Vanguard : Saga of Heroes - In stores January 30th 2007!?

Posted by Draedus in Vanguard News

Sigil & SOE (Sony Online entertainment) announced today that Vanguard will be available in retails stores January 30th! This is quite a bit earlier than most of us anticipated. There is quite a bit of speculation and discussion about whether the game is in fact ready for release. For many beta testers the experience leaves somewhat to be desired, but I’ve been BLOWN AWAY by what I’ve seen so far. Still…I understand some of the misgivings that this may be a bit too early for public release.

I think Vanguard has some of the best story telling and game play of any MMORPG out to date. The games graphics are absolutely stunning and enveloping - the visuals draw you completely into this fantasy world, which makes the game play that much more believable and addicting. Here-in lies one of the games biggest issues, and by result the number one complaint as well. It takes a great deal of power to render the games beautiful landscapes and believable characters - power means hardware, and many players systems just aren’t prepared for this level of engagement.

The biggest complaints I’ve heard from beta testers is:
A) Lag (related to the games servers/connection speeds)
B) FPS (frame per second - related to the player systems/hardware performance)

Lag will be taken care of when the game and servers have been optimized - probably one of the last elements to be complete before the game delivers. The bigger problem for many players is the performance requirements that the games graphics demand on their hardware. Again, before the game is delivered to stores there will be a great deal of code optimization, which will reduce the hardware load on systems, but it appears that the stated minimum requirements may not allow the game to be very playable.

If you were planning on attempting to play Vanguard : Saga of Heroes on a system with ‘Minimum System Requirements’ - I highly recommend upgrading your video card and having at least 1G of memory even better if you have 2G ram and faster HDD(lots of page load lag on the systems I tried with low memory and slow drives).

VanguardMMORPG.com’s recommended system minimums:
Intel 2.4ghz (or athlon equivilant - as prescribed by Sigil)
1 Gigs of memory (double the rSigil ecommended dose)
256mb Video Memory (AGP or PCI-E; No PCI cards tested could handle the job)
Sigils recommendations mention “100%” DirectX 9.0 and Vertex and Pixel Shader 2.0 compatible. Even cards that say they are compatible - may not be “100%” compatible.

I’m still unclear on the exact minimums, but suffice it to say you’ll want to have better than the posted minimums if you want to play the game with any style. At any rate, don’t fall for the negative chatter - Vanguard REALLY ROCKS!! Don’t miss the release - See you in Telon!!

The SOE Press Release:
VANGUARD: SAGA OF HEROES MAKES THE JOURNEY INTO RETAIL STORES ON JANUARY 30, 2007

San Diego, CA - January 11, 2007 - Sony Online Entertainment and Sigil Games Online today announced that the upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game Vanguard: Saga of Heroes will be released to retail outlets across North America and Europe on January 30, 2007, for the suggested retail price of US$49.99. A limited edition is also available for a suggested retail price of US$89.99.

Currently in beta, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes features vibrant environments reminiscent of oil paintings, a robust character customization tool and three distinct spheres of advancement in a seamless world without zoning or instancing. The immersive fantasy world is comprised of three massive, uniquely-themed continents for players to discover new creatures, new items and unlimited adventure. Players have complete freedom to roam the world whether flying dragons to islands in the sky or riding swift steeds to exotic lands.

“We are excited about delivering an MMO with immersive gameplay features that bring new depth and fun to the genre,” said Brad McQuaid, CEO, Sigil Games Online. “Vanguard gives players the chance to live in a breathtaking world and try new things such as our diplomacy system and our unique approach to crafting. We’re proud to be delivering this level of great gameplay for years to come.”

“SOE is pleased to be working with Sigil to bring the eagerly anticipated Vanguard to fruition,” said John Smedley, President, Sony Online Entertainment, “Vanguard not only broadens our product portfolio in the online space, but will also be a welcomed addition to our already value packed all-in-one Station Access subscription line-up.”

Players can pre-order Vanguard: Saga of Heroes now through a variety of methods including digitally and at retail, and by doing so, obtain an invitation to entrance into the live beta and, with purchase, access to the live servers up to three days prior to the official release. In addition, players that pre-order and purchase at retail will receive an exclusive in-game scroll that will allow their character to sprint for longer periods of time due to an endurance buff (one per account). For more information or to order Vanguard: Saga of Heroes visit www.joinvanguard.com/buy/

About Vanguard: Saga of Heroes
The only limits are your own in Telon. The adventurous can choose from multiple paths of exploration within the three spheres of advancement: adventuring; crafting; and diplomacy. Players can delve into the mysteries of Telon, and embark upon quests to slay monstrous beasts locked deep inside rugged mountain ranges. Those with a quick mind can use diplomacy to convince kings to move armies and change the course of history. With player-crafted boats, flying mounts, and customizable player housing, Vanguard offers players a world of their own choosing.

Key Features of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes:
• No boundaries: Explore an epic seamless world. From the smallest dungeon to the highest peak. If it can be seen it can be explored.
• Limitless customization: In a world of thousands, carve your own unique destiny and appearance with an unparalleled character creator and by choosing one of 19 different races from Orcs and Goblins to Dwarves and Elves.
• Forge your own path: Choose from one of 15 exciting professions including Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Psionicist, Bard and Rogue.
• Immersive and interactive: Vanguard’s unique, dynamic, reactive, combat system allows you to build chains of special attacks and reactions with Openers, Bridges and powerful Finishing moves.
• Ride or sail around the world: With dozens of unique mounts to collect, you can race into battle on your warhorse, command the skies on the back of your dragon or join friends and embark on a sea-based adventure to discover faraway lands.
• Play your way: Advance your character as an adventurer, set up your own shop as a crafter, talk your way to the top as a diplomat or do all three with the same character.
• Open Market: Collect essential materials and use skills such as blacksmithing and artificing to create valuable and powerful items as well as ships and housing.
• Home for sale: Make Telon feel like home by staking your claim on a piece of land and furnishing your own house with unique items.

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