Multi DC Universe Online - Coming to PS4

[jefXfree]

DC Universe Online is an MMORPG being developed by Sony Online Entertainment. The game has been scheduled for release in November 2010.

Game Play:

DC Universe Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) set in the DC Universe. SOE hopes to make a different kind of MMORPG, with The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction being cited as one of the main inspirations for gameplay.

SOE is working to make DC Universe Online more interactive than standard MMORPGs, while trying to keep their key elements, which include a leveling system, raid instances, endgame progression and inventories. The world is mainly shared, public space instead of heroes or villains owning territory.

The public space features dynamically-generated content designed for both hero and villain player characters (uniquely created by the player, who cannot choose DCU stalwarts).

It is known that players will choose a city of origin for their character, the only known cities being Metropolis and Gotham City. Another location currently known to be in the game is Arkham Asylum, Gotham City's mental institution for criminals. Players can also go to the Justice League of America Watchtower, headquarters of the Justice League.

Each character is given either a Justice League or a Legion of Doom communicator - depending on their choice of playing as either a hero or a villain - and the character's allegiance will affect how the game is played; for example, a hero character may encounter a thug robbing an armored truck while a villain character will instead rob (or, depending on character level, assist with the robbing of) said armored truck.

It is also known that player characters have threat ratings which will cause both heroes and villains alike to interact accordingly with the character. The game's first Case is a battle between Superman, Lex Luthor, and Doomsday where the player can aid either Superman or Luthor in defeating/capturing Doomsday, respectively. Another Case involves a mutagen outbreak at Star Labs that infects all of the employees in the building.

The story is set in the 'present day' and the game begins with the arrival of a time-traveling Lex Luthor who has come to warn the Earth about a future battle that kills off the majority of heroes and villains, leaving the planet vulnerable to an invasion by Brainiac.

Characters:

Spoiler

Heroes:

Adam Strange
Ambush Bug
Animal Man
Aquaman
Atom
Azrael
Batgirl
B'wana Beast
Batman
Batwoman
Beast Boy
Black Canary
Black Lightning
Blue Beetle
Booster Gold
Brainiac 5
Captain Atom
Captain Marvel
Congo Bill
Creeper
Cyborg
Doctor Fate
Elongated Man
Etrigan the Demon
Fire
Firestorm
Flash
Grace
Green Arrow
Green Lantern
Hawkgirl
Hawkman
Huntress
Maxima
Martian Manhunter
Metamorpho
Nightwing
Plastic Man
Power Girl
Question
Raven
Ravager
Red Tornado
Robin
Sgt. Rock
Spectre
Spy Smasher
Starfire
Steel
Supergirl
Superman
Swamp Thing
Tasmanian Devil
Vigilante
Vixen
Wildcat
Wonder Woman
Zatanna

Villains:

Ares
Bane
Batzarro
Bizarro
Black Adam
Black Manta
Black Mask
Blue Snowman
Brainiac
Captain Boomerang
Captain Cold
Catwoman
Cheetah
Cheshire
Circe
Clayface
Clock King
Cyborg Superman
Darkseid
Deathstroke
Doctor Poison
Doomsday
Firefly
General Zod
Gentleman Ghost
Giganta
Gorilla Grodd
Hades
Harley Quinn
Heat Wave
Hush
Joker
Key
Killer Croc
Killer Frost
King Shark
Lex Luthor
Livewire
Lobo
Mad Hatter
Man-Bat
Maxie Zeus
Merlyn
Metallo
Mongul
Mr. Freeze
Mr. Mxyzptlk
Mr. Zsasz
Ocean Master
Parasite
Penguin
Poison Ivy
Prankster
Prometheus
Ra's al Ghul
Riddler
Scarecrow
Silver Banshee
Silver Swan
Sinestro
Solomon Grundy
Tattooed Man
Toyman
Trickster
Two-Face
Ultra-Humanite
Ultraman
Ventriloquist
Zoom

E3 Trailer:

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Super Speed Trailer:

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?Savior or Destroyer? Trailer:

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Character Creation Trailer:

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E3 Screens:

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________
ACURA ARX-02A SPECIFICATIONS

 

[Wreck]

this is like all JGUN ever plays.

 

[jefXfree]

this is like all JGUN ever plays.

I want to play it... I just don't have a free month to dedicate to it ATM.

 

[Horhay]

I want to try it, but don't want to pay a monthly fee.

 

[jefXfree]

I want to try it, but don't want to pay a monthly fee.

If you only want to try it the game comes with one month free... But if you like it enough to keep it then all the new missions and DLC stuff is free to you. So it evens out in the end.

But i'm with you. I want to play it, but after I platinum it IDK if I'd play it much more unless they added more trophies.

 

[Horhay]

For those of us who lack Batman's financial resources, maintaining several monthly MMO subscriptions can be a challenge. Sony Online Entertainment recognizes this, and as a result, the company has just announced that DC Universe Online will be officially joining the freemium revolution toward the end of October.

The new business model will feature a familiar tiered access plan with three membership levels. The Free, Premium, and Legendary plans feature full access to the current game while offering different levels of "convenience and flexibility." Free players will be limited to two character slots, and new "downloadable game packs/updates, additional character slots, powers, and more" will be available for purchase via microtransactions.

Premium players, i.e., folks who have spent at least $5 US on the game (including former subscribers and in-game item purchasers), will receive additional character slots, inventory slots, and higher cash limits. Legendary players will take home "maximum features and benefits" including free DLC, more than 15 character slots, and more than 80 inventory slots, all for the regular $14.99 monthly fee. DCUO will also continue to be available on SOE's Station Pass (and subscribing to the monthly all-in-one service nets you Legendary status in DCUO as well as access to all of SOE's MMORPGs).

Finally, Massively sat down with SOE president John Smedley and producer Lorin Jameson to chat about the new model, and you can find that transcription after the break.

Massively: Why didn't F2P happen in the first place when the game launched? At what point did you see this business model as the way to go for DCUO?

John Smedley: From our perspective, the business model has evolved, particularly on the PlayStation 3. We got a lot of feedback from users who said they'd love to give this thing a try but for the monthly sub attached to it. PS3 users voiced that very loudly, and we listened to them, and we decided to give this model a try. We think, long-term especially, it will be much more advantageous to the players.

Massively: In the past you've talked about how you prefer freemium as opposed to just straight free-to-play, so will you be expanding on the existing cash shop?

John Smedley: Oh sure. F2P games very often have microtransactions built into them. I don't like the term cash shop.

Lorin Jameson: There's going to be a lot of items in the store, both to upgrade the capabilities of your account and your characters as well as appearance items and helpful consumables. It's very similar to the types of items we're already selling.

Massively: Do you see future content coming out specifically for the cash shop, maybe cosmetic or non-combat features?

Lorin Jameson: We'll certainly be adding items to the store. The current items in the store are all convenience or appearance items, and we'll be continuing that trend. Content, at this point, is our DLCpacks, which we'll still be releasing on a quarterly basis. They are optional purchases that you can buy in the store as well.

Massively: So with the DLC, right now there's a distinction between the regular game updates (i.e., the fixes and patches) and the content expansions. Will that distinction still be there between the updates and the paid DLC under the new model?

Lorin Jameson: Most definitely. We'll continue to add features to improve the play experience, and there will be content that will be added as part of the free access level. That will continue, but we'll also be putting a lot of effort into our quarterly DLC releases as well.

John Smedley: Just to be clear, we gave the current Green Lantern content pack to every subscriber for free, and in the future that's the way we see things going.

Lorin Jameson: Yeah, as a Legendary access member you will have access to all future DLC without additional costs.

John Smedley: We listened to the players, and a lot of them felt like they wanted the Fight for the Light content pack as part of their subscription, and we listened and said, OK, let's do it.

Massively: In terms of competition, Champions Online went free-to-play and City of Heroes is working on it. Is this something that factored into your decision?

John Smedley: Not at all. We have a very strong belief in the future of the F2P business model. We've got our own ideas, and we feel very strongly that this is the future of the industry. We're certainly exploring it ourselves very deeply, and you can expect more announcements in the near future.

Massively: Does that mean that all SOE games will be free-to-play at some future point?

John Smedley: The statement I would make is that we view free-to-play as the future, and we're very interested in it and excited about it. I'm leaving a little bit of room there because business models evolve over time. You can look for some announcements about current games in the future, and we're really looking closely at it. We like the model.

Massively: In terms of advertising, you mentioned that console players were interested in the game, but the subscription held them back. Do you think this business model will open up the console MMO market a bit more?

John Smedley: Yes, and it's interesting because we sold more PS3 units than we did PC. Our sub base right now is like three to one, PS3 to PC. We see this thing really opening up, and it's precisely the reason we see the business model as really advantageous for all users, particularly console users. We will now have the only two F2P console MMOs there are, and I'm really excited about that. Free Realms is doing really well on the PS3, and a lot of the data that we're seeing from that is what drove us to this decision.

Lorin Jameson: There's no doubt that DCUO really resonated with PS3 players. The combat style, the art, the fidelity of the content -- there's no doubt that many players loved this game. This is an opportunity to give as many people as possible a chance to play and enjoy it.

Massively: Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

Lorin Jameson: We're going to be adding a lot of things to the game, and we're going to continue with the great content we've added to date. We think the new model will allow everyone to find his or her own way of experiencing the game. It's going to open up a great experience that our existing players have been enjoying for eight months now.

John Smedley: This move to F2P indicates how we've been listening to our players. A good example of that is the addition of non-recurring payment methods (which may not happen at launch but definitely down the road). That's really going to be a big deal for players. Forty percent of players who quit EverQuest II cite recurring subscriptions as a major reason.

I'm married, I have kids, and I have a stupid number of games that I play, and every month it adds up. That's exactly the kind of thing that consumers are wary of when economic times are tough. Part of the future is giving players the ability to play and pay the way they want to.

Massively: Kind of like the lifetime VIP in Free Realms?

John Smedley: No, more like a three-month pass that you can buy and then it doesn't recur. Eventually I think it'll be month-to-month non-recurring.

Lorin Jameson: If you really want to experience DCUO but you don't want to pay on a recurring basis, you'll be able to say for the next 30 days that you have all of the features of the Legendary level without the credit card commitment. A lot of players that feel like they're getting value from the game are also nervous about subscriptions.

John Smedley: Giving players choices is the central theme of where we're going as a company. We don't want people to feel like they can only go down one path. Anything you can get in a subscription you'll be able to get outside of a subscription.

Lorin Jameson: Pretty much free-to-play your way.

Massively: Thanks for talking with us!

F2P FTW!! I might get this soon now that it will go F2P.

 

[dboy99]

I should have been released F2P and it would have sold like crazy.

 

[Wreck]

Yeah I know, I'm still interested in it ... and now might get it if it goes free to play.

 

[Sixteenvolt420]

May actually buy it and give it a shot now. I was excited about it before it's release, then they had to ruin it with the monthly fee.

 

[Lemur]

They only made this free cos nobody played it.

 

[Xerios]

i was thinking about playing when it was announced free to play but there making you pay to earn trophies -___- the free version wont have trophy unlocks so until i get over my obsession with trophies i probably will pass on this

 

[jefXfree]

DC Universe Online: Free to Play Your Way on PS3

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Remember back in September when we announced that DC Universe Online was going to be Free-To-Play? Well, it’s here! Starting today you can download DCUO from the PlayStation Store for free, and play all you want with no monthly fee required. Experience the game play features that have gotten players excited about DCUO since it launched, including the intense, fast-action brawler style combat system that makes it feel more like an action game than a massive online game. Now, you can see for yourself how DCUO offers the best of both worlds. Fight, fly, speed, battle with friends, pummel your enemies, explore the amazing locales of the DC Universe, hobnob with Wonder Woman… all for free!

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We’re really excited about this transition because you all have been asking us to make this change, and now we’ve done it – we’re making DCUO accessible to so many more players. We heard all of you out there who told us at conventions, on Facebook and elsewhere that you’d love to jump in to the game, if only it didn’t have that pesky monthly fee. Well, now’s your chance. With our three levels of access there’s something for every type of player. Free-To-Play. Your way.

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Are you a new player? Then just jump in and play for free. If you buy a few of the awesome items in our marketplace or a DLC pack (totaling at least $5), then you’ll get permanently bumped up to Premium Access, which gives you extra features such as more character and inventory slots. You can continue to play at Premium Access for as long as you want with the option to purchase extra features, or jump in to a Legendary membership for a monthly fee and get access to maximum game features and all DLC packs. Don’t want to pay that membership fee for a while? No problem, you’ll automatically become Premium Access if you drop your Legendary membership.

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And for you current players, you may have already noticed that you’ve already been migrated to a Legendary membership. Former players, come on back! You’ll be granted automatic Premium Access as soon as you log in. We have all the details on our website if you want to know more.

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We look forward to seeing all of the new faces, and old friends, zipping around Metropolis and Gotham City. Let’s hear from you in the comments below. See you in game!



*NOTE: You cannot earn trophies with the free play. You MUST pay the monthly fee to earn trophies.

 

[Horhay]

I downloaded this on my computer and will be playing soon

 

[dboy99]

Ihad just downloaded it on my ps3 before i moved and left it home.Played a good 15 minutes or so,it was crowded but fun at the same time.

i was thinking about playing when it was announced free to play but there making you pay to earn trophies -___- the free version wont have trophy unlocks so until i get over my obsession with trophies i probably will pass on this

What? no trophies? I never knew that.

 

[Wreck]

wow no trophies ... ha.

 

[jefXfree]

Ihad just downloaded it on my ps3 before i moved and left it home.Played a good 15 minutes or so,it was crowded but fun at the same time.


What? no trophies? I never knew that.

wow no trophies ... ha.

There are 3 tiers.

Tier 1 and 2 have no trophy access because you're getting the game and playing for free (As per Sony's rules FREE games CANNOT have trophies).

Tier 1 is obtained by simply downloading the game. You get 2 character slots and can play unlimited. You just don't get trophies or free DLC.

Tier 2 is obtained by spending $5+ in the PSN Store on DCUO DLC - ONE TIME. The only difference in tier 1 and tier 2 is that you get 6 character slots.
------DLC counts towards putting you in this tier, the only crappy thing is that you can't unlock even the DLC trophies in this tier, even though you paid for them.

Tier 3 is obtained by paying the monthly fee. With this tier you unlock trophies and you get all the DLC free. If you stop paying you lose the access to the DLC and trophies but ALL your characters are saved on the server and if you pay again you get the same access as the day you stopped paying.

=========

With all that said you can earn the platinum pretty cheaply if you pay attention to how you play.

If you pay for one DLC you move to tier 2 status giving you 6 characters. With these 6 characters you need to play for free while completing the requirements for trophies. Once all 6 slots have earned all the trophies (which will need to be tracked by you personally) you can pay for 1 month of use which will bump you to tier 3.

Once in tier 3 you can load each character and unlock all the trophies for said character simply by loading them... (Read: They DO unlock retroactively)

So if you play your cards right you SHOULD be able to get the platinum + 1 set of DLC trophies for $25 (free game + $14.99 (one month access) + $10 (DLC) ).

If you wait until the flash DLC is put out then you also get that for free during your paid month and then you could try to power though the flash based character and get that DLC as well...

 

[Wreck]

rag doll kung fu had trophies

 

[JGUN]

I almost got plat in this, just needed to beat it with a few more mentors. I had some full tier 2 armor characters on the Justice server

 

[jefXfree]

rag doll kung fu had trophies

It's not free. Plus some things squeaked in under the radar of the no trophies for free games rule. It's actually one of the things I have to check at work. It's an ironclad rule that all games must now go by.

 

[JGUN]

I am the one with the Green "S" on the chest.
Founder of Prestige Legends

 

[jefXfree]

I paid for the Green Lantern DLC to get the extra character slots. Hopefully I can get the platinum soon!