Vanguard Articles

[Morreion]

Vanguard US server merge complete (Massively)

Down to 1 server, but it's a big world out there!

Massively's Community Detective, Issue #5: Vanguard - Saga of Heroes

The Massively folks found Vanguard customer service good and they found the community to be "hands-down one of the friendliest, most helpful MMORPG communities in existence." Although the population was small, the quality was high.

[Morreion]

Massively's Choose My Adventure series goes to Vanguard:

Choose My Adventure: The isle of noob

"Overall, though, Vanguard has surprised me thus far with its depth, and it is offering a challenge that I'm enjoying thus far. While I'm only in the initial learning stages, I can already tell that this is an MMO for anyone who has ever wanted something akin to the old-school, difficulty-curve MMOs that lacked modern-day hand-holding."

Choose My Adventure: Second verse, same as the first

Choose My Adventure: Off to the mainland

Choose My Adventure: Holiday? What holiday?

[Morreion]

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes: The Shadow of Things to Come?
It is MMORPG.com writer Phil James's fondest hope that Vanguard will soon go free to play. As he states, the precedent has been set by SOE with Everquest 2 Extended. But would a F2P iteration of Vanguard come too late to save it or is Matrix Online the shadow of things to come? Check out Phil's thoughts then weigh in with your own.

Once again, I’ll ask, but does it need saving? Again, I’d have to say yes. The game is a worth pulling back from the brink. It’s a great way to spend your evenings and weekends. Despite the lack of shiny new things, Vanguard has a lot of content in the form of its three spheres of advancement: adventuring, crafting and diplomacy. For those who with an eye on the horizon, it has immense maps to explore. Crafting is complex enough to get your kicks that way and diplomacy is a fairly engaging card game. Character classes fall into the main areas of tank, dps and healer, but many of them play out in interesting and unexpected ways. I’d love to see Vanguard saved and eventually flourish.

Vanguard would be a great F2P game!

One Shots: Not as quiet as it seems (Massively)

"While exploring Telon, I came across this beautiful landscape at sunset."

[Morreion]

Vanguard going F2P!

A Vanguard fifth anniversary year-in-review (Massively)

We took a look back on the last year to see what the larger announcements were. There were some surprises and even updates (yes, actual updates to the game), something that is still affecting the community. While other games might publish monthly or even weekly updates, the Vanguard players are the camels of the greater MMO community and have learned to live off very little development fuel.

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Review: It's a Gem of a Game
In our continuing effort to look at games that are considered to be 'aging' yet are still healthy and viable, MMORPG.com's Som Pourfarzaneh takes another look at Vanguard in our re-review. Som opines that Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is a 'gem of a game that could use a little developer love'. Check out Som's re-review and then let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Final Score
7.7
Average

Pros
Beautiful open world
Much more polished than at launch
Three deep spheres of game play

Cons
Hard to justify subscription fee
Some archaic game systems
Still some balancing issues

Vanguard has certainly come a very long way from its rocky launch, and is a very deep PvE game that fans of the fantasy MMORPG genre should check out. We still think it could benefit from some more dev love, an aggressive marketing push, and a F2P makeover (or even just an endless Isle of Dawn trial option), but as it stands, the game works a lot better than it used to and can really suck you into its immersive world. If you’ve been away for a while, or have yet to try it, go for it. You can make your own boat!

The Daily Grind: Does Vanguard's diplomacy system deserve another shot? (Massively)

Some people loved it -- and still do -- while others ignored it entirely. In any case, Vanguard's well-known struggles to stay afloat have kept the larger MMO community from experiencing the diplomacy system, which I feel is a shame. I've always hoped that other MMO devs would take this idea and run with it, creating a "next generation" version that would work well in contemporary games, sort of how Warhammer Online's public questing was picked up and revised for games that would follow (just as WAR picked it up from Ultima Online).

Agreed!

One Shots: A single step (Massively)

The image is from the starting area Isle of the Dawn. You start in a Japanese style location, and you have to save the helpless people of the area from an incoming invasion. However, the landscape is so fantastic that I like spending more time running around than fighting things.

Why Isn’t Vanguard Overrun By Those Seeking an “Old School” MMO? (The Ancient Gaming Noob)

My theory is that many of those seeking such an experience really have something specific in mind. I suspect that they do not, in fact, seek an old school experience, but rather long to experience their first game as it was when they played it initially. Basically, I think they want an old school experience in their old school, not in some new world.

A Dragon In Ahgram: Vanguard (Inventory Full)

So it was a joy to see the Festival Square in Ahgram filled with people for the fifth anniversary party yesterday. Well, it was a joy when I finally found it. I didn't know Ahgram even had a Festival Square. I spent nearly forty minutes running around the dusty sun-drenched streets and flying above the flat, white roofs looking for fireworks and listening for the sounds of people having fun.

I Came Here To Be Podkilled: Vanguard Spider Cave Edition (Toldain Talks)

My youngest child, taking a break from playing Skyrim, wandered past and watched me playing for a bit. "Why do you play this game?" she exclaimed, somewhat bemused by the uncharacteristically foul language gracing my lips. It was hard to explain.

All I could manage was a vehement, "I can do this!"

There were lots of little internal metrics that told me that I was getting better at it, and that's something I enjoy. For example, the number of kills I could do between deaths was getting bigger. I revised my damage sequence and the mobs were dropping faster. Sometimes now, I could throw up my fast root when things had gone bad and run away and survive. My experience bar was moving forward even though it was three steps forward, and two steps back when I died.

Free for All: Playing pretend and the Vanguard F2P experiment (Massively)

...So our pretend Vanguard is released with this odd yet disturbingly brilliant western model of free-to-play. Any mention of the game will be met with the highest praise, simply because of this free access. Despite the fact that the subscription option was already there and the fact that many of those players were already paying $15 a month for basic access, SOE will be called heroes for opening the free gates to the world of Telon. Meanwhile, more players subscribe because of the new excitement surrounding the game. Even older players who swore to never return will return and will probably spend more in a month in the cash shop than they ever intended. Those backpacks and experience pots sure are tempting, and hey -- it's only five dollars!

Vanguard going free-to-play this summer, beefs up dev team (Massively)

While specifics about the F2P conversion are hazy at the moment, SOE says that players should look to its work with previous MMO F2P adaptations (such as the recently relaunched EverQuest) for an idea how things will go down in Vanguard town.

It's not just going to be a token change for this mostly forgotten title; SOE says that it has assembled a new team of Vanguard-loving devs to generate more frequent updates, including "general improvements and new content."

Excellent!

[Morreion]

Vanguard is now F2P; Brad McQuaid returns



Vanguard: Saga of Heroes new official website

Vanguard going free-to-play on August 14th (Massively)

Sony Online Entertainment notes that the game has undergone many changes over the last few months in preparation of this monumental event. Some changes include a revamp of the starting areas, removal of class/race restrictions, and the addition of the Vanguard Marketplace. The official website has also seen some upgrades and has a new address to match the new look; be sure to bookmark the new site at www.vanguardthegame.com. Players can also expect to see even more changes as the days count down to the launch.

Free-to-play details for Vanguard released (Massively)

It's either F2P with restrictions or sub for $14.99 a month. Not the best plan according to many commenters, who think the F2P restrictions are a bit much

Free-to-play Vanguard: Saga of Heroes now available for download (Examiner)

Although scheduled to make the free-to-play transition on August 14, 2012, Sony Online Entertainment soft-launched Vanguard with a hybrid payment model today. Gamers can now download and play Vanguard: Saga of Heroes for free with some limitations.

Like other SOE free-to-play titles, playing for free comes with a few restrictions. For starters, free players can only play 6 of the 19 available races and 7 of the 15 available classes. These players have a platinum limit, pay higher broker fees, pay higher mail fees, have limited access to banks and items, and more. A free player can, however, reach the level cap on a free class and race. They can purchase other races and classes as they see fit.

Game Update Summary - August 7, 2012 (Vanguard official forums)

Patch notes for the F2P patch.

The Soapbox: The curious case of Vanguard (Massively)

In any event, Vanguard's immediate future should be interesting to watch, and the bottom line in all of this is that we're witnessing a pretty rare occurrence as a niche game gets a second shot at the big-time. I hope to see a lot of you in Telon both now and in the future.

Why I Play: Vanguard, Saga of Heroes (Massively)

The world of Telon is open-world, and in an era of instancing and hubs, it's refreshing to be able to stretch out and just explore. Every horizon has something eye-catching that begs you to travel to it, and you can see for miles. There aren't mountains and tree-lined hills that artificially box you in. Heck, I can see Mount Stiirhad from my backyard.

One of the things I enjoy most any time I pop into Vanguard is traveling, but I'm not sure which I enjoy more: sailing my Kojani caravel or sailing the skies on Randolph the Reindeer (and yes, I was sad when he was recently grounded). Any time friends popped on to check the game out, I'd always hand them some coins and tell them to rent a flying mount, and they'd always end up reacting similarly to Harry Potter when he first rides a Thestral. Vanguard provided the freedom to fly at a time when it wasn't nearly as common as it is now, and it's the perfect world to explore from the air.

Some Assembly Required: Desert homes of Vanguard's Qalia (Massively)

What were some of these ideas? I came across statues created out of... well, I am not even sure what, but one resembled an elephant in a cage. I saw aquariums, a private theater with a large screen depicting a show, a masseuse parlor, and even the aforementioned Foosball table! There were roasting dragon skulls and artfully arranged vases and assorted pottery highlighting the desert furniture style. Many homes sported kitchens and baths. I also came across a throne guarded by pigs at attention. (Remember the pig washing dishes in Kojan? It seems pork servants are all the rage Telon-wide!) Since it was my first time in a Qalian guildhall, I have to say that those things are simply gorgeous, even before the furniture is added!

Vanguard welcomes the return of Brad McQuaid (Massively)

If you're a fan of Vanguard, you know full well who Brad McQuaid is. If you're a fan of EverQuest, you're probably also familiar with the name. And now, the man behind both games has returned to Vanguard after a lengthy hiatus to rejoin the development team.

Commenter reaction- as long as he's on the creative team and not management, good deal.

Developer Spotlight – Welcome Back Aradune! (Vanguard official site)

What exciting plans do you have in store for Vanguard?

As MMOs grow older there are often areas in the game where the loot and rewards aren't as good as in other areas. This unfortunately encourages players to choose a specific region or quest line for their level and ignore much of the rest of the game. One of the things we're working on to get ready for the free-to-play (FTP) launch is a re-itemization of the majority of regions in the game. This means we're going through areas and making sure that quest rewards and boss loot drops give you great items. As a player you'll be able to explore and level up in different areas of your choice without having to worry that you're missing out on great loot that drops elsewhere.

[Regolyth]

Wow, that common equipment thing is killer. Pretty much anyone who wants to play is going to have to pay at least for some usable (one could say mandatory) equipment.

[Morreion]

Yeah, common equipment restriction is the worst part of it- it's so unpopular I hope they change it. Funny thing is, I logged back in to an old character of mine and was able to use the yellow and blue quality weapons I had equipped years ago- I guess I'm grandfathered in as a previous player. Wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't equip new yellows or blues when I need to replace them.

I also wish their sub plan was cheaper- 5 or 10 bucks a month for premium membership would draw more people in. 15 a month for essentially a 5-year-old game isn't great value for many people.

[Morreion]

Vanguard releases an update, allows F2P players to equip up to blue items

Massively Exclusive: SOE elaborates on Vanguard's F2P conversion (Massively)

Players can expect to see the new in-game marketplace, the remaining level 31+ content revamp, some class tweaks and improvements, and more general game polish.

Vanguard Free-to-play Q&A with Salim Grant (Ten Ton Hammer)

We are aggressively working on making long-overdue improvements to the game and creating new content to reinvigorate the title. The team has a high level of energy and enthusiasm, and soon enough players are going to begin to notice all the updates and improvements made – we’re certain that word will get out.

The Game Archaeologist: Reactions to a free Vanguard (Massively)

When he logged in, Bhagpuss was astounded at all of the changes: "It's kind of a work in progress. There was only the tiniest patch needed when I logged in but the patch notes were humungous! The entire game up to Level 31 seems to have been re-itemized, both overland and dungeons. A large number of quests in that range have been revisited, I can only assume to make them easier to complete given the long list of adjusted 'Kill N of X' totals. Oh, and they all got new rewards, of which more later."

Vanguard expands F2P perks, introduces lockboxes (Massively)

Vanguard has become even more accommodating to free players as today's update lifted the restriction against such players using uncommon items. SOE says that this now opens the door for free players to equip almost 20,000 additional items and weapons.

Jukebox Heroes: Vanguard's soundtrack, part 1 (Massively)

Remember what we talked about a while ago about divorcing any stigma a game carries from its music? Let's apply that to Vanguard, possibly one of the most stigmatized MMOs of all time. For all of its negative reputation, Vanguard's been slowly recognized as a gem in the rough, and its soundtrack is just second to none in the field.

SOE releases Vanguard's City of Brass update (Massively)

There's a dozen new boss mobs and accompanying loot drops, a 12-player encounter featuring The Keeper of Lesser Wishes, and the city of Jhor Razkur, which is a new adventure area designed for players at or approaching the level cap.

Vanguard F2P is offered on Steam.

[Morreion]

Vanguard removes class, race, coin, and housing restrictions for F2P (Massively)

All players can now roll any class and any race they desire, whether they are freemium or paid members. Everyone can also participate in Vanguard's expansive housing system, and anyone -- regardless of pay level -- can form guilds. Even the two plat coin limit has been removed. As a bonus, previously earned veteran rewards have also returned!

Second Wind: Vanguard (Massively)

Massively's Eliot Lefebvre really hit the mark when he described Vanguard as "proof that good ideas don't make a good game." Vanguard is overflowing with great, ambitious ideas, but a number of them fall short due to minor oversights or poor execution. The fact that the game hasn't felt the warm caress of a developer (save for bug-fixing and the rather small City of Brass content update last November) since sometime in 2008 certainly doesn't help matters. In fact, a number of the game's problems could probably be remedied with a few judicious patches.

Touring Telon: Six years of Vanguard (Massively)

City of Brass opens for business

City of Brass, a high-level zone with an Arabian theme, had been in the making for a long, long time. With F2P and an increase in staff, the Vanguard team finally had the resources to create new art and finish designing the area. Last November, experienced adventurers were able to check out the first new zone added to the game in just about forever, tackling tough group challenges under a swirling sky of fire and doom.

City of Brass introduced thousands of new items and expanded upon the story of the nasty Effriti and their attempt to wreak havoc upon the world. The zone has plenty of new bosses and culminates in a tricky 12-person raid.

Having an all-new and unique experience in the game was important to the devs, because they felt that the players hadn't seen much in the way of new content for years now. It was also a signal: Vanguard was growing, so don't count it down and out just yet.

Vanguard revamps its Lomshir region (Massively)

The Lomshir changes are part of the Vanguard team's commitment to fleshing out the world with more content and providing additional leveling paths to new and veteran players.

Vanguard merging down to one server (Massively)

Any character over level 10 will be moved over automatically, while those characters under level 10 will only be moved if they've been active since October 3rd. Character names will be saved based on a naming priority that is dictated by when the character last logged in. So in other words, if you want to save your stuff, log in now!

SOE Live 2013: Looking at the future of Vanguard (Massively)

Producer Harvey Burgess began with a look back at what the team has accomplished over the past year. One of its goals was to retool the starting experience a bit in order to give the wave of new players (thanks to free-to-play) a better chance of running into others and having a good starting experience. The result was a revamped Lomshir Plains; the devs revised many of the quests to give polished themes to the area. After that, they worked on Old Targonor, an area that helped fill a content gap that players ran into in their 40s after they finished the Swamp. The revamp gave players a chance for good gear and a taste of raid-style mechanics as they reach level 50. Burgess added that as he's been playing the game, he's seen areas that are still really devoid of content, and he recognizes that they need to work on filling those areas.

In fact, over the past year, the team has undergone some changes in the staff, so the current team needed to go back and "know the game inside and out" before it was able to move forward. The team has stabilized and even grown in size. Now the devs feel better able to pinpoint problem areas like lag, buff stacking, bugs, and raid mechanics and improve them. Going forward, they also hope to continue to take in ideas from the players to better help them proceed with fixes that make the game better.

Vanguard gets a development roadmap (Massively)

SOE has issued an upcoming content schedule that includes "major performance upgrades" and the introduction of mentor stones. Said stones will be placed at the entrance to all of Vanguard's dungeons in order to give players the option to set their levels appropriately.

The Stream Team: Playing Vanguard using 'Immersion Rules' (Massively)

Years ago Beau set out to play Vanguard: Saga of Heroes in a unique way that would add depth to the game. He came up with a set of rules -- the Immersion Rules -- and followed them for a long time. Some of the rules include seeking shelter during bad weather, using a real-life map only, eating and drinking at particular times and even resting or sleeping. He even added in permadeath and lost one of his most beloved characters that way. Join him as he tries the rules out once again, on camera!

SOE patches Vanguard database fixes, eyes Cave of Wonders (Massively)

SOE has patched the latest version of Vanguard to the live server. Today's downtime was used to implement the database performance improvements that showed up on the game's test server a while back. SOE says that after it's satisfied with server performance, it will be looking to "patch out the first wing of the Cave of Wonders," hopefully in time for the Christmas holidays!