Daily Blogroll 4/28 — Hug & Squeeze Edition

I’ve renamed the Web Log to the Daily Blogroll, just because I like the name better. Also, in the Shameless Self Promotion dept, look for the last Adventures in Monopoly scheduled for later today. There’ll be more adventures with Dire Bear, Scottie and Car, when they have another story to tell.
It’s server merge time in EQ2 again. This time, the US PvP servers Nagafen and Venekor (RP) will merge after Fan Faire in June. Most PvP players seem okay with it, but some are taking it really hard.
If I ever write an MMO, I’m releasing it on April 28th, just like City of Heroes and Guild Wars.
Paragon Studios has a metric tonne of events, badges, and other coolities to celebrate five years of City of Heroes. The fun starts today and lasts throughout May, so log in and get your “Party Animal” badge! Massively is also helping out the party vibe by giving away three copies of City of Heroes: Architect Edition so if you want to see what the player-created missions are all about without springing for the box, now’s the chance.
Four years ago this very day, Guild Wars also went live, and they have a whole bunch of new features to celebrate their anniversary!
You know what else went live on April 28th? Free Realms, which started its assault on our children and our retinas this day way back in 2009.
Oz of Kill Ten Rats has somehow become the point person for negative comments about Free Realms, even though his beta review wasn’t really all that negative. Nonetheless, he found himself explaining his position in a second post and was even contacted directly by SOE so they could explain to him their launch plans.
Player-centric blogger Tobold loves Free Realm’s collectible card game. If you want to get in on the fun and not look like a newb Pokemon player with a hand fall of Charmanders, check out his Deckbuilding 101 guide.
Taymar of MMORPG Info tells another chapter in the tale of Paxmar, the Pacifist Gnome. Paxmar is working through EverQuest 2 without killing any creatures. Just think of all the hotbar space she saves!
Thomas at The Friendly Necromancer (sure, your handle may be Stingite, but you’re Thomas to me!) points to two VERY interesting threads on where house items may be picked up for free in the Spiral, and which boss mobs DROP house items, in Wizard 101. Both those threads are on my bookmark menu right now. Thanks!
Dusty Monk (real name: Dusty Monk!) of Of Course I’ll Play It explains why he no longer plays betas (new blog name: I Might Still Play It). Split into two sections, “Blame it on Vanguard” and “Beta is French for Free Playable Demo”, you gotta admit that he has a point. I’m not that strong. I’m still going to check out betas :/
Beau of Spouse Aggro explains why Gummi Bears and Kool-Aid are so very important to the construction of any two-boxing station. And a futon! Wouldn’t want to forget the futon. How can you build a two boxing station without a futon! Relax! Thankfully, a futon does make an appearance.
Today being CoH’s fifth anniversary, it seems almost an insult to talk about Champions Online, but… whatever. Syp at Bio Breaks points out that the superhero MMO will allow duplicate hero names. If someone made their Superman first, no worries, you can still be Superman — you’ll be Superman@playerhande. The comics world has needed this for ages to keep track of its various Supermans and Flashes. Personally, I’d rather they just appended a number, like in Watchmen: Night Owl II, Silk Spectre II, Doctor Doom CLXVI….
Champions beta testers have been asking where the healing powers are? Apparently there is just very little healing in the game, but Hudson of Saving the World has the answers, straight from Cryptic. It looks like a couple of the base archetypes will eventually include some direct heals, and the crafting professions will each be able to make a heal object of some sort. I wonder if it will be clear at character creation just which archetype will eventually get heals?
Kendricke of Clockwork Gamer joins the game industry as an Associate Producer for Activision! Big grats to him! Activision… don’t we know that better as Activision Blizzard? Hmmm…. and Blizzard has that new super secret MMO… Hmmm….!

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