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  • Please be advised that SOE phone support and in-game support will be unavailable from 10am – 2:00pm (PST) this Friday, November 21st. Phone support will resume at 2:00pm and be available for the remainder of the day until 7pm. In-game support will resume at 2:00pm and be available for the remainder of their normal business hours. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause.

  • This week's winning Caption of the Week:



    "When the Zhikanii conquered earth in the 23rd century, they searched earth's history for a suitable puppet president through which to maintain control of the human population. It wasn't until after their rescue by the Omior, and several hundred years of Bush presidency, that the United Earth supreme court was finally able to pass a law closing the 2 term limit loophole by declaring clones to be legally the same person as their original."

    Thanks and congratulations to Mattness for supplying this week's winning caption!

  • Happy Veteran's Day

    November 11th Veterans/Remembrance Day is celebrated by many throughout the world. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice, which ended the fighting in World War I back in 1918 however it doesn't just honor that occasion, it is a holiday to celebrate the cause of world peace. What this day is really about is honoring our troops and their loved ones, both retired and current, for all they have done for this country and our world.

    From all of us here at Sony Online Entertainment to all of our present and former troops, their families, and supporters of freedom and peace, we give you our thanks. We salute you!

     

    We would like you to meet some of the Veteran's that work here at SOE!!

    Tracy

    Tracy "Owlchick" Seamster
    Game Designer
    The Agency

    Alan

    Alan "Brenlo" Crosby
    Sr. Director, Global Community Relations


  • This week's winning Caption of the Week:



    "Krebco chest augments lift, separate and enhance humanoid mammary glands.
    Warning: May cause catastrophic antimatter explosion."

    Thanks and congratulations to Black_Dawn for supplying this week's winning caption!

  • This week we feature a player from Star Chamber.

    Real Life First Name: Matthew or Matt for short.

    Forum Handle: mattness

    Game Handle: mattness

    Where do you live?
    North Central Massachusetts

    How long have you played Star Chamber?
    Since the summer of 2006.

    Do you play Stargate, Legends of Norrath, Pirates CSG or the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game?
    I might try them if they had mac versions. It would be hard to top Star Chamber though.

    Do you play any physical TCGs?
    I used to play Magic the Gathering back in college. When I was visiting my brother we decided to buy some MTG cards and play a few games for old time's sake. I find Star Chamber has ruined me for Magic. Half the games we played seemed to be decided by one player drawing either too many or too few land cards. SC's regular tech increase/artifact planet tech system is much better.

    What got you into gaming and what sort of games do you like the most?
    I've always liked games. I think my grandmother probably originally got me into them. She would play all sorts of board and card games with my brother and I, and we used to watch game shows with her (She was on The Price is Right once and won!). My dad never liked games. We think its cause his mom beat him too many times! My favorite games tend to be turn based strategy games and puzzle games. I do enjoy Mariokart on the Wii though!

    What type of work do you do?
    I create animation and visual effects, and do a little bit of interactive programming for a non-profit company that produces multimedia for museums.

    What other hobbies or activities do you take part in, other than Star Chamber?
    Reading, biking, origami, board games, cooking, theatre set design, and the sport of curling.

    What is your favorite deck type?
    The crazy splash deck that uses combos that nobody else would think about trying.

    What is your favorite card (playability-wise, and why)?
    Knowledge Crusader, because it gives me lots of tech with which to create crazy combos while at the same time shooting me in the foot by giving my opponent tech, and giving me one less vote at the Chamber.

    What is your favorite card (art-wise), and why?
    Tough call... I tend to like the funny ones. I'll say Peaceful Farmer, because I like American Gothic.

    What type of TCG player are you? For example, are you an Art Lover, a Competitor, an Innovator?
    I like to think of myself as a deck Alchemist. I like to try to take the dud card that nobody thinks is good, and find a combo for it that turns it into gold.... though most of the time it just explodes in my face.

    What do you like best about Star Chamber?
    I'll have to answer this in two parts, because I have to compare it to two different genres:

    I like that it is a TCG where who wins is decided more by skill rather than luck or expensive rare cards.

    I like that it is a turn based strategy board game with amazing variety and depth where an average game takes no more than half an hour.

    Could you describe, in brief, a memorable game you had, or opponent you faced, and why it stands out in your mind?
    I tend not to be the best board player, especially under the pressures of a tournament clock. There are so many things to keep track of and its easy to miss things and make mistakes, or spend to much time thinking and run out your clock. Because of this, I devised a sneaky combo deck for constructed tournaments that combo's the Harbinger with Research Academy for a card based victory. It usually either wins or loses before the second vote.

    I was playing one tournament game where my opponent, (I believe it was Ravager) was playing an Android military deck. He figured out what my deck was doing, and mounted an all out assault on my homeworld and my chosen artifact world. It was taking everything I had in a deck heavy on tech boosts and lighter on other things just to hold him off. He managed to kill my Harbinger twice and had managed to capture the rest of the galaxy while I was busy repelling his assaults. I was at -28 destiny, and the only thing keeping me from losing by destiny was a battered Research Academy at my artifact world that in combo with a full hand, exactly balanced his artifact destiny. I managed to play my 3rd Harbinger (lowering my hand size for a turn and putting me at -29 destiny) and pull off the combo and win on turn 24 on the verge of defeat, politically, culturally, and militarily.

    Do you run or work for an OSG or TCG Fan Site?
    I have a web page that hosts the mac client of Star Chamber for download:

    http://homepage.mac.com/mattness/starchamber/

    What is one thing no one would ever suspect about you?
    I have a fluffy white cat named Stitch who I take for walks on a leash. She has lately become good at catching garter snakes. Her sister Calcifer is too shy to go for walkies.

    Feel free to leave Squiggle a friendly note in the Star Chamber forums!

  • This week's winning Caption of the Week:



    "Before being shut down due to copyright infingement, Mickey's Wild Slide was an immensely popular attraction among Silica citizens."

    Thanks and congratulations to Zorro for supplying this week's winning caption!

  • This week's winning Caption of the Week:



    "Screw you guys. I'm going home."

    Thanks and congratulations to EdOWar for supplying this week's winning caption!

  • Station Launcher Beta Release Update is Live!

    During the past month, the Station LauncherTM development team has been going at it nonstop in working to bring you a Station Launcher product that improves and simplifies your online gaming experience - by managing all your games, updates, and downloads from one convenient place.  We're reading your feedback on the Station message boards to better understand what you've liked and what you haven't liked about the Station Launcher beta experience.  Because we're in a beta phase, your feedback provides guidance that enables us to fix problems you've identified, improve them, and ultimately helps us build the best experience possible for you. 
    This morning we released a Station Launcher beta update that addresses several key issues that you've written about in the Station forums.  The past month of work by our team here has been focused primarily on addressing and fixing some of those major challenges encountered since the first Station Launcher beta release.
    Here is a rundown of what you can expect in this update: 

    • Preferences are now saved - There's a fix for a "Lost Settings" bug that was commonly reported and caused many players to lose their saved preferences.
    • Improved Network Resiliency - The update enables Station Launcher to be more resilient to network fluctuations and reduces the need for players to retry file downloads.
    • Improved Auto Launch behavior - When clicking on a shortcut to a game, the customer will immediately be presented with the Game Update screen for that game.  The "News" pane will also be opened automatically.  Previously, players were taken to the Game Select screen and forced to wait for 5 seconds, before being allowed to proceed.
    • Game Update screen now includes "Show All Games" - There's a button on the Game Update screen that's now labeled "Show All Games," instead of "Back to Games".
    • Ability for Vanguard players to enter a game with selected character - There's now an "Enter As..." support for Vanguard players; a menu on the Game Update screen allows a customer to enter the game with their character already selected.  This is also supported within EverQuest II and Star Wars Galaxies.
    • Automatic Directory Location selection - When you switch to a different server version, Station Launcher will create a directory based on the name of the new server.  Previously, you had to manually choose a directory location.
    • Multi-Instance Support - Players will be able use the application to play more than one instance of a game.  This does require additional setup steps and is recommended to be used only by advanced users.
    • We want to know more about your Station Launcher experience - We want to make it the best experience possible for you.  We want to know how its functionality is working for you, and understand what you think can make Station Launcher even better.  When you click on the "Station Launcher Feedback" button, you'll be taken to an online survey to share your experiences.  Be brutally honest with us.

    Here are the Known Issues within Station Launcher.  We're continuing our work to resolve these: 

    • Interrupted Downloads - Game updates are interrupted when you leave the Game Update screen.
    • Multi-Instance Support - Additional support for this ability has not yet been added to the application, including the user interface and command-line syntax.
    • Minimize from Task Bar - The application does not toggle to and from the minimize state on the Windows task bar as is common in other Windows applications.
    • "Enter As" while using UK English - The "Enter As" feature - the ability to enter a game with a selected character -  is not working when the language is set to English (UK).
    • Update Scanning - The scanning for files has become slower and sometimes gets "stuck", especially when quickly switching between different server versions.
    • Chat Copy - One can paste into a chat session within Friends, but cannot copy selected text.

    The team here wants everyone using Station Launcher beta to "keep it coming" - keep sending us your feedback and thoughts about the latest release.  Post your suggestions and comments on the board, and also leave detailed feedback through the new survey link that's available to you in Station Launcher.  Let us know if the new fixes are working for you.  If you're enjoying Station Launcher, tell your guild mates who haven't yet tried it, to try it out and let us know what they think.  All of your input enables us to improve, refine, and deliver the best Station Launcher experience for everyone.
    Offer your feedback on the Station Forums.

  • This week's winning Caption of the Week:



    "I don't think I'm buying from blind noodle boy any more."

    Thanks and congratulations to mattness for supplying this week's winning caption!


  • Greetings Everyone!

    We have a few emails that will be sent out soon that you don't want to miss! Make sure you are signed up to receive SOE Emails. What's included when you sign up?

    • You'll receive the quarterly newsletter for whichever games you select as well as any marketing and promotional materials for those titles, such as account winbacks and special offers.

    To make sure you receive the next one, do the following:

    • Click on My Account on the top bar of any Station page • Click on Change Email Setting • Select those you wish to receive. • Click on apply. (If you aren't sure you are getting the emails, click on Make Changes even if you don't change anything, just to refresh the setting.) • Or you can just visit this link.


    How come I never seem to get any of the emails? There are a couple of reasons you may not be receiving the emails from SOE:

    • Update your Email Address: An incorrect Email Address is a common reason for not receiving the emails from the station. To update your email address, click on My Account, go to email preferences and then click change next to the email address currently assigned to your account.

    • Email is being blocked: If your e-mail system has a block, junk, bulk, or spam mail folder, you'll want to make sure that it allows e-mail from The Station@sony.com [station-mailer@sony-online.com]. You will need to check the options, properties, or preferences of your mail system to determine how to set this up.

    • Options not saved: There's a chance that your options were not set correctly when the system changed over to this system. To fix this, click on the [Clear-All] link and click on Make Changes. Then select your options again and click on Make Changes again. That should refresh the list.

  • This week's winning Caption of the Week:



    "Mmrnmhrm!"

    Thanks and congratulations to Dunam for supplying this week's winning caption!

  • Beginning at 9 AM PDT on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, SOE Account and Commerce flow, and the Station Store will all be unavailable due to maintenance. We expect this maintenance to take approximately 4 hours.

    We apologize for this interruption and will resume all affected services as soon as the maintenance is completed.

  • This week we feature a player from Star Chamber.

    Real Life First Name: Mark

    Forum Handle: Squiggle

    Game Handle: Squiggle

    Where do you live?
    Bournemouth, south coast of the UK.

    How long have you played Star Chamber?
    A bit over a year.

    Do you play Stargate, Legends of Norrath or Pirates CSG?
    No - I did think about trying LoN but upon reading about it I didn't like the sound of the lack of any real board play to complement the card play.

    Do you play any physical TCGs?
    Nope.

    What got you into gaming and what sort of games do you like the most?
    I've enjoyed gaming since a fairly early age; I guess the games that really started to get me into it were some of the old Sega console RPGs (I loved the shining force games). I mostly like strategy games - any game that will make me think.

    What type of work do you do?
    I'm a computer science (Pattern Recognition) PhD student.

    What other hobbies or activities do you take part in, other than Star Chamber?
    I play a lot of sports - badminton and cricket being the main ones, with a bit of football too. I enjoy reading, and going to pub quizzes even though my general knowledge is non-existent! I like walking/cycling in areas with nice scenery also, when I can.

    What is your favorite deck type?
    I like Ixa decks in general, because they have some very fun cards many of which interact with each other in interesting ways. I would say Ixa ditch decks in particular, because they are something a bit different and are very fun to play.

    What is your favorite card (playability-wise, and why)?
    Some of my favourite cards are those with a galaxy wide affect that cause you (or your opponent) to re-assess your position and the way you play as soon as they hit the board. To choose one, I'd go for Mirror Universe as it quite literally changes the whole map!

    What is your favorite card (art-wise), and why?
    I like quite a few of the Zhikanii cards' art as they can be funny. I'll go for Abduction as my favourite (incidentally this would also get my vote for best sound effect!)

    What type of TCG player are you? For example, are you an Art Lover, a Competitor, an Innovator?
    I mostly try to be an Innovator; the most enjoyable thing for me about TCGs is building new decks and trying them out against your fellow players. I have a fair streak of Competitor too though.

    What do you like best about Star Chamber?
    I like the community - full of polite, fun and interesting players, and I like the sheer variety of very different deck types that are played. I also find the combination of card play and board play to work extremely well. As well as giving the game a remarkable depth, it also, together with the large number of very good commons/uncommons, reduces the card-game tendency towards expensive decks dominating.

    Could you describe, in brief, a memorable game you had, or opponent you faced, and why it stands out in your mind?
    My most memorable game was a casual game against MajorMajor, because by chance we were playing decks which had the same aim, but the ways we had chosen to achieve it couldn't have been more different! His deck was human, based around generating build points by creating industrial worlds from barrens and improving them (colonization, metropolis etc). Mine was based around generating build points by destroying indies, turning them to barrens and mining them (Strip Mine, Raze, Mining Ship, Mining Colony). The game was memorable for me because it was such a curious clash of decks, and because it was such an extremely close game despite this. I was on the very edge of destiny defeat for much of the game, but snuck a military win in the end.

    Do you run or work for an OSG or TCG Fan Site?
    Nope.

    What is one thing no one would ever suspect about you?
    Hmmm. On a trip to Australia a few years ago, one day I managed to strand myself in a town miles away from my hostel and had to spend the night on a bench in the park. It was cold!

    Feel free to leave Squiggle a friendly note in the Star Chamber forums!



  • It is difficult to believe that so much time has passed since we heard those first unbelievable reports that two planes had crashed into the buildings of the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and yet another in a Pennsylvania field.

    The anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, offers a time to remember and to reflect about this unforgettable moment in history, and to reconsider the effect that September 11 has had on the United States and the world. Let's all take a moment today to remember all those who were affected by these events and to reflect on what was learned that day about patriotism and tolerance.

  • Labor Day marks the end of summer for those of us the in United States. SOE would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Labor Day weekend!



    Phone Technical Support will be closed on Monday, September 1st and will resume normal hours on Tuesday September 2nd. Email and Chat Support will be available on Monday September 1st from 10 AM PST until 7 PM PST. We will be offering limited in-game support during normal business hours.

  • Come see the team at Jillian's during Gen Con!

    With more than 26,000 attendees last year for Gen Con in Indianapolis Indiana, this year's event is expected to be even bigger and better! This will be an event to remember so be sure to get out there and enjoy!

    While you are in the area, Sony Online Entertainment would like to extend an invitation to our Gen Con Meet & Greet. Join us August 14th, 2008 for a night to remember.

    Hosted by the SOE Community Team, you will have the opportunity to meet members of the Community Relations team as well as the developers of our Online Strategy Games. So be prepared to discuss your favorite SOE Card game with them!

    Quick Details:
    When: August 14th, 2008 7-10PM
    Where: Jillian's
    141 S. Meridian St.
    Indianapolis, IN 46225

     

    Meet us at Jillian's from 7 pm until 10pm for a good time socializing with SOE employees, friends & other players. Free food will be served including pizza, mini-burgers, multiple dips & chips, fries, and chicken. Free drinks including Hosted Deluxe Well, Beer, House Wine & Non-Alcoholics will be offered throughout the night.

    Come join us for a night of socializing, food, drinks, games & fun!



    21 and older only (photo issued government ID required)

  • SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT PRESIDENT TO DELIVER SECOND ANNUAL
    "COMMUNITY ADDRESS" AT FAN FAIRE IN LAS VEGAS
    Pre-Registration for Live Webcast Now Open

    WHAT

    See what's new at SOE! To kickoff the 2008 SOE Fan Faire, SOE President John Smedley will provide opening remarks to more than 1000 video game fans at the Hilton Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The second annual "Community Address" combines a live presentation with a streaming video broadcast online. Smed will give both Fan Faire attendees and gamers worldwide the kind of inside look at SOE products usually reserved for industry insider events.

    SOE's Fan Faire is a unique social event in which players of SOE 's most popular titles congregate to meet their online, game-playing peers. Fan Faire guests will have the chance to demo new titles throughout Fan Faire weekend, August 15th-17th, including the highly anticipated Free Realms™ . This year's event boasts a plethora of game-themed live events including tournaments, contests, live quests, a variety of panel discussions and tons of great gaming-related contests.

    WHEN

    Friday, August 15th at 6:00pm PST.

    WHERE

    To listen to the webcast, please go to:

    http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=50659

    WHO

    SOE is hosting its annual Fan Faire event in Las Vegas for fans of its massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming lineup including the hit titles EverQuest ® , EverQuest ® II, EverQuest ® Online Adventures, PlanetSide ®, Star Wars Galaxies™ and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes ® . This year's Fan Faire will also feature upcoming titles such as Free Realms™, The Agency™ and more.

    For more information on the SOE Fan Faire visit: http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/.

  • This year's Fan Faire will be held in the famed Hilton in Las Vegas from August 14th-17th. Today, August 8th,is the last day to pre-register, so don't delay! Pre-registration can be completed the official Fan Faire website: http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/index.vm

    Hilton Hotels Corporation owns 2,645 hotels in more than 80 countries. The Las Vegas Hilton is the largest Hilton in the entire world and contains 3,174 rooms within the building. It was recently renovated this year and has 100,000 square feet of gaming space. With wonderful amenities in the Hilton, and a great schedule for Fan Faire planned out, we look forward to seeing you August 14th!

    For all those attending, here are a few maps of the inside of the hotel where the events will be taking place. Feel free to use these to map out strategies for maximizing seeing as many panels as possible, or print them out so you reduce the risk of getting lost during the three day celebration.

    The event schedule has been updated with new panels and other fun events. These new exciting additions include the G.I.R.L - Gamers In Real Life Breakfast, a developer preview of the Agency, and a VIP Rock N Roll Karaoke Party at the Las Vegas Sports Center. A full schedule of updated events can be found at: http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/index.vm

    The Ballrooms & Pavilions

    Friday, August 15th

    Pavilion 1
    10am- 11pm "Station VoiceTM powered by Vivox." 11am- 12pm Station Launcher
    12pm- 2pm EverQuest II: Live Quest: To Tame the Savage Beast
    2pm- 3pm EverQuest II: Guild Hall Preview
    3pm- 4pm EverQuest II: Anatomy of an Update
    4pm- 5pm EverQuest II: History and Lore
    5pm- 6pm EverQuest II: Anything Goes

    Pavilion 2
    10am- 11am Podcast
    11am- 12pm Customer Service
    2pm- 3pm EverQuest: Game Mechanics
    3pm- 4pm EverQuest: Quest Workshop
    4pm- 5pm EverQuest: Raids and Missions
    5pm- 6pm EverQuest: General Session

    Pavilion 3
    10am- 11am Legends of Norrath
    11am- 12pm Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game QA
    2pm- 3pm The Agency: Developer Preview
    3pm- 4pm Welcome to Free Realms
    4pm- 5pm The Art of Free Realms
    5pm- 6pm A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Monumental New Title in Development

    Saturday, August 16th

    Pavilion 1
    11am- 12pm Customer Service
    2pm- 3pm EverQuest II: Preview the Upcoming Expansion
    3pm- 4pm EverQuest II: History and Lore
    4pm- 5pm EverQuest II: Anatomy of an Update
    5pm- 6pm EverQuest II: Anything Goes

    Pavilion 2
    10am- 11am SOE Marketing Panel
    11am- 12pm SOE Community Panel
    12pm- 2pm EverQuest Live Quest: Portal Fragments
    2pm- 3pm EverQuest: Game Mechanics
    3pm- 4pm EverQuest: Quest Workshop
    4pm- 5pm EverQuest: Expansion Highlights
    5pm- 6pm EverQuest: Special Feature Addition

    Pavilion 3
    10am- 11am Legends of Norrath
    11am- 12pm SOE Community Panel
    2pm- 3pm The Agency: Developer Preview
    3pm- 4pm The Animation of Free Realms
    4pm- 5pm Free Realms: Designing a Casual MMO
    5pm- 6pm A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Monumental New Title in Development

    Conference & Board Rooms

    Friday, August 15th

    Conference Rooms 8 / 9 / 10
    12pm- 2pm Star Wars Galaxies Live Quest: Battle of the Echo Base
    2pm- 3pm Star Wars Galaxies: Trader and Entertainers
    3pm- 4pm Star Wars Galaxies: All About Combat
    4pm- 5pm Adding Content to Star Wars Galaxies
    5pm- 6pm Star Wars Galaxies: Storyteller, roleplaying and events

    Conference Room 7
    10am- 11am Pirates of the Burning Sea
    11am- 12pm Pirates of the Burning Sea
    3pm- 4pm Vanguard: General Game and Development
    4pm- 5pm Vanguard: State of the Game

    Conference Room 12
    10am- 11am Live Gamer
    2pm- 3pm PlanetSide: Roadmap 2008 and Beyond
    3pm - 4pm MxO: The Ongoing Story

    Saturday, August 16th

    Conference Rooms 8 / 9 / 10
    2pm- 3pm Star Wars Galaxies: Collections
    3pm- 4pm Star Wars Galaxies: Heroic Encounters
    4pm- 6pm Star Wars Galaxies: Galactic Assembly

    Conference Room 7
    10am- 11am Pirates of the Burning Sea
    11am- 12pm Pirates of the Burning Sea
    12pm- 2pm Vanguard Live Quest: Trouble on the Trade Route
    3pm- 4pm Vanguard: High Level panel
    4pm- 6pm Vanguard: Create a Quest!

    Conference Room 12
    2pm- 3pm PlanetSide: Design Session
    3pm- 4pm MxO: Developing the Story and Live Events

    Center Rooms

    Thursday, August 14th

    Conrad Room
    4pm- 8pm Early Bird Registration and Badge Pick Up
    4pm- 8pm Legends Lounge Open
    10pm Late Night Legends of Norrath Play Session

    Baron Room
    8pm Welcome Reception

    Friday, August 15th

    Conrad Room
    9am- 8pm Registration and Badge Pick Up
    9am- 8pm Game Room Open
    9am- 8pm Vendor Bazaar and Phat Lewt Store Open
    9am- 4pm EverQuest Best of the Best Tournament
    12pm Silent Auction Begins

    Baron Room
    6pm Annual Community Address from John Smedley

    Saturday, August 16th

    Conrad Room
    9am- 8pm Registration and Badge Pick Up
    9am- 8pm Game Room Open
    9am- 8pm Vendor Bazaar and Phat Lewt Store Open
    9am- 4pm EverQuest II Tournament
    4pm Silent Auction Ends
    10pm Game: Champions of the Force Play Session

    Baron Room
    8pm Grand Banquet

  • There is going to be a stress test of the new Station Launcher this weekend, August 8th through August 10th and YOU are invited! Tell your friends... tell your loved ones... tell your guild mates... they are all invited too!

    Station Launcher will include:

    • Launching Station Games - One place for all your games - launch games from one location, no separate logins, and delete shortcuts on desktop.
    • Easy, Behind-the-Scenes Updating - Ready to Go Anytime - Automatic Updating, updating can take place while computer is in use, and manage download settings for each game through preferences.
    • Connect with Friends using Station Friends - All SOE friends listed on one application, stay connected to friends in-game, game characters names private, see what SOE games your friends are playing when you are online, send and receive tells, and connect with legacy friends.
    • Purchase Station Games, Updates and Items- purchase & download a variety of content, able to pre-load games, stay current on Station news, and subscribe.
    • Localization - Station Launcher will be available in several different languages, choose the one you wish to use.

    Sony Online Entertainment is expecting to launch Station Launcher in the near future. Station Launcher will be faster than the current launchers, easier to navigate and secure.

    Station Launcher will allow each player to customize their preferences in many areas, and will offer a new way for players to keep in contact with their friends who play SOE games. Players will be able to chat with their friends while they are in-game or out of game and the most exciting thing about this is that it works across games - Play EQII and chat with friends in SWG!

    All new aspects of the Station Launcher will make game access easy and convenient, as well as automatically keeping all the games up-to-date. No more waiting when you haven't logged into a game in a few weeks. The update will be there and downloaded just waiting for you to play!

    Visit http://launcher.station.sony.com/ for more information including frequently asked questions & answers, a user guide and a link to directly access the forums.

  • All attending Fan Faire 2008 are welcome to share their photos with the community through the newly created Flickr group. The group is listed as "SOE Fan Faire 2008". The group was specifically created for this upcoming Fan Faire so all attending are able to enjoy each other's pictures.

    Do you already have an account with Flickr? Make sure you tag all of your photos, blogs, and other submissions related to Fan Faire with "fanfaire2008". We hope this will serve as a way to share your Fan Faire memories with everyone!

  • Are you an aspiring artist looking for some professional guidance for your career or advice on your artwork? Then stop by and see Joe Shoopack at Fan Faire 2008 in Las Vegas!

    Joe Shoopack is the Director of Artistic Development for SOE studios. Joe is driven to continually improve the art culture and quality at SOE studios. He is proud to have contributed in helping multiple artists gain recognition for their artwork from Legends of Norrath selected for the latest Digital Art Annual. (Some works from the annual by SOE artists are pictured below)

    In addition to maintaining quality across SOE studios, he also helps define individual career growth paths for the artists at SOE and is involved with art schools and recruiting efforts. He has previously worked as Associate Art Director on Star Wars Galaxies and as an Art Director on EverQuest II and its first 3 expansions. Joe has shipped over 30 game titles and is also an accomplished pen and ink editorial illustrator.

    Joe Shoopack is truly a respected artist and valuable addition to SOE studios. Anyone with an interest in an art career is more than welcome to stop by and meet him. He will be available to look at individual art pieces or portfolios and offer guidance on portfolio building for games, commercial work, or just for fun.

    Joe will be at Fan Faire conducting art portfolio reviews in the Conrad Room from 2pm-3pm on Friday and Saturday in the career pavilion.

  • Beginning at 9:00 AM PDT on Thursday, July 31, 2008 all SOE account and commerce flow and the Station Store will be unavailable for maintenance.

    We expect this maintenance to take approximately three and a half hours. During this maintenance period game servers will still be accessible. We apologize for this interruption and will resume the affected services as soon as the maintenance is completed.



  • Player of the Year 2008

    The judges have spent many hours sifting through nominees and debating who is worthy of the prize at hand, a free passage to Fan Faire 2008 held at the prestigious Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas. With such pressure over who to grant this opportunity of a lifetime to, outsiders who have tried to touch the Tylenol bottle in the community area have taken their life in their hands. After rigorous days spent concentrating and much deliberation, a conclusion has been reached! It is a pleasure to announce the two winners of the 2008 Player of the year contest:

    Rikoo Rakoo
    of Vanguard's Xeth Server

    ~ and ~

    Tnexus the Forgotten Hero
    of EverQuest's Prexus Server

    Rikoo Rakoo has truly inspired many Vanguard players he has come across. He is actively involved in game, creating fun activities open to everyone. Rikoo posts his adventures online for all to read, and those who read enjoy his tales. He is an avid poster on the forums and co-hosts the Voyages of Vanguard podcast informing listeners of what is new in Vanguard. He shows his passion for the game by helping those around him enjoy the game as much as he does. With multiple nominations it is clear that Rikoo Rakoo is a valued member of the Vanguard Community and more than deserving of the 2008 Player of the Year.

    Just as deserving is our other player of the year, Tnexus the Forgotten Hero. Tnexus has displayed the true meaning of dedication through his actions and thoughts. Playing EverQuest for 9 years, Tnexus takes pride in his knowledge of the game and sharing it with others. He has made good friends through the game, and continues to meet new people and help them with their journeys. He has held numerous leadership positions in guilds and for the website EQOutrider.net. Tnexus showed his fun-loving side by doing 15 epics just for fun and to enjoy. He has actively participated in attending Fan Faires and obtaining EQ related merchandise. With such dedication to the same game for so long, and all of his wonderful talents, it is a pleasure to award player of the year to such a worthy individual.

    Other players are not to go without mention. With over 100 entries there was quite a competitive pool this year, the judges had a hard time reaching a final decision. Honorable mentions go to emu.ninja of the Matrix Online for creative writing and providing players with entertainment outside of the game. MasterCosmo of Stars Wars Galaxies for his "Mother Teresa" qualities. Another honorable mention goes to Zunnoab for his in and out of game dedication to EverQuest and his server.

    We thank everyone for their participation in our 2008 Player of the Year contest. Once again, we would like to congratulate our winners Tnexus and Rikoo Rakoo.

    We look forward to seeing you both at Fan Faire!

  		•

    SOE presents
    Fan Faire 2008 at the Las Vegas Hilton
    August 14th-17th

    Fan Faire will be returning to the lively city of Las Vegas for 3 days and nights full of gaming, socializing, and fun! The upcoming Fan Faire is predicted to be one of the best; this is not an event you will want to miss!

    Fan Faire 2008 will be packed with sneak peeks at three monumental new games in development, plus special activities, roundtables, developer forums, and live in-game tournaments and quests for many games. In addition there will be many advantages to attending. An extended All-Access pass will allow you to receive an invitation to the beta testing of Free Realms and the new expansion pack for EQ II. Be prepared to receive gifts and in-game items as well!

    Players are actively talking about Fan Faire in the forums. The excitement is building up with only 17 days left until the big event takes place.

    "Registered... see you there!"
    ~ Jod_ledgemai, SWG

    "Just registered the whole Family... hope to see yas there"
    ~ Tigiar, SWG

    "*dances* We have our minimum of 10 guildies (for the discount and the table and stuff) even with at least 3 of the ones who plan to attend not in the list yet. *impish grin*"
    ~ Rijacki, EQII

    "Will be there, with a bunch of my guildmates."
    ~ Kalthanan2, EQ

    "I shall be attending! :-D YAYYYYYY!
    /dance dance"
    ~ Winter, EQII

    "I'll be there with bells on :-D
    ...Someone has to represent the old E'ci (now Tunare!)"
    ~ Merekitty, EQ

    "I'm going to be there. Sorted out flights and hotel today. Hope the 14 hour flights and time difference doesn't kill me :-D"
    ~ NeillM, SWG

    "I'll be there! I've had my plane tickets and hotel booked for a good while now... now I'm just trying to save money so I can eat while I'm there !"
    ~ Tharkis, EQ


    		"The best DO go to Fan Faire."
    ~ Jyve, EQ

    "More Tigers!"
    ~Nadadini, EQ
    "If I'm not in the tournament it's not the best of the best..."
    ~ Swampfunk, EQ

    "I'm going, and I'm looking forward to seeing everybody there! :-D"
    ~ DominoDev, EQII