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Suits, shirts, John Smedley, Pantherella & Scott Nichol all for Christmas

barringtonayre — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:43:17 +0000

We are just putting the final touches to a quite fabulous 150’s wool suit for a client. The fabric is absolutely amazing and with being a 150 it is soft, silky and stylish whilst being hard wearing, durable and long lasting.

We have also just made a fantastic tweed 3 piece suit which is simply divine and there will be some pictures up shortly online.

The Christmas season is sneaking up on us again at an alarming rate and with there only be just over 4 weeks to Christmas it is time to get those Christmas presents. We have a full range of the finest clothing for every budget, from the beautiful bespoke suits that can be bought as a present using our vouchers, stunning bespoke shirts which can also be bought for Christmas using our vouchers, or you can have one made for a loved one secretly as a surprise by either sending us a shirt that we can match, or you can provide us with the measurements of a favourite shirt.

We also have a full range of John Smedley knitwear and beautifully made English made socks by Pantherella and Scott Nichol.

So if you want to give that extra special gift this Christmas, give us a call and we can arrange to come and see you.

John Smedley 2010 Spring Lookbook

mox — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:42:42 +0000

John Smedley celebrates its 225th year with a collection inspired by childhood memories. Spring 2010 uses traditional patterns of stripes and zig-zags in kaleidoscope colors to create a truly classic range of garments. The collection draws on early associations, evoking carefree times and escaping the reality of grown up lives. New mercerized cotton creates a range of crisp, fresher styles for warmer weather, cool merino wool for the milder days, and superfine jersey serves as the ultimate layering material. All items will see a release in March of 2010.

news from games

xollothnews — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:48:00 +0000

«PlanetSide Next» το όνομα του νέου PlanetSide;

“PlanetSide Next” το όνομα του νέου PlanetSide; | Game 2.0

O John Smedley, πρόεδρος της Sony Οnline, έμμεσα αποκάλυψε ότι το νέο PlanetSide που έχει στα σκαριά η εταιρεία ονομάζεται «PlanetSide Next».

Παρόλο που το ΜΜΟ δεν έχει ανακοινωθεί επίσημα ακόμα, o Smedley δεν διστάζει να μιλήσει ανοιχτά γι αυτό, δηλώνοντας πως το PlanetSide Next θα έχει μάχες τρομακτικής κλίμακας, που δεν έχουμε ξαναδεί σε άλλο shooter.[next]

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Ξεκίνησε η “κλειστή” beta του Star Trek Online

Ξεκίνησε η “κλειστή” beta του Star Trek Online – Gameover.gr

Σύμφωνα με ανακοίνωση της Cryptic, η “κλειστή” beta του Star Trek Online ξεκίνησε. “Είμαστε βέβαιοι πως οι φίλοι του Star Trek, και οι οπαδοί των MMOs, θα εντυπωσιαστούν σε μεγάλο βαθμό από αυτά που θα δουν όταν παίξουν το Star Trek Online” σχολίασε ο Craig Zinkievich -executive producer του επερχόμενου MMO.[next]

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Στις 4 Δεκεμβρίου η έκδοση του Dirt 2 για PC

Στις 4 Δεκεμβρίου η έκδοση του Dirt 2 για PC – Gameover.gr

Η Codemasters ανακοίνωσε ότι η έκδοση του εξαιρετικού Dirt 2 για το PC, θα κυκλοφορήσει στις 4 Δεκεμβρίου. Η Codemasters υποστηρίζει ότι, η στρατηγικής σημασίας συμφωνία με τη Microsoft για την εκμετάλλευση του DirectX11 με την EGO Engine, θα την βοηθήσει να ανεβάσει τον πήχη για την ποιότητα γραφικών που μπορεί να προσφέρει ένα παιχνίδι του είδους.[next]

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Ανακοινώθηκε το Dragon Age Journeys

Ανακοινώθηκε το Dragon Age Journeys – Gameover.gr

Η BioWare ανακοίνωσε ότι είναι διαθέσιμο στο dragonagejourneys.com το πρώτο κεφάλαιο του Dragon Age Journeys, ένα δωρεάν παιχνίδι flash βασισμένο στον κόσμο του Dragon Age. Το παιχνίδι αυτό θα μας επιτρέπει να εξερευνήσουμε το βασίλειο Orzammar των dwarves και να ξεσκεπάσουμε σατανικά σχέδια που απειλούν να ελευθερώσουν μία διαβολική δύναμη που δεν θα σταματήσει αν δεν καταστρέψει όλα τα ζωντανά όντα[next]

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Νεότερα για το FFXIII Versus

Νεότερα για το FFXIII Versus – Gameover.gr

Μπορεί μέχρι σήμερα η Square-Enix να έχει παρουσιάσει ελάχιστα δεδομένα για το Final Fantasy Versus XII, αλλά το σκηνικό πρόκειται σύντομα να αλλάξει. Σύμφωνα με τον Tetsuya Nomura, παραγωγό του τίτλου, το 2010 θα είναι σημαντικό έτος για τη νέα του δημιουργία και ο λόγος είναι πως από τους πρώτους κιόλας μήνες θα αρχίσουν να γίνονται σημαντικές αποκαλύψεις[next]

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Τα νέα downloads της Nintendo

Τα νέα downloads της Nintendo – Gameover.gr

Μπορεί να άργησε λίγο, αλλά το αρχικό Shinobi για arcade μηχανήματα, έγινε τελικά διαθέσιμο στη Virtual Console. Το παιχνίδι κοστίζει 800 Wii Points και, στην ουσία, είναι αυτό που κάνει τη διαφορά στο σημερινό update της Nintendo. Στο WiiWare, τώρα, θα συναντήσουμε δύο κυκλοφορίες. Η πρώτη είναι αυτή του Protöthea, ενός shoot ‘em up με 3D γραφικά, που έχει κόστος 1000 Wii Points. Ο δεύτερος τίτλος ονομάζεται PictureBook Games: A Pop-Up Adventure και είναι ένα ακόμη επιτραπέζιο παιχνίδι, η τιμή του οποίου αγγίζει τους 800 Wii Points[next]

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Borderlands-review

Borderlands – Gameover.gr

Το Borderlands, όπως έχουν βαρεθεί ως τώρα και να γράφουν τα previews και να ακούν οι fans, είναι ένα Role-Playing Shooter, το οποίο είναι ένας εύσχημος τρόπος να πούμε ότι πρόκειται για ένα shooter όπου επιλέγουμε το χαρακτήρα μας μέσα από τέσσερις διαθέσιμες κλάσεις (τον Soldier για όλες τις δουλειές, τη μυστηριώδη και γοητευτική Siren, τον μουλωχτό Hunter και τον ανθρώπινο μαντρότοιχο Brick) και τον αναπτύσσουμε συνεχώς ανεβάζοντας levels κατά τη διάρκεια του παιχνιδιού.[next]

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Hello Planetside 2!

Omali — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:20:43 +0000

That’s right! Although the original Planetside downsized to one server this year, it appears that Sony is not yet done with the intellectual property. Yesterday, Sony sent out a mass email to their subscribers telling them that a new game based on the Planetside universe is being planned, and that they would like input directly from the players as to what should be put in.

This is where I admit that I looked at Planetside all wrong. John Smedley had this to say about the (soon to be) series:

John Smedley: PlanetSide fans will be happy We have big things planned in the next 12 months. Were working on something new thats really cool.

Sony Online Entertainment, as I have said, is notorious for keeping MMOs online as long as humanly possible, even if it means cutting every cost except for the electricity required to keep the servers running, as long as the title remains profitable. Although Planetside was a pioneer of its time, one of the first MMOs to bridge the gap between first person shooters on a massive spectrum, the title has aged greatly since its launch. A brand new Planetside would do justice to the game that capitalized on massive battles involving hundreds of players.

It should be noted that Planetside 2 is technically unconfirmed at this point. There is the possibility that this new game may be a complete rework of the original Planetside, reminiscent of what Jagex did with the transition from Runescape to Runescape 2.

Στα μέσα του 2010 το Free Realms για PS3

xollothnews — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:51:14 +0000

Στα μέσα του 2010 το Free Realms για PS3 – Gameover.gr

Ο John Smedley -πρόεδρος της Sony Online Entertainment- γνωστοποίησε πως το Free Realms θα κυκλοφορήσει για το PlayStation 3 στα μέσα του επόμενου έτους. Ο Smedley υπογράμμισε, μάλιστα, ότι υπάρχει μεγάλη πιθανότητα ο τίτλος να χρησιμοποιεί και το PlayStation Eye, για την επικοινωνία μεταξύ των παικτών.[next]

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Physics professor's jazz trio opens Midsummer Lakeside Concerts

Doug Hubley — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:09:47 +0000

Performing as Three Point Trio, bassist Tim Clough, guitarist and Bates physics prof John Smedley an

John Smedley's Fan Faire Podcast Reactions

xorakis — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:17:18 +0000

After viewing the schedule, I felt the best chance we had to hear a EQIII announcement would be during Smedley’s presentation. Unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be, but there was still some interesting things going on that I saw during the podcast.

Free Realms will soon announce 4 millions subscribers, and add a soccer game to their MMO that seemed kind of fun and would fit well with their targeted player base. There was a cool gameplay video of DC universe, which you can really see how the physics of the game come into play. The video on The Agency was ok, it showed some of the sneaking around spy type of activites as well as first and third person shooter mechanics, but don’t see how it really fits into the multiplayer side of things. It just comes off as a game that would be better as a single player.

There was indeed announcements of both an EQ and EQII expansions, which really wasn’t a surprise. EQII’s expansions is going to get into odus, paineel, and stuff on that side of the world. Just hearing the names of those old zones really got me wanting to play the game again. They’re also adding a new city Halas geared for the new players entering the game.

I honestly don’t remember much about what was said regarding the EQ expansion, but there was a really really awkward moment for the guy presenting. For their 10 year anniversary EQ was opening up a new server for the players, and they got to choose which type of server they wanted. I remember that list from awhile ago and it was a really pathetic list of servers to choose from, but the 51/50 server won (you start at level 51 with 50 AA’s). So this guy makes the announcement ‘the new 51/50 server Mayoong would be going live TODAY’ then a pause for the cheers, however nobody was cheering. After about a 10 second moment of silence, there was like 2 people in the crowd thinking I guess we better cheer. The look on the guys face made me feel so sorry for him, but I can’t blame the audience. Your celebrating the 10 year anniversary and the best you can do for your players is a 51/50 server. When I quit EQ about 2 or 3 years ago, I was 75 with around 700 AA’s. Now your average player is 80 I guess with 1000+ AA’s, and the best you give them is 51/50. Come on EQ you can do better than that.

That was about the jist of what went on during Smedley’s hour. It’s not looking promising for the EQIII hopefuls, but there’s still a couple days left.

Follow Smed on Twitter

SOE — Sat, 30 May 2009 01:05:56 +0000

John Smedley tweets on Twitter regularly, follow him at twitter.com/j_smedley!

Cartier Has a Party, Mascara Wars Round 3, Anti-Preps Update

PreppyPrincess.com — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:39:42 +0000

Hello-Hello!

Well, if it isn’t a major Monday.

We extend our apologies to those readers subjected to this post’s predecessor, the incomplete horror that yours truly somehow managed to publish late last evening. (Trust TP when we say it was not ready for primetime, not ready for any time.) Upon discovering our little boo-boo this morning we went for the online circular file, the DEL key.

Friday we mentioned the news about Tiffany’s acquisition of upscale leather goods firm Lambertson Truex. Today we mark a major event at another iconic jeweler, Cartier. The jeweler is celebrating their 100th Anniversary in America; one of the galas honoring the occasion took place late last week.

Preps on hand included Tory Burch (L) and Dylan Lauren. The über-talented Bruce Weber edited a possible addition to the library:

Cartier I Love You hits stores mid-June, but can be pre-ordered at most local bookstores as well as online sites such as Amazon.

One more online shopping note, Ms. Lauren’s company, Dylan’s Candy Bar, now has online ordering, all the better to put a five-pack of Barbie Chocolate Bars in the mail.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We have another party story, this one an update to our post “A Derby Dustup?” that looked at dueling Derby parties. It appears the 20th annual Barnstable Brown gala continues to be a hit with locals and some celebrities.

PHOTO: Darron Cummings

As seen in the photo, even an Anti-Prep was in attendance at Brownstable Brown. Other attendees at this year’s festivities included Brooke Shields, Kid Rock, Danica Patrick, and Gretchen Wilson. To be fair, we’ve yet to speak with anyone about the ‘competing’ party at Briar Rose Estate, so this is a not-quite-complete assessment of things.

Ms. Hilton was not the only AntiPrep spotted in Louisville over the weekend:

PHOTO: Brian Bohannon

Yes, it is the one and only Kim Kardashian. Frankly, she has upgraded her look of late, looking much less tarted up. (Well… what adjective would you suggest we use? Honestly.)

For years (and years) TP understood that Kentucky horse country was a bastion of, well, to be vulgar, old money. Notwithstanding the stray Sheik or Prince of course, although much of that money is older than dirt.

Clearly things have changed over the decades. Perhaps the Stealth Deflecting shield was down.

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Regular readers may recall some of our posts last summer on the new vibrating mascara hitting the market. According to Elle’s Beauty Intelligence blog we have word that a more egalitarian cosmetics company is going to offer the same thing:

“Enter Maybelline’s new Pulse Perfection Vibrating Mascara: With 7,000 vibrations per minute the brush wraps each lash with a thickening, lengthening formula.

Courtesy Maybelline

The story does explain how to get a sneak peek at this entrant to the wand wars:

“The product won’t be available in drugstores until July 2009, but you can try out the mascara earlier by logging onto Target, Walmart, CVS, or Walgreens websites May 18 for an exclusive online (one day only!) preview sale.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We have a brief look at some of this season’s fabulous knits from John Smedley, a company we have previously raved about. We toddled back to the online store this morning when we should have been working to look at their S/S ‘09 offerings; we were not disappointed. Below, Smedley’s Cindilou for women. We’ll fudge the line a bit and use this cardigan for today’s Adventure in Argyle.

Courtesy John Smedley

Below, the Islington classic cardigan, offered in a rainbow of colors, but shown in pink so we might say it is included in the Pretty In Pink collection.

Courtesy John Smedley

Next, the men’s Gaston, a little precious for TSU (The Spousal Unit) but we adore the look.

Courtesy John Smedley

The retailer also has a small collection of great looks for children. The merchandise is available at a number of upscale US retailers including Barneys and Bergdorf.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Over the last 18 months or so we have met some of the nicest people online; one such doll runs Two Preppy Girls.

How is that for a look? Margaret’s shop offers fun car and wall decals, checkbook covers and headwear.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Again, our apologies to those who may have ended up with the previous version of this in their Google readers. We must say, one of the benefits of Twitter is knowing we are not alone in having a less-than-auspicious start to the week! (To follow us, just click here.)

With this we say g’bye until next time.

NOTE: Cartier party photos by Steve Eichner for WWD (Women’s Wear Daily, subscription req’d.).

Free Realms Video Blog from CES 2009

SOE — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:00:29 +0000

www.freerealms.com

Smed Interview: PS3 and SOE

James Taylor — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:58:35 +0000

GameDaily recently interviewed John Smedley, SOE god, and he had this to say about SOE games on ps3

I think PS3 will be close to half our business. There’s an audience now waiting for online games on the PS3. I believe PSN has over 15 million users today. It’s growing so quickly, we see a great user base potential there.

I think a lot of the people who play PS3 games right now aren’t the same people playing MMOs right now. I think it’s going to bring in a lot of new players. There are certainly people who have consoles and PCs in their house. The difference is what they actively play. PS3 gamers are used to playing Resistance 2 instead of a shooter on the PC. I think we can bring this kind of gaming to this audience and I think it’s going to be huge.

Read the whole interview for more tidbits about SOE’s future. Things are looking up for SOE, should be a good year as long as there are no delays. Free Realms + The Agency = I’m intrigued. DC Universe Online? Not so much, but that’s another blog.

It's a Business, after all!

araxes — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:25:49 +0000

Plus, there’s something else here. This is, after all, a business. We have competitors out the

Prince of Mods : Regent

Michael — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 01:16:55 +0000

Scoot into spring with this fresh yellow look from John Smedley, a brand famous for its knitwear since the early 1900s. The london designer has produced a great style ascetic with this merino wool cardigan with v-neck topped with a matching merino wool ’Thymus” scarf.

Bold and Fresh.

Check it Out: www.johnsmedley.com

Station Cash

SOE — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:55:22 +0000

Today we introduced Station Cash to EverQuest and EverQuest II. With this we added the ability to purchase items in both games. We have insured that we aren’t adding anything that could be considered imbalancing.

Why did we do this? We believe in giving our players different options in their gameplay. I realize this is something that is going to be controversial, but it’s also something that surveys are showing players are excited about… provided we don’t alter game balance and make these items required in any way. Be rest assured we will NOT add ANY microtransactions that will disrupt the integrity of these games.

Our long term plan for Station Cash is to give a flexible currency to be used in many of our games, particularly our future games. But we have big ambitions to do some really cool stuff for both our current and future players. Imagine being able to have a photo of your guild physically mailed to members of your guild, or get a t-shirt or poster of your character mailed to you.

We’ll also use it to do things like Character moves or Character renames over time. Think convenience, not necessity.

Is this the slippery slope? I don’t think it is. We’re always going to have to be careful to make sure we don’t mess with the balance of any of our games. We also have no intention of making EQ and EQII heavily microtransaction based games. Our goal is to add cool new things that make players lives’ easier or more fun.

Enjoy, and keep talking with us, we want to hear from you!

Thanks

Smed

Free Realms Beta Registration

SOE — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:32:51 +0000

Hello Everyone,

Today we’re proud to announce that we’re accepting Beta Registrations for our upcoming game Free Realms. The website is www.freerealms.com and it has a lot of information about Free Realms, including videos.

Free Realms is a new kind of MMO that we think is going to be fun for gamers of all ages. It’s a very different kind of gaming experience… and it’s all delivered digitally.

You can pick from a lot of different kinds of activities to engage in… including combat, raising pets, playing all kinds of mini-games such as racing, Destruction Derby, soccer, and many more. It’s pretty cool to be able to put your racecar driver outfit on and take your car for a spin on the track, or walk up to a soccer field and just start playing with your friends.

We’ve really built a game that is aimed at bringing in an entirely new audience into MMO’s… and best of all you can play for free if you want to. We have put significant effort into making a lot of the content in the game completely free.

We’ll be opening the Beta up soon and we’re looking for some people that want to try a whole new MMO experience.

On a personal note, I’m a big reader of fantasy novels, and I’ve been reading a book called, “The Painted Man by Peter V. Brett.” His website is www.petervbrett.com and he has a great blog where he talks about the ins and outs of fantasy writing and the whole publishing process. It’s a great read.

His book is phenomenal and I can’t recommend it highly enough. The website for the book in the U.S. is www.wardedman.com (the version I’m reading is from the UK; they’re changing the book’s name in the U.S. when it’s released here to The Warded Man).

Have a good one,

Smed

Shop Rag: Men's Rag top picks At ASOS

mensrag — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:19:50 +0000

Rogues Gallery Five Pocket Jea

John Smedley Winter Weight Cardigan

Unconditional Stripe Cowl Front Knit

Daniele Alessandrini Double Button Cardigan

Buckler Ripple Roll Neck

Unconditional Petal Collar Biker Jacket

Junk De Luxe Matt Shawl Collar Knit

Junk De Luxe Jupiter Trucker Blouson

-MP

Fashion Is Our Passion: Sexy Cardigans...

loft965 — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 23:17:53 +0000

John Smedley has it goin’ on.

JOHN SMEDLEY new knit-wear collection

kerryfused — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:52:20 +0000

JOHN SMEDLEY directional patterning gives wonderful texture and boldness to this new season’s ultimate knits.

The beautiful ultra fine, hand knitted chunky cardigans, with motifs ranging from hounds tooth to argyle are a must this winter. The knit wear is full of character and impressively trendy whilst remaining unique and contemporary.

For more information contact the website

Jace Hall Show, Ep 11: DC Online & "Creepshow:RAW"

stranger — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:11:41 +0000

Мда, в четвъртък винаги е време за “The Jace Hall Show”

Eпизода е 11-ти, а темите са DC UNIVERSE ONLINE с John Smedley; Sony Online Entertainment мачка Valve на Team Fortress 2; CREEPSHOW: RAW и яко простотия

Video Blog With John Smedley

SOE — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:23:02 +0000

Check out our very first video blog — featuring CEO John Smedley. He reveals exciting details about events, games and activities this summer.

SOE Living Legacy Promotion Striking the Right Chord?

Kendricke — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:36:41 +0000

It doesn’t take very long to find a few choice words regarding SOE’s new “Living Legacy” promotion from existing customers:

“But wait a second, what about those loyal customers, who never left. Or what about those people who subscribed last month, or the month before, still ‘recently’ returning.” – Stargace, MMO Quests

“In a stroke of a pen, SOE signed away any reason at all to explore or try difficult dungeons.” - Tipa, West Karana

“Yeah, I sound bitter. I do think the Living Legacy program is fantastic, but I cannot for the life of me see why they didn’t include rewards for those who are currently playing Everquest II.” – Jaye, Journeys with Jaye

Even on the official forums, it doesn’t take long to find more than a couple of long time customers who feel left out:

Qupe: “Let me get this straight: Loyal and existing subscribers who chose to CONTINUE playing (and paying for) Everquest 2 get absolutely nothing via this promotion?”

Auroz: “Ditto to the fact that it just plain sucks that people who have QUIT or people who ‘recruit’ for this company get rewarded and the people who have been playing the enjoying the game actively with no cancellations.. get snubbed.”

Lunah: “After all this time I am to be punished and not get the ingame items or game time that people who gave up on eq2 are getting?? And yes before you ask I find it an insult that the loyal customers are being slighted with this.”

Striothia: “As a loyal paying member of EQ2 since its launch (even the months I didn’t play) this is yet again another kick in the pants to loyal customers. Its not that your trying to get back customers, its not even that your using in game items to do so. Its that these items will now be completely exclusive to returnees that your customers that have stuck with you all the way will never have obtainable.”

I could certainly continue with dozens more similar posts, but I think we all get the point here: a not-insignificant number of some of SOE’s most loyal customers are feeling left out in the cold.

For those of you unaware, SOE’s Living Legacy promotion is the largest marketing push in years, targeted at former or new players for both Everquest and Everquest II. If you’ve ever logged in to create an account for either game at any point in the past nine years and that account was not active as of April 30 of this year, you should probably try to see if you’re able to log in.

If so, you’ve got access to 2 months of free game time, the ability to start up the subscription again and gain access to every expansion for free, an exclusive (read: not available to current customers) discount on the next expansion, and a ton of in-game items – some of which are exclusive to this promotion, which is the biggest point of contention for many of those players who are piping up.

You see, there isn’t any part of this promotion targeted to existing, long time customers that isn’t also available to the newcomers or returnees. Oh sure, there’s a hefty calender of events planned out in both games, but every one of those events is available to every player – even the ones playing through their Living Legacy free time.

So, what’s all the hubbub about then? Is it because players want fluff pets and items? Well, yes and no. On the surface, that might be the case, but realistically, the real reason is one of recognition and customer appreciation.

You see, Everquest II’s come a long way since it’s less than stellar early days. It’s weathered the storm and put out some pretty solid expansions throughout the years, but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Debacle upon debacle seem destined to plague the studio (more so than most studios, it would seem) and most of the blame gets heaped high upon the shoulders of president John Smedley, who’s even admitted in the past to mistakes regarding a failure to listen to his own players.

So I can’t help but wonder if such public revelations are truly indicative of a company who has learned from the past, or if it’s simply another case of history doomed to repeat. I can’t imagine a company willfully or intentionally alienating some of their most loyal customers, especially a company built firmly upon the back of subscription business models.

Certainly, I don’t expect to see a huge influx of cancellations over this promotion, but is that really the point?

I’m truly glad to see SOE moving on marketing. If there’s anything SOE seems to do horribly, it’s marketing their existing games. In a world where you can’t swing a dead cat without smacking over a World of Warcraft display, I can’t tell you the last time I saw more than one or two retail boxes for Rise of Kunark (or even Echoes of Faydwer) on any store shelves (and I practically live in gaming stores, mind you).

So yes, absolutely I love the idea of marketing to old players. I love the idea of plying them high with goodies. I think it’s about the best damned idea ever to throw free game time and expansions at them.

I just don’t think you need to ignore the players that have been there with you through thick and thin to do so. These are your evangelists. These are your true core players. These are the people who shouldn’t be taken for granted. These are the players that studio execs should go to bed thanking in their nighttime prayers. These are the players who skew the churn numbers. These are the bread and butter players of a studio’s playerbase.

Telling them that they can’t access, in any way, a selection of rewards strictly because they’ve been such good customers is like finding out you won’t be getting a promotion and raise at work just because you’re too valuable where you are now. It stinks when it happens at the office and it stinks when it happens in your games.

It’s not how you show those players you appreciate them, at the very least. That is to say, it shouldn’t be.

John Smedley Presents

araxes — Fri, 23 May 2008 03:39:02 +0000

This is what the man looks like. I always love how photogs manage to snap pictures of business guys

Wednesday 14th May - The Fleeting Shadow of a Jim'll

katyboo1 — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:52:23 +0000

I have fulfilled a lifelong ambition and am feeling very chuffed with myself. I have actually turned into Jim’ll Fix It, but without the jangly jewellry and the gold tracksuits, which is probably for the best. In fact I look remarkably like me still, but me jumping about excitedly shouting: ‘I’ve turned into Jim’ll Fix It!’ while people give me weird looks. I think I should be allowed to get excited about it though. It’s not like these things happen every day, and it’s not like it’s going to last. I am but a fleeting shadow of a Jim’ll as my brother used to call him.

So, let me tell you all about it. Because that way I have to sit down instead of bounding round the room like a hyperactive kangaroo. I hope you’re sitting comfortably because you know I’m never going to go straight down the narrative path. As ever we will be following the twists and turns of my remarkably long winded brain.

When I was at university I used to be friends with a guy called Andy Lewis. He was in his final year while I was in my first year. He was a mod. He was the moddest of mods. He wasn’t one of those scruffy clothes wearing mods. He was one of those sharp suited man about town mods with pin sharp creases in his trousers and shoes you could skewer a winkle on. He used to DJ at our uni discos. This may sound a bit lame, but we were at Lampeter Uni. It had less than a thousand students. About a thousand residents in the town, eleven pubs and that was about it. There was no nightlife unless, as in Victorian times, we made it ourselves. Consequently the Student Union hall was ‘the’ place to see and be seen, and discos were a big event.

Andy would dj and when he wasn’t dj’ing he would dance very impressively (he was extremely good at twirling as I seem to recall). Everyone knew him because a) he was the only Mod on campus, b) he ran the student mag and c) he was a very memorable dancer. I believe he may have had something to do with a pirate radio station called Radio Daffodil as well. I can’t be sure about that because naturally it was all swathed in secrecy, apart from the bits where you could hear everyone else in the room (it was done from people’s bedrooms, flats etc) having a chat, putting the kettle on and saying things like: ‘Clyde, do you want a hob nob?’

I believe he was also involved in various of our extremely bizarre campus bands as well. The ones which spring to mind were Dim Disgo Heno (which is Welsh for ‘no disco tonight’. All our posters had to be bilingual, so everyone knew a lot of what we called ‘poster Welsh’. This was one of those phrases in the ‘Poster Welsh’ guidebook), The Blend Band (who were huge amongst us thousand! And had a very fantastic song called Hey Verruca!), The Rockin’ Thunda’s, who were large and scary and looked like portly versions of Rik Mayall in The Young Ones and once did a gig for ’The Merthyr Tydfill Earthquake Disaster Fund,’ and Edmund Estefan and The Mydroilin Sound Machine. These were probably the oddest of the bunch, consisting of a man called Edmund Simons who dressed as a bishop and a man called Robert Mighall who was known as The Scourge of All Christendom and who wore green and gold dresses with devil horns. They had some interesting songs including: ‘lemon in a bucket’, and ‘hooked on hymns’ which was a kind of rave medley which I believe included Kum By Yah as you’ve never heard it before. I believe that Robert is now some mover and shaker in the world of high level marketing, which amuses me greatly. Edmund, I’m not sure about, but I suspect he’s now somewhere terrorising people in much the same lines as the Professors on History Today. (You know that blob of spit? Yes, I am aware of that item. Well, That’s your best swimming pool that is. As I was saying about the peasant revolt of 1415…)

I used to write for the magazine, and help collate it (we had a photo copier and a lot of staplers. It was heady stuff. Apparently that’s how they still put together The Sunday Times) and also deliver it. At the end of the year when he handed over the reins of power to someone else he very kindly thanked me by name for being a good and helpful girl, and I nearly wept. It was very exciting, me being a lowly first year, albeit and unknown to many other people, also in the deadly Banana Bunch, and a member of the Jelly Baby Terrorist squad. These were other things we used to do to keep ourselves busy when times were hard. The banana bunch was basically me and five friends who used to write threatening messages on pieces of soft fruit and leave them outside people’s doors. We also doctored the film soc poster for ‘A Clockwork Orange’, which was quite a coup. The jelly baby thing was us torturing poor defenceless jelly babies in a variety of evil ways and then leaving their corpses outside people’s doors. My particular favourite was the staged hanging with the elastic band and a drawing pin. Mostly we did weird stuff and left it lying around for other people to find.

Anyway, then Andy graduated and went off to become famous, popping back to Lampeter every now and again to remind himself why he had left, presumably. We didn’t keep in touch and I had no idea what he was doing. Then quite recently I was listening to a favourite CD of mine, which is a collection of random Sixties lounge music from a DJ night that used to be big in London called Blow Up. This cd, Blow up A Go Go has been in my collection for years. I love it dearly and so do the kids. So we were dancing away to Bert’s Apple Crumble, which is a very cool song, and when it finished I had to have a sit down, because I am old. The kids kept on jiving and I read the sleeve notes. This is the first time I’ve read the sleeve notes ever, because I am just not one of those High Fidelity type Nick Hornbyesque listy people when it comes to music. I was reading away and suddenly read the name Andy Lewis. Then I thought: ‘Hmmmm! This is the kind of music ‘my’ (if you will forgive the ownership) Andy Lewis liked. I wonder if it be he?’

It was, dear reader, a lightbulb moment. Anyway, it was he and I annoyed him on Facebook and he annoyed me back and we resumed our friendship and all was lovely. He is very famous. He hangs out with Paul Weller and Blur as was, and makes records and goes to London Fashion Week. He’s still a mod and he’s still groovy. I expect he still dances around very well, although I have no proof, and I expect like me that every now and again he has to have a little sit down, unlike the days of yesteryear. I am not very famous, except for being a bit eccentric in Glenfield. He is very nice, so this doesn’t seem to matter too much at all. Hooray for us.

Anyway (bear with me. We’re nearly there now). Last week when my friend Paul came round to have tea and cakes he mentioned to me that he is going to see Paul Weller in concert on Monday and he is very, very excited because Paul Weller is his absolute god and idol and has been super shiny for Paul since he was but a wee tadpole. I said: ‘Ohhh! My friend Andy knows him and sometimes plays in his band.’ Paul looked at me in that way kids look at you at school when you say stuff like: ‘Yeah! And, so, like. Well, because my dad is bigger than yours and he has a better car!’ as if to say: ‘Yeah! Right!’ and then he said something along the lines of how cool it would be to be acknowledged by Mr. Weller in his role as Musical God of the Western Universe, clearly thinking that this was never, ever going to happen because I was just showing off to my friend to make myself seem cool and important so that he wouldn’t beat me up and steal all my toys.

So, I e-mailed Andy and asked him if he could possibly get Paul Weller to say: ‘Hello Mum!’ to my Paul, because he would probably wee his pants with excitement and all would be well, and all manner of things would be well. I also said that I would understand if he thought I was being a cheeky monkey, bein’ as how we haven’t seen each other since about 1994, and the best that I can offer in return is not to tell him how hard it is to stop small boys sliding over their potential wedding tackle and getting slide burn, which might ruin the idea of ever being wedded in the first place. It’s not even a case of ‘fair exchange is no robbery’ really is it?

Anyway, Andy is an absolute star and lovely person because not only has he offered for Paul and his wife Jackie to go back stage and meet Mr. Weller after the gig, but I am allowed to go too, and I didn’t even have a front stage pass! When I rang Paul he was so excited I thought he was going to burst my ear drum off, leaving only a shattered stump. Apparently Jackie had to be escorted to the sofa for a lie down and they have now been worrying about what to wear since yesterday afternoon. Paul is already planning on buying a new t-shirt it’s that serious! My experience of gigs is that they have always been hot, sweaty and the less you wear whilst still clinging to your dignity, the better.

Anyway, Paul and Jackie are currently carving me a throne and will be carrying me through the streets of Melton Mowbray, throwing cake and jewels at me and singing hymns in my praise. It seems a bit unfair given that it was Andy who did all the work, but I have mailed him and offered him the use of the throne, although I will probably eat the cake myself. I was talking to my cousin Tom about all this. He said that I am truly Jim’ll. I said I wasn’t really, for the abovementioned reason. He pointed out that Jim’ll didn’t do any of the actual work either. He just lounged about in his big red chair, dispensing largesse when other people actually did all the work, so I am really really like Jim’ll. I have to concur. It feels quite good. I must make oversized badges on strings for Paul, Mr. Weller and Jackie and probably Andy as well. I’ll get the kids to do it at the weekend. Thank god I put tin foil in the Ocado order.

Now I am worrying. Paul (my Paul, not Mr. Weller) is also worrying because he doesn’t know what he’s going to say to Mr. Weller. I too have no idea. I’m rather hoping that I will merely get to say: ‘Hello Mr. Weller (tugging forelock and looking ‘umble), great gig, before scurrying on back to see Andy and talk about random shite like washing your John Smedley jumpers in spring water and whether he’s thinking of doing a cover of ‘Hooked on Hymns’ on his next album. Andy is used to me talking shite. I’m famous for it in my own little world. Paul Weller isn’t used to me talking shite, and when I get nervous I talk even more shite than normal. I will probably blurt out something about velour snails or regale him with the vendetta of the Doo Bobs and the lost frisbee of doom, and the poor man will shrivel up, screaming for help as I am escorted from the premises by two burly minders, both called Dave.

A friend of mine once had the great honour to sit in the box of fame at a Red Hot Chilli Peppers gig. He was very excited about this. He was even more excited when it turned out that he was sitting next to Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, who was his all time Rock God Hero Extraordinaire. He was telling me all about this with great enthusiasm and much waving of hands (presumably to indicate how tall and wide Mr. Page was. I always think he would be quite short and a bit stumpy, although he’s clearly got very long arms and tenacious finger control). So I said to him: ‘Great Jon. And what did you say to Jimmy?’ At which point he looked very shame faced and quite a bit shuffly and said something in a muffled voice which I couldn’t quite hear properly. I asked him to say it again and he looked at me and said quietly: ‘I said, ‘Hello Jimmy!’ at which point I went quiet myself and said: ‘Oh! Was that it?’ and he said, even more quietly: ‘Yes!’ and confessed that it had all gotten too much for him and he was so overwhelmed he simply didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t say anything at all. We vowed never to speak of it again. You see, it pays to be prepared in these circumstances.

I don’t know anything much about music. I know what I like, but half the time I can’t remember what it’s called, so I can’t even say: ‘Wow, I thought that bit where you played the spoons was tremendous’ in case it was in fact a harpsichord, or it was the worst bit of the show or something. It’s all a bit Rabbit in the Headlights. In fact the only thing I can really think that I would want to talk to Paul Weller about seriously is the fact that he went through a stage of wearing John Craven type jumpers for a while, and I was worried. I was worried about whether he had in fact pinched them off of John, where I could picture John naked and shivering in a little ditch, soldiering on bravely with Countryfile while Weller scarpered with his knitwear.

I can understand why one would want to go for comfy knitwear after years of being renowned as being one of the sharpest dressed men in the world of pop, but still, it’s a bit of a shock really. I would imagine doing a couple of hours gig under blazing spotlights in a heavy knit jumper with reindeer frolicking on the front would get a bit sweaty as well. Perhaps that’s how he manages to remain so lithe and trim. No Slimming World for him. None of these aquanautic silver suits where you leap about in them for hours and sweat all your fat off. Nope, it’s three choruses of ‘Changing Man’, two encores of ‘Going Underground’ and some frenzied guitar playing in the hot lights with a thirty toggle jumper on and bob is your very slim uncle.

So, questions for Paul Weller on a postcard please. Something to make me sound intelligent, but not too pushy and not like the totally abstract ditzhead that I really am.

My Paul sent me an e-mail to say thank you. It’s very sweet and he’s worked all the titles of Paul Weller songs into it. It must have taken him bloody ages. It’s never likely to get published in an anthology, so he has given me permission to publish it here so that you can be privy to the sweat of his brow (he probably wrote it wearing a jumper) and his very real obsession with the man himself:

What can I say – you’re an “English Rose”. Whenever you find yourself in as “Strange Town” or a “Wild Wood” look for the man in a “Peacock Suit” for he will guide you out and back to “Suzie’s Room”. You will find this on “Friday Street” near the church with the “Porcelain Gods” outside. Remember now that you are “In the City” “In the Crowd”, but don’t be “Frightened” as “Time Passes” you will be at the “Foot of the Mountain” or somewhere in the “Country”.

Walking “Amongst Butterflies” can be enchanting, did you know they have “Wings of Speed”, the bees love a “Sunflower” and the birds flock here for a “Long Hot Summer”. As you stroll along you may see “The Woodcutters Son”, a bit strange really, a bit of a “Changing Man” you may say. He will lead to the river – Careful of the “Broken Stones” and the “Savages”. Stay with him though and he will find “The Holy Man” for you, there high “Above the Clouds” he will lead you “Into Tomorrow”

No more “Private Hell” and “As You lean Into the Night” remember “You’re the Best Thing”.

Yes. He is bonkers, but he’s a lovely man and he wouldn’t do anyone any harm!

John Smedley: MMO come punto di forza della PS3

Alex — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:18:41 +0000

John Smedley, co-fondatore di Verant Interactive e ora Presidente di Sony Online Entertainment, sostiene che i Massive Multiplayer Online Games saranno un punto di forza della PlayStation 3 e consentiranno di far schizzare in alto le vendite della console Sony. Con questa dichiarazione coglie l’occasione per screditare la console Microsoft:

I think MMOs are going to be a real strong selling point for the PS3 long term — there’s going to be some great ones on the PS3. You’re not going to find “The Agency” on the 360.