Originally posted by iFruit You have to hand it to Smedley and his team,by just making several leading online game magazines - including the present - inflate the community's imagination they have the majority's full attention.
But not in a good way. With so many sub-species of gamer hoping it will be Just What They Want, it's clearly going to disappoint many, possibly even most of them.
And what do disappointed people do here on mmorpg.com?
The gladitorial arena begins Aug 2.
^this.
once again Icewhite hits it on the head.
and to be clear i am not cynical, just skeptical. show me solid evidence and i will happily accept it. feed me on nothing but hype and im going to be rather skeptical.
"There are at least two kinds of games. One could be called finite, the other infinite. A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, an infinite game for the purpose of continuing play." Finite and Infinite Games, James Carse
Everquest Next does not have to give out any information about itself prior to release. The brand sells itself. Apple doesn't announce ahead of time and it works great for them.
pffft. just more rain clouds in here wanting to piss in everyone's cheerios.
Who cares if people are hyped to hear what EQN has to offer? Who cares if people are really hyped about the game or not? Your expectations are more cynical. Congrats. If the game turns out to be complete trash, you win. If not, you get to pretend your higher bar of expectations have been met. Or create a new account and snipe from the shadows.
I'm somewhat interested in the timetable for a closed beta cycle that will be open to a significant number of players. While most closed beta participants are using it as a 'free play' the sheer number of testers always seems to uncover bug after gamebreaking bug. Heck, I've found some economy shifting bugs late in development on a couple of games.
While I'm not privy to the number of beta testers they have used over the years on EQN, it does seem that it couldn't be a massive amount due to the 'secrecy' (if that is the word for this). So, a short cycle with a large number of testers doesn't inspire confidence in uncovering the numerous bugs that huge games like MMOs create even considering the known and tested engine.
Of course this is all idle speculation that is created by the void of info :P
Originally posted by iFruit You have to hand it to Smedley and his team,by just making several leading online game magazines - including the present - inflate the community's imagination they have the majority's full attention.
But not in a good way. With so many sub-species of gamer hoping it will be Just What They Want, it's clearly going to disappoint many, possibly even most of them.
And what do disappointed people do here on mmorpg.com?
The gladitorial arena begins Aug 2.
Anyone that feels that way is a tad too optimistic, imo. Those of us that have been around the block a million times know better. I'm excited, but I also learned over a decade ago that what game developers tend to speak about is what they hope to be able to pull off, and not what is feasible.
and to be clear i am not cynical, just skeptical. show me solid evidence and i will happily accept it. feed me on nothing but hype and im going to be rather skeptical.
Nothing but hype? I guess. We don't know specifics, but we do know that two respected sites have seen the game and they are blown away. You can be crazy conspirator and think they are bought and lying to us. Something we will know for ourselves on Aug 2nd or you can be more rational. You can think that EQN does indeed have something new and it's big. Now whether or not you're going to like that 'new thing' is another question. Hence why the hype and excitement should squarely be on what SOE has got to say and not the game.
you people make my head hurt. they have been working on this game for years and years. a lot of the weird additions to EQ / EQ2 and various other SoE titles over the past few years have been proofs of concept for what they are building with EQ Next. The game has been moving ahead behind lock and key, which in this day and age is a very smart thing considering how fast other game companies tend to pick up "good ideas" from their competitors and try to implement them into their own games.
the planetside 2 beta only lasted a few months and they were still having to optimize then engine with that game. the engine should be, at this point, working fine for EQ:N since it is running on the same thing planetside 2 runs on. I can see them doing a 3-4 month beta and then releasing between january / march of 2014 fairly easily.
you people make my head hurt. they have been working on this game for years and years. a lot of the weird additions to EQ / EQ2 and various other SoE titles over the past few years have been proofs of concept for what they are building with EQ Next. The game has been moving ahead behind lock and key, which in this day and age is a very smart thing considering how fast other game companies tend to pick up "good ideas" from their competitors and try to implement them into their own games.
the planetside 2 beta only lasted a few months and they were still having to optimize then engine with that game. the engine should be, at this point, working fine for EQ:N since it is running on the same thing planetside 2 runs on. I can see them doing a 3-4 month beta and then releasing between january / march of 2014 fairly easily.
Many posters in here have never played a Sandbox game, don't understand a Sandbox game, or why you can have a shorter amount of testing from general public with a Sandbox game compared to a Themepark.
There's a high chance it's a total failure of a game and they're just throwing something out there hoping it sticks.
A game that stands on it's own doesn't need any hype, it will hype itself, Smedley has done nothing but hype this game.
Then there's the weird preview MMORPG and TTH got and they gave it rewards without anyone seeing it. You would think the first people you show the game would be your fans...why was this done in total secrecy?
Then there's the weird E3 preview that only let in a very few people.
And just the fact they released nothing about this game. They said it will be playable at SOE Live in 2 weeks...and they have shown nothing.
Altogether, extremely weird behavior for a gaming company.
There's a tiny bit of hope for me that this game will be amazing, but it's tiny. I'm not going to get hyped over something I know nothing about at all.
And if the game turns out to actually be good, will it stick?
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what
it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience
because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in
the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you
playing an MMORPG?"
There's a high chance it's a total failure of a game and they're just throwing something out there hoping it sticks.
A game that stands on it's own doesn't need any hype, it will hype itself, Smedley has done nothing but hype this game.
Then there's the weird preview MMORPG and TTH got and they gave it rewards without anyone seeing it. You would think the first people you show the game would be your fans...why was this done in total secrecy?
Then there's the weird E3 preview that only let in a very few people.
And just the fact they released nothing about this game. They said it will be playable at SOE Live in 2 weeks...and they have shown nothing.
Altogether, extremely weird behavior for a gaming company.
There's a tiny bit of hope for me that this game will be amazing, but it's tiny. I'm not going to get hyped over something I know nothing about at all.
Lass I checked the press almost always get to see / hear stuff first.
The reason they've been keeping it from the public is for exactly the same reason that WarZ and all the other zombie games beat DayZ out the door. They want to keep their ideas secret so that no company has time to react to what EQN is offering and EQN can be the only player in town that has these set of ideas.
Then you combine this ultra secrecy with the fact that the press who has seen it has given it rave reviews ("Game changer", "We had high expectations and they were exceeded", etc), shows that EQN has a lot more than a tiny hope for success. At this state in the game, it is going to be a success. We just don't know how big of a success yet.
SoE is known for doing 100% in house beta's with hired beta testers, instead of doing a public beta. This keeps beta very confidential and quiet. But at the same time keeps your beta pool very small 1000-2000 testers max.
If they are going this route, the only time we will get our hands on the game is if they do a PR "beta". Which is just to stress servers, and let players actually get their hands on the game close to release, for a little PR hype.
I think in a business sense alot of the more business saavy MMO developers have learned to keep their actual information very close until the open beta stage. Consider how many MMOs have been crushed near release because of expansions, major patches, or other releases from big or hyped MMOs.
I know in the past I had left several MMOs I enjoyed because of the grip WoW had on me, one big example was me and alot of my buddies were enjoying the heck out of Warhammer Online but left to play World of Warcraft when Wrath of the LichKing came out since it was our long term game prior to Warhammer.
I would not be surprised if similar situations have occurred for many MMOs and groups of players. Soooo with that said, again I think it can just be a shrewd business tactic from a very mature mmo developer.
With so little info out there it's hard to get too excited, but I do hope we get something great.
With this said, I feel that my excitement (and a lot of excitement from this topic in the EQ community - despite speculation) shows how badly a large scale game in this genre is wanted. If they do it well, they will probably benefit a lot (money). We would benefit in return (kickass game).
Originally posted by Iceman8235 I'm really looking forward to EQ Next, but this timeframe seems a little too optimistic. We're going to go from knowing nothing at all, through an info. reveal, beta, stress tests, advertising pushes, all the way to release in 5 months?
Thousands of games over the past couple of decades have been able to do that just fine. I'm sure SOE will be able to pull it off with EQN, as well. It's not like they just started making the game yesterday.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Originally posted by cheyane EQ next was planned sometime ago.I heard about it and then they revamped it so it has been in the works for sometime. Just because you have not heard of it does not mean we are all in that state nor is it any indication of its development schedule.
Yes, and people need to stop and think about just how much money and resources Sony has. This game has been in the works for years, and they can probably cover a ton of development faster than most companies given their funds.
As far as publicizing and hype, again, this is SOE, they are one of the most capable companies when it comes to publishing and advertising. So, when they are ready to flood the world with info, they will do just that.
It's not that far-fetched to see an SOE game go from nothing to release in no time flat. Have you guys seen how quickly they churn out expansions and such before? SOE works fast. The concern you should realistically have is will they rush the release. SOE is notorious for pushing things out the door before they are truly ready.
Side-note: I am astounded at how well they've prevented leaks of this game for years now.
I would prefer if game companies did not release any info on a game or even info that a game is being developed until 6 months before launch. This announcing 4 years ahead of time is what kills everyones buzz... 4 years later i don't even care anymore.
Originally posted by wr75 The reason for the secrecy is so that they can have a comfortable lead before Blizzard finds out and steals/copies everything.
Pretty much this. Blizzard are waiting in the shadows for everquest to make the first move so they can copy their ideas and streamline them for their fanbase. Blizzard created the sandbox. /sigh
Originally posted by wr75 The reason for the secrecy is so that they can have a comfortable lead before Blizzard finds out and steals/copies everything.
Lol, why do you think Titan was put on hold around the same time that EQN was being touted as "The next big mmo"?
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This game has been in development for a long time, and Smed has stated all along that they were keeping their cards close to their chest.
I don't think that its unreasonable that they could release in 5 months if the game is ready for beta now.
Keep in mind though, I don't intrinsically hate SOE and though I played and enjoyed SWG, I really wasn't that torqued about what happened to it. Those two factors could be colouring my judgement.
Originally posted by wr75 The reason for the secrecy is so that they can have a comfortable lead before Blizzard finds out and steals/copies everything.
Lol, why do you think Titan was put on hold around the same time that EQN was being touted as "The next big mmo"?
Probably because with current tech EQN will be same old same old and Blizzard did not want to release some boring crap like EQN will be and draw what they have from WoW.
Originally posted by wr75 The reason for the secrecy is so that they can have a comfortable lead before Blizzard finds out and steals/copies everything.
Lol, why do you think Titan was put on hold around the same time that EQN was being touted as "The next big mmo"?
Probably because with current tech EQN will be same old same old and Blizzard did not want to release some boring crap like EQN will be and draw what they have from WoW.
And what, pray-tell, would you derive this line of thinking from?
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Comments
^this.
once again Icewhite hits it on the head.
and to be clear i am not cynical, just skeptical. show me solid evidence and i will happily accept it. feed me on nothing but hype and im going to be rather skeptical.
"There are at least two kinds of games.
One could be called finite, the other infinite.
A finite game is played for the purpose of winning,
an infinite game for the purpose of continuing play."
Finite and Infinite Games, James Carse
pffft. just more rain clouds in here wanting to piss in everyone's cheerios.
Who cares if people are hyped to hear what EQN has to offer? Who cares if people are really hyped about the game or not? Your expectations are more cynical. Congrats. If the game turns out to be complete trash, you win. If not, you get to pretend your higher bar of expectations have been met. Or create a new account and snipe from the shadows.
Either way, the world continues to turn.
I'm somewhat interested in the timetable for a closed beta cycle that will be open to a significant number of players. While most closed beta participants are using it as a 'free play' the sheer number of testers always seems to uncover bug after gamebreaking bug. Heck, I've found some economy shifting bugs late in development on a couple of games.
While I'm not privy to the number of beta testers they have used over the years on EQN, it does seem that it couldn't be a massive amount due to the 'secrecy' (if that is the word for this). So, a short cycle with a large number of testers doesn't inspire confidence in uncovering the numerous bugs that huge games like MMOs create even considering the known and tested engine.
Of course this is all idle speculation that is created by the void of info :P
Anyone that feels that way is a tad too optimistic, imo. Those of us that have been around the block a million times know better. I'm excited, but I also learned over a decade ago that what game developers tend to speak about is what they hope to be able to pull off, and not what is feasible.
Nothing but hype? I guess. We don't know specifics, but we do know that two respected sites have seen the game and they are blown away. You can be crazy conspirator and think they are bought and lying to us. Something we will know for ourselves on Aug 2nd or you can be more rational. You can think that EQN does indeed have something new and it's big. Now whether or not you're going to like that 'new thing' is another question. Hence why the hype and excitement should squarely be on what SOE has got to say and not the game.
With so little info out there it's hard to get too excited, but I do hope we get something great.
Experience demands that man is the only animal which devours his own kind, for I can apply no milder term to the general prey of the rich on the poor.
Thomas Jefferson
usually games that dont get hyped used to be good.
But i dont know about nowadays.
Todays games seem to have a dissappointment mark on their skin
you people make my head hurt. they have been working on this game for years and years. a lot of the weird additions to EQ / EQ2 and various other SoE titles over the past few years have been proofs of concept for what they are building with EQ Next. The game has been moving ahead behind lock and key, which in this day and age is a very smart thing considering how fast other game companies tend to pick up "good ideas" from their competitors and try to implement them into their own games.
the planetside 2 beta only lasted a few months and they were still having to optimize then engine with that game. the engine should be, at this point, working fine for EQ:N since it is running on the same thing planetside 2 runs on. I can see them doing a 3-4 month beta and then releasing between january / march of 2014 fairly easily.
Many posters in here have never played a Sandbox game, don't understand a Sandbox game, or why you can have a shorter amount of testing from general public with a Sandbox game compared to a Themepark.
And if the game turns out to actually be good, will it stick?
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Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
Lass I checked the press almost always get to see / hear stuff first.
The reason they've been keeping it from the public is for exactly the same reason that WarZ and all the other zombie games beat DayZ out the door. They want to keep their ideas secret so that no company has time to react to what EQN is offering and EQN can be the only player in town that has these set of ideas.
Then you combine this ultra secrecy with the fact that the press who has seen it has given it rave reviews ("Game changer", "We had high expectations and they were exceeded", etc), shows that EQN has a lot more than a tiny hope for success. At this state in the game, it is going to be a success. We just don't know how big of a success yet.
Legends of Kesmai, UO, EQ, AO, DAoC, AC, SB, RO, SWG, EVE, EQ2, CoH, GW, VG:SOH, WAR, Aion, DF, CO, MO, DN, Tera, SWTOR, RO2, DP, GW2, PS2, BnS, NW, FF:XIV, ESO, EQ:NL
SoE is known for doing 100% in house beta's with hired beta testers, instead of doing a public beta. This keeps beta very confidential and quiet. But at the same time keeps your beta pool very small 1000-2000 testers max.
If they are going this route, the only time we will get our hands on the game is if they do a PR "beta". Which is just to stress servers, and let players actually get their hands on the game close to release, for a little PR hype.
It's already been announced that EQN will be in our hands this year. So launch will be anywhere between 2 August 2013 and 31 December 2013.
I would normally say that games can be pushed back if there are development issues, however, it wouldn't make sense to:
1. Say it will be in our hands this year.
2. Keep the game's ideas secret the whole time.
3. Show it to the world at SOE Live.
4. Then push back release for another 6-8 months lol.
5. Also missing the holiday shopping season (SOE Station cards for your EQN gamer! Buy them now at these fine retailers!)
Legends of Kesmai, UO, EQ, AO, DAoC, AC, SB, RO, SWG, EVE, EQ2, CoH, GW, VG:SOH, WAR, Aion, DF, CO, MO, DN, Tera, SWTOR, RO2, DP, GW2, PS2, BnS, NW, FF:XIV, ESO, EQ:NL
I think in a business sense alot of the more business saavy MMO developers have learned to keep their actual information very close until the open beta stage. Consider how many MMOs have been crushed near release because of expansions, major patches, or other releases from big or hyped MMOs.
I know in the past I had left several MMOs I enjoyed because of the grip WoW had on me, one big example was me and alot of my buddies were enjoying the heck out of Warhammer Online but left to play World of Warcraft when Wrath of the LichKing came out since it was our long term game prior to Warhammer.
I would not be surprised if similar situations have occurred for many MMOs and groups of players. Soooo with that said, again I think it can just be a shrewd business tactic from a very mature mmo developer.
With this said, I feel that my excitement (and a lot of excitement from this topic in the EQ community - despite speculation) shows how badly a large scale game in this genre is wanted. If they do it well, they will probably benefit a lot (money). We would benefit in return (kickass game).
Thousands of games over the past couple of decades have been able to do that just fine. I'm sure SOE will be able to pull it off with EQN, as well. It's not like they just started making the game yesterday.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Yes, and people need to stop and think about just how much money and resources Sony has. This game has been in the works for years, and they can probably cover a ton of development faster than most companies given their funds.
As far as publicizing and hype, again, this is SOE, they are one of the most capable companies when it comes to publishing and advertising. So, when they are ready to flood the world with info, they will do just that.
It's not that far-fetched to see an SOE game go from nothing to release in no time flat. Have you guys seen how quickly they churn out expansions and such before? SOE works fast. The concern you should realistically have is will they rush the release. SOE is notorious for pushing things out the door before they are truly ready.
Side-note: I am astounded at how well they've prevented leaks of this game for years now.
Pretty much this. Blizzard are waiting in the shadows for everquest to make the first move so they can copy their ideas and streamline them for their fanbase. Blizzard created the sandbox. /sigh
Lol, why do you think Titan was put on hold around the same time that EQN was being touted as "The next big mmo"?
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This game has been in development for a long time, and Smed has stated all along that they were keeping their cards close to their chest.
I don't think that its unreasonable that they could release in 5 months if the game is ready for beta now.
Keep in mind though, I don't intrinsically hate SOE and though I played and enjoyed SWG, I really wasn't that torqued about what happened to it. Those two factors could be colouring my judgement.
I personally don't think it has.
This is from february 2012, where the main programmer joined EQNext from EQ. That's only a year and a bit ago.
Probably because with current tech EQN will be same old same old and Blizzard did not want to release some boring crap like EQN will be and draw what they have from WoW.
And what, pray-tell, would you derive this line of thinking from?
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