announced the decision to serve 35 employees with their walking papers, and speculation has run rampant in the absence of official information.

Two of the developers now looking for work checked in on the EQ2Flames forum to confirm the news and thank the community for their support. SOE's big-budget fantasy titles look to be the most affected by the moves. EverQuest II loses Brett "Timetravelling" Scheinert, responsible for various raid designs on the Sentinel's Fate expansion. Rumored Vanguard losses include William "Wigin" Bidermann ~~and Jason "Ikik" Weimann~~, as well as Joel "Raijinn" Sasaki, the game's community manager.

Finally, Steve "Saavedra" Kramer, a former EQII designer and most recently working on The Agency, was also let go. SOE also terminated two as-yet unnamed marketing employees.

[Update #2: While we now have confirmation that Jason "Ikik" Weimann was not among those let go (as originally rumored), we're still attempting to clarify the rumored departure of the other Vanguard dev. Joel "Raijinn" Sasaki's departure has been confirmed as well. We'll update the post as soon as we receive additional info.]

by **Krystalle Voecks** Jul 14th 2010 at 2:00PM

Late at night, with only a waxing moon to keep him company, we find Shanert riding his brand new mount across a sandy expanse in Vanguard. Sadly, we're not entirely sure where this location is, but we're glad to see today's screenshot nonetheless. Why? Because for those who are interested in checking out Vanguard, but have never been able to find a group interested in running it with you, you'll definitely want to check out Beau's group night! Perhaps we'll even start to see some more One Shots from this lovely, but neglected, corner of the MMOGsphere.

If you're traveling in a land we don't see often, we'd love to have a screenshot from you. All you have to do to take part is to email one over to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing in the image. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy and give you the credit for sending it in.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

by **Eliot Lefebvre** Jul 9th 2010 at 9:30AM

It's been a rough ride for players of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes over the past few months, with the dreaded "maintenance letter" back in December that left players uncertain about the game's future. That uncertainty wasn't helped when rumors began circling that the game would be merging servers, followed by a confirmation of same. As of now, the server merge is complete, with the game's population all concentrated on a single server dubbed Telon.

The good news for players is that the merge, on a whole, went fairly smoothly. There was a slight extension of the expected operation time, which is really normal when dealing with a large-scale operation. It should also help the game's players enjoy the game with a larger population to draw from. The bad news is... well, a server merge is never exactly a comforting fact for any game, and we can only hope that the long-term benefits for Vanguard outweigh the negatives.

[Update: This does not affect the EU server which is set to merge at a later date. Thank you to everyone who tipped us on this!]

by **Krystalle Voecks** Jul 2nd 2010 at 2:00PM

While Star Wars Galaxies is currently tearing up the Choose my Adventure voting by mobilizing their forum community, there was another SOE game in the mix that was doing very well at the beginning of voting -- Vanguard! With Vanguard having grand vistas like this, and the ability to fly around on pegasi, we can understand why folks might be curious to see more of this game. Still, we do have today's lovely One Shots that comes to us from Солнцев А., who writes in to tell us more about it:

"Here my Wood Elf ranger Antalisia on Halgar (EU) server (The Third Sun guild) wanted to show you one of a many spectacular places in Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. The place is called Jalen's Crossing and it is aimed at low levels (around 8-12). It is an immense bridge built by the race of Raki (foxlike people). You can also see on the shot the several floating islands. This is called 'Arks of Harmony' -- [it is a] floating temple built by Raki, but now infested with elementals. You can get there either taking pegasus or via teleporter on the bridge."

If you think we're not showing off your favorite game often enough, there's an easy way to fix that: send in your own screenshots and tales! One Shots is entirely dependent on community input, so you guys make or break the depth (or non-depth) we show here. Our email address is oneshots@massively.com: Be sure to include your name, the name of the game, and a description too. In return for sending in your best shots, we'll give you the credit for sending in something we haven't seen before. Couldn't be easier.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

by **Beau Hindman** Jun 24th 2010 at 12:00PM

Perhaps it is all my experience with independent music that grew my patience for Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. It might sound like a stretch, but for years I witnessed firsthand the lack of power that a large publisher can bring to the table. My rickety band would show up in our scratched up tour bus, only to open for a label-backed band that also showed up in a scratched up tour bus. Such is the guarantee of the major label: a guarantee of only publishing and/or perhaps distribution. While those promises are no small thing, the fans must come to grips with what that means.

In the end, Vanguard players are just like those fans who cannot fathom why there is not a new album released every year, or why their favorite band pulls up in a Dodge van instead of a tour bus. It's a simple lack of understanding of how these things often work, and can often lead to players who feel left out in the cold, ignored by a publisher that seemingly has bottomless pockets.

I am going to illustrate why I think Vanguard is where it is now, and who might be responsible for the current position it is in.

by **Jef Reahard** Jun 21st 2010 at 10:00AM

Brad McQuaid, the former CEO of Sigil Games and one of the driving creative forces behind Vanguard: Saga of Heroes and the original EverQuest, has announced his return to gaming after a three-year hiatus. Lost amid the hubbub of last week's E3 deluge was an announcement on McQuaid's personal blog that served as both a news update as well as a job recruitment posting for his new company.

"After a needed three[-]year break from 11 years of working on massively multiplayer games with the large teams, budgets, and 3-5 year development cycles[,] I think this will be a nice change of pace. I'm also very excited to be involved in a genre that is relatively new to me. I look forward to bringing MMO design principles to casual/social gaming," he wrote.

Dust off your resumes and view the full announcement on McQuaid's blog.

by **Rubi Bayer** Jun 8th 2010 at 8:30PM

Remember those rumors of a server merge for Vanguard back at the end of April? The game's Lead Developer made a forum post indicating that server merges were on the horizon, stating that the team was "finalizing the process," and that official word would be out soon. We contacted SOE to clarify and were told that there were no plans on the horizon for server merges.

That horizon seems to have changed, according to the emails that arrived in the inboxes of Vanguard players today: "Beginning July 7th, 2010 at approximately 10:00 AM PDT, we will start the process of merging the three current U.S. servers of Telon into one server." The Halgar server will follow in August, joining the others as part of the new merged server.

All details of the merge have been emailed to players affected, and there is an ongoing poll in the Vanguard forums to name the new server.

[Thanks to many of our readers for the tip!]

Read more → · by **Beau Hindman** May 12th 2010 at 10:00AM

There are many communities that suffer from loving a game that never seem to get the attention that many of the big boys do. Or, the game that they love has a reputation for being buggy or unplayable or, worse, dead. The Vanguard community has long been the victim of rumors, a game with an unforgettable start and constant forum debates about who should be doing what.

Then there are the members of the community that not only enjoy the game, but that try and do something to make it better. These are labors of love, and often are the equivalent of random acts of kindness; almost anonymously handed out to a very needy community. So today we wanted to point squarely at a few individuals that, instead of worrying about who is going to change the situation, work to change the situation. Some of the work going on behind the scenes at some of these projects must be astounding.

by **Krystalle Voecks** Apr 26th 2010 at 7:00PM

Server merges are a fairly touchy subject with just about any MMO community. For some, they're a sign that a company is putting a game on life support. For others, it is viewed as a way for a company to pool resources and effort in maintaining a smaller server structure so they can redistribute funds and manpower into improving the game. In either case, it still beats having one's favorite MMO shut down altogether.

That's why we were interested to note a somewhat cryptic post on the official Vanguard forums made by Salim "Silius" Grant, the game's Lead Developer. While he doesn't state that he is definitely talking about server merges, the thread is named "the big merger" and merges are the primary topic in the thread. The post in question reads: "[w]e are still working out the details on this. We are finalizing the process and running it through QA while working on the marketing side so we can get the word out to people and a good bit of forewarning. Hopefully we can get the official word out soon. Sorry for the lack of updates but it really has just been constant QA of the process so we can have as few bugs as possible once this occurs. This combined with getting the other content releases out the door has made things rather hectic around here."

We contacted Sony Online Entertainment for clarification, but were told that there are currently no plans on the horizon for server merges in Vanguard. What precisely Grant could have been talking about in his forum posting if this is the case is something we're going to have to wait and see.

by **Krystalle Voecks** Apr 8th 2010 at 2:00PM

While we may not often see the lush landscapes of Vanguard here, they stand waiting for those who are interested in checking out this scenic world. That's why we're glad to hear from the occasional adventurer who wanders into Vanguard -- and other off-the-beaten-path MMOs like it. Today, we have a great One Shots that comes to us from the intrepid wanderer, Vendayn, who sends us reports on his travels from time to time. He writes:

"Hello from Vendayn. I re-subscribed to Vanguard: Saga of Heroes recently and was amazed at how good the graphics still are. By removing fog in-game, you get an amazing view of the land like you can see in the screenshot. This was taken on Isle of Dawn, while I was doing the Pegasus scouting quest."

If you're playing an MMO that doesn't often get love here on Massively, why don't you grab a screenshot of life in that game and tell us all about it! All MMOs are welcome, from big to small. Just email them in to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post them out here for everyone to look at, and give you the credit for sending it in.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

by **Krystalle Voecks** Mar 4th 2010 at 5:30PM

For fans of Sony Online Entertainment's stable of MMO titles, the time has come once again to start making plans for Fan Faire. It looks like we'll all be heading back to Bally's Hotel in Las Vegas from August 5-8 for a weekend chock-full of all manner of crazy gaming fun with MMO friends.

This year, they're offering everything from day passes at $35 on up to a Platinum badge which -- for $135 -- will net you access to all events, plus an additional in-game item, a special swag bag boasting more than just regular Fan Faire goodies, access to a VIP lounge, and even private VIP events. Add to that the room discounts starting at $65 a night for a swanky hotel right on the main Vegas strip, and this could well be a great vacation that just happens to include the awesome fun of this year's SOE Fan Faire.

For now, there's no details on the schedule of events, but we wouldn't be surprised to see Alan "Brenlo" Crosby wedging people into t-shirts three sizes too small, as well as an appearance by of one of our favorite Dwarves. If previous years are any indication, this is a should-not-miss event for any serious SOE fan.

by **Seraphina Brennan** Feb 1st 2010 at 5:00PM

It's been over three years since Vanguard: Saga of Heroes launched to a very rocky start. Many didn't think the game would last far beyond one, but here we are, celebrating the third anniversary of Telon! The last three years have seen many improvements to Vanguard, from new dungeons, to performance enhancements, to even letting the players choose which bugs the developers should fix.

Sure, the game's future may be a little cloudy, but let's live in the here and now! Enjoy the things we have while we have them! The game has survived for a third year, which is three more years than most gamers gave it credit for.

So, to celebrate the third anniversary, current players can jump into the game to visit the Historian of Telon in New Targonor, Ahgram, or Tawar Galan for a special anniversary gift package. If you're stuck at work, then swing by the Vanguard Players website and take a look at some of the fond memories of the game's player base. If you want to get a deeper perspective, however, check out Beau Turkey's look back at his time in Vanguard on Spouse Aggro.

by **Krystalle Voecks** Jan 13th 2010 at 2:00PM

While we don't often hear about Vanguard, there is still a passionate community that really likes this game. With opening areas like the one seen in the above image, you can guess at least one of the reasons they're fond of their chosen MMO. This lovely image comes to us from Sergei F. who gave us his thoughts on Vanguard and this area, so we're going to turn over today's One Shots to him. Remember, if you'd like to contribute your images and thoughts, send them in to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name and the name of the game. On that note, we'll turn it over to Sergei:

I've been playing Vanguard: Saga of Heroes previously. Explored a little bit here, a little bit there. I've seen harsh dwarven lands in Thestra continent, barren sands of Lomshir and red rocks of dark elven land in Qalia continent. But I never visited Kojan landmass, except for the small piece of it in Isle of Dawn. So I started [an] all-new Wood Elf ranger named Antalisia (Halgar server) and decided to choose her home starting place at Ca'ial Brael. (Thanks [to] the devs there are 14 completely different starting locations apart from Isle of Dawn exist in the game!)

Gallery: One Shots

Name	Date
GenCon Indy	Aug 5-8, 2010
SOE Fan Faire	Aug 5-8, 2010
Xsyon Prelude Launch	Aug 15, 2010
GamesCom Expo	Aug 18-22, 2010
Earthrise Launch	Q3 2010
Dragon*Con	Sep 3-6, 2010
PAX Prime	Sep 3-5, 2010
Final Fantasy XIV Launch	Sep 30, 2010
GDC Online	Oct 5-8, 2010
LEGO Universe Launch	Oct 26, 2010
DCUO Launch	Nov 2, 2010

Name	Title
Shawn Schuster	Editor-in-Chief
Seraphina Brennan	Senior Editor
Brianna Royce	West Coast Editor
Dan O'Halloran	Features Coordinator
Brendan Drain	Contributing Editor
Eliot Lefebvre	Contributing Editor
Jef Reahard	Contributing Editor
Justin Olivetti	Contributing Editor
Krystalle Voecks	Contributing Editor
Rubi Bayer	Contributing Editor
Tateru Nino	Contributing Editor
Beau Hindman	Columnist
Edward Marshall	Columnist
Greg Waller	Columnist
Jeremy Stratton	Columnist
Larry Everett	Columnist
MJ Guthrie	Columnist
Patrick Mackey	Columnist
Ryan Greene	Columnist
Lisa Poisso	Columnist

Filed under: Vanguard

Massively's Vanguard group smushes spiders, moves on to bigger things

One Shots: I'm on a boat!

SOE layoffs detailed, EQII and Vanguard affected

One Shots: Been through the desert on a horse with no name

Vanguard US server merge complete [Update]

One Shots: You are not cleared to buzz the tower

Vanguard, Saga of Confusion: a look back

Brad McQuaid returns, forms new company

Sony Online Entertainment announces Vanguard server merges

Vanguard community members don't let the Man get them down

Rumor: Server merge may be in the cards for Vanguard

One Shots: A beautiful day for a flight

SOE announces dates for Fan Faire 2010

Vanguard celebrates three years of Telon

One Shots: Amidst the trees

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