Very cool news! There are systems in Vanguard that few if any other MMOs can rival and in terms of an overall full featured experience, it has few peers! I hope they invest a bit in updating the character models, animations, and other aesthetics of the game that are clearly dated and I believe hurt it from a perspection stand point.

I thought this might happen. And this is a game well deserving of some new life. My only fear is that SOE will mess it up by getting to greedy.

Originally posted by Stravas

Very cool news! There are systems in Vanguard that few if any other MMOs can rival and in terms of an overall full featured experience, it has few peers! I hope they invest a bit in updating the character models, animations, and other aesthetics of the game that are clearly dated and I believe hurt it from a perspection stand point.

Yeah, the character models could use an overhaul. The environments are still reasonably good though things like tree trunks could use some more polygons. NPCs also need better ambient animations and they need to move around some. The town are very static by today's standards.

I brought vanguard at launch but didn't last over the free month.. I heard there is no Pvp now? I guess they shut down the pvp servers? shame.. granted it wasn't very geared up for pvp but i did like the world design.

Never was there a game in existance less suited for ftp than vanguard. I wish I could forget about this game, but there is something aboout it... Well... let's see what happens when and if it becomes ftp.

Interesting news. Telon, even back in 07, felt empty. Wonder how the experience will fare with a greater number of players online.

I would wait for SOE to announce it officially before getting all OMG about it.  We all know SOE is converting all their games to F2P, EQ is currently in the transition phase, Vanguard will likely be next.  There's no telling how long it'll be before they make this happen with Vanguard.

One problem with VG is that Vanguard never had cash shops.  F2P games make a good chunk of their revenue from cash shops.  This means they would have to spend dev time adding a cash shop into Vanguard.  This would also mean they need to design restrictions to the game so they can offer different tiers of accounts.   And we all know how long it takes them to do anything or get anything done in Vanguard.  Vanguard doesn't use SOE engine so I expect to see something breaking when they attempt to add restrictions and cash shops.

F2P will be a good thing for Vanguard, as VG is a dying game it can use all the players it can get.  But F2P would also mean changes to what players are used to.  We'll have to see how they implement restrictions with tier accounts, and how they strip what people are used to and put them onto the cash shops.

Originally posted by Adamantine

Originally posted by oubers

Originally posted by Superduper69

 

Vanguard is not a sandbox. It just has some typical sandbox features, like no instancing or a seamless world. But its a perfect themepark - you cant change ANYTHING about the gameworld. All it has is quests, dungeons and raids. Well and harvest, crafting, diplomacy, extreme worldsize, and everything in extreme abundance.

 

 

Not totally true, since you can place and build your own non-instanced house in about 12 different designs, which stays in place, i.e. changing the gameworld to an extent.

Apart from that, it's fabulous news.

Vanguard gets a new community manager. Could this be another sign for f2p?

http://vgplayers.station.sony.com/newsArchive.vm?section=News&month=current&id=1363

I was able to play this game when SoE gave out free subs to all games you had (even trial accounts) and it was actually quite fun. The problem is the game has a large group focus and there is not a large enough population. I think F2P would be great for this game, assuming the cash shop doesn't ruin the game.

And I say again, Pro7 said its going ftp in Europe. SOE has said nothing about F2P in the US.

This was on the forums today.

At this time, Vanguard is not included with the ProSiebenSat.1 publishing deal.  If this should change we will certainly let you know.  You are welcome to continue providing your feedback about the overall plans though. We have gained some very useful insights from Vanguard players on the overall ProSieben deal and appreciate your input!

Oh well, better luck next time I guess.

Originally posted by cybertrucker

Seeing how Vanguard is a truly open world (minus APW)  and the underwater dungeon (cant remember the name) I dont see how they will keep people from going into areas in the FTP exception is APW. Which is an absolutely amazing raid dungeon.

Probably will do something along the lines of Cant equip Legendary items, Unless you get station cash to open it up. Maybe make 1 class for each of the Archetypes available.

IE Warrior, Cleric, Sorc, Rogue. Others will have to made available thru Station Cash.  Maybe make Max level 50 unless you pay station cash for upper levels.

If this brings light back to Vanguard I may go back myself. i have Station Access. But just cant stand to see the world so unpopulated. And you can only champion the cause for so long before you say. enough is enough. I will say. Tanks were way overpopulated (at least in my guild) which had me sitting on my thumbs in APW raids way to often. Especially since my guild leader and 2 offficers were tanks as well. (guess who got to the tanking haha)

I do hope they do something about armor. Maybe make appearance slots. I always hated running around looking like a mixed up vagabond.

But then again. I dont know if I will go back. I am really enjoying my time in EQ2 right now as well.

um. 

1. They do not have to restrict dungeons 

2. Put invisible wall in front of dungeon entrance, only enter if FLAGGED = done

3. Vanguard has appearance slots.

It better not have stupid class restrictions like EQ2.

I jumped for joy just now.  Truly.  Listen to me SOE, when it goes F2P, I'm going to resub and go GOLD.  Do it quickly though before I'm pulled away by TSW and GW2.

As Skaara has posted, Zat has mentioned on the VG forums that there's no deal in place currently. link

As a couple of people have said, my information is that no deal is happening for VG. In fact the rumour is that SOE are looking to revamp their game catalogue (which includes buying another mmo) but that future catalogue won't include making VG F2P.  Most likely scenario is that VG will be shut down in August if no other publisher is willing to take it on as they do not see it as having a viable future without some major investment.

Edit. clarity.

Originally posted by Josh007CL

Vanguard gets a new community manager. Could this be another sign for f2p?

http://vgplayers.station.sony.com/newsArchive.vm?section=News&month=current&id=1363

 

Unfortunately no it's not a sign.  Naylie got moved to EQ1 (promoted), so Zatozia is going to take over.  It's not good news at all because certain folks at SOE are just watching over several games because there aren't much going on.  Naylie is an active community manager, so it was good news when she was still with Vanguard.  Now she's moved away from Vanguard, that's not good news at all.

Again folks need to wait for official announcements from SOE before getting too excited.

Interestingly enough Zat has also been revealed as the new CM for the EQMac community: link

Originally posted by Xexv

Interestingly enough Zat has also been revealed as the new CM for the EQMac community: link

Yup EQMac community is another small, not as active community.  There are folks at SOE that watches over these smaller, non-active communities.  When your game is assigned such rep, you know it's a downgrade and does not indicate SOE seeing Vanguard becoming active anytime soon.  While losing Naylie isn't a big deal for VG as Naylie's just a community rep.  But it's telling because she got promoted to an active community, while VG is assigned someone to simply watch over various lower populated and low activity communities.

I will most likely play this game if it goes F2P. The game was unplayable for an extremely long time after launch, sure, but the game itself as far as detail, class systems, and content (dungeons) is absolutely spot on. Not to mention this game has: flying mounts, player crafted boats, and player crafted housing. For it's time, this game had many revolutionary ideas. Hopefully the F2P platform can help bring people back so the game has an actual community.