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Live Updates, Expansion Packs and Adventure Packs
Hello fellow Norrathians,
In the months since EverQuest II has launched, we have seen an overwhelming response to the game. Here at SOE we've spent a great deal of time charting the future course of EverQuest II and laying out a roadmap for continuing to evolve the world of Norrath. I'd like to share that plan with you now.
Making a game like EQ II is an amazingly complex and wonderful thing to behold. It involves people from a variety of different areas of expertise such as design, sound, programming, art and of course a management team to make sure everything is coming together smoothly. During the course of the development of EverQuest II, the team grew to over 100 people in size (and that's just the development team, not including QA, CS, Operations and our Platform teams which brings the total to over 250.)
What typically happens when making an MMO is that the "Live Team" that runs the game after it launches is usually a smaller subset of the team that developed the game. That team usually works on a combination of live updates and expansion packs that come out 1-2 times per year.
After listening to feedback from our players, we've decided to make a change to the way we've done things in the past, and focus on growing Norrath in new and exciting ways. This is going to mean keeping the team at it's existing size or even growing it in order to make sure we can do this the right way.
We see content being added to the game in three distinct ways: Live Updates, Expansion Packs and something new called Adventure Packs.
We plan on keeping the team that's focused on live updates working on expanding the game both through new zones, npcs, quests, features, spells, skills and new gameplay additions as well as fixing any bugs or issues that arise. All of this will be provided at no additional cost in constant updates that will come on a frequent basis roughly 1-2 times per month, depending on what we're specifically working on. All of this will be laid out on our website so you can have visibility into the exciting additions we have planned. We will be very responsive to our player-base and we plan on incorporating a lot of the feedback you give us through the forums into these live updates. This will represent the core of how we evolve Norrath.
I wanted to also point out that with respect to these live updates we plan on increasing the amount of new content that we give away at no extra cost.
In our most recent update we added:
With respect to our international customers, our plan is simple - to put out the English version of any new content to all servers and localize it as quickly as possible. In many cases at the same time the update goes live. From what our international customers have told us, getting the new content and features in game is the most important thing and we've listened.
We plan on releasing 2 expansion packs a year. These expansion packs are going to be large, game altering additions to the game that will be sold both at retail and online via digital download. In the past, we've had one team that would work on an expansion pack, and then move on to the next one. This meant keeping a very fast paced schedule and the expansions smaller in scale due to the timeframe. We are changing the way we do things with EverQuest II. As of now we have two expansion pack teams that are working on different expansions... The first one is due to be released sometime in the second half of 2005, thus giving us more time to develop and add cool new things. In fact, you're also in for a pretty big surprise when you see our first expansion pack for EQ II sometime later this year. We aren't just focusing on the typical new content you've seen in past expansions to MMOs (our own included.) We're also focused on radically new gameplay elements that have never been seen before in online games.
For our international customers, we will be launching our localized expansions at almost the same time (hopefully within days) they are released in the US.
Adventure Packs are a new style of content that we are introducing to EverQuest II. You can think of them as being similar to "Modules" from traditional tabletop RPGs. They will be heavily story driven and themed adventuring areas. We will provide a part of each of these Adventure Packs, at no extra charge, to all of our players. This should give everyone the opportunity to see if a particular Adventure Pack is the kind of thing they are interested in. You'll be able to buy these at any time, since they will be delivered digitally. We plan on keeping the price point for these low... In fact, our first one will be just US$4.99.
To give you an example of what we're talking about here... Imagine a 5 level dungeon. The first level is a place that all players will be able to access and explore. In order to adventure to the lower levels of the dungeon, you'll need to purchase the Adventure Pack. This gives you the chance to see if this particular Adventure Pack is something you're interested in.
We plan on keeping the Adventure packs coming on a very regular basis... Somewhere between 2 and 4 per year depending on what exactly we're doing.
We also will be giving Station Access members these Adventure Packs as part of their Station Access subscription, provided they have been members for at least 2 months (more specifics about this will be out shortly).
For our international customers, we plan on releasing the English versions at the same time and the localized versions shortly thereafter. Everyone will be able to play at the same time, and the localization should be finished shortly thereafter.
So, as you can see we plan on some pretty major things to be happening in the world of EverQuest II. We believe investing in the future of Norrath and providing the best possible game and service is the right thing to do for our players.
We welcome any comments you may have.
Thank You,
John Smedley
President, Sony Online Entertainment
if it's been posted already, forgive me. I think the adventure pack is a good idea...
Comments
-SGC Special Ops
http://stargate.mgm.com/specialops/link.php?urlid=48&id=7871
http://stargate.mgm.com/specialops/link.php?urlid=49&id=7871
thanks for the update murt!
i know people are gonna be absolutely on both sides of the fence about this, but for me, the bottom line is this:
if the game is good, and i am enjoying it, i will pay to have that experience expounded upon.
if i get bored, or the game heads in directions i don't like, i wont.
at the present time, i'd gladly pay for more. i'm loving this game.
I really hope that *insert game name here* will be the first game to ever live up to all of its pre-release promises, maintain a manageable hype level and have a clean release. Just don't expect me to hold my breath.
ditto
Schutzbar - Human Warrior - Windrunner Alliance - World of Warcraft
Nihilanth - Kerra Paladin - Blackburrow - EverQuest II
XBL Gamertag - Eagle15GT
I always love the people who come on to tell us why they "don't play EQ 2"...and then add a big LOL
...well...LOL...YOU spent your own time here on the forums to self validate your own flawed thinking to poeple who don't give a flaming rats ass what you think. Neat!
The Adventure Packs is going a little to far IMO. I can see paying for 2 expansions a year since the expansions are like complete new games. They should just bundle the "Adventure Packs" into the cost of the expansion packs. I mean, after all, they are only released 2 Adventure Packs a year as well.
I bet after 2 attempts to sell the "Adventure Packs", they will be bundled in the Expansion Pack as a one shot deal. The only people who will be doing the Adventure Packs are the Station All Access Pass members, but since their cost is not increasing, Sony isn't going to actually make any additional money off these $5.00 Adventure Packs.
MMORPG.COM NEWSFLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This just in: SOE overcharges gullible people for a crappy product.
In other news, the sky is blue and dogs bark.
And yet another waste of quality bandwidth...
*sigh*
And yet another waste of quality bandwidth...
*sigh*
Next time, try starting your post with something along the lines of "Actually, you're wrong. SOE isn't overcharging gullible people for a crappy product because......", otherwise it's you who's making the redundant, pointless posts.
I am actually pisssed about having to pay for "adventure packs." I know I don't HAVE to purchase them, but it does seem like SOE is trying there best to loot our pockets. I love the game, but I don't like having to pay for stuff that could probably just be put in with a patch. Thumbs down SOE.
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Yeah it's one thing to try and make money but paying for what basically equals out to a patch is kinda crapy. I understand the expansion packs as EQ1 had 15,000 of them but the "adventure packs" just seem a little dumb. And I agree, their not making us pay. It just seems like charging money for a patch is a little low.
I guess the bright side is their won't be a shortage of new content out there.
This is just me, but I see it this way.
If the game is entertaining me, and I'm having fun; I will continue to pay for it.
I will continue to buy the expansion packs, and continue to be entertained
no matter the opinion of the people who have never played it. No need to listen to them.
http://www.facebook.com/murtb
first lets you PAY SOE a monthly fee to PLAY eqII that fee is supposed to cover the cost of development FOR the game and the cost to RUN the game. 2 expansions a year is stupid,esp if they are on par wit the dumb expansions in eq.of course they will have some neat item in the expansion to make you buy them like the bank expansion with loy.but all in all soe is just adding cost after cost to the game. you have to PAY for 8 char total.you ahve to pay for this and that.now oyu have expansion and adv packs.whats next pay to zone oh yeah you do by having to wait 2 min to zone.
The adventure pack thing is nothing new, AO did it with Notum wars, allthough they called it booster pack, kinda wished they had stolen AO's skill system instead but oh well.
I to see this as a good thing really, and Soe has made no attempt to say they are NOT in it for the cash, it should be obvious to anyone that they are trying to squeeze as much $ out of this that is humanly possible. They are pretty upfront about that and they make no excuse for it, nor should they, charity comes in forms other then mmorpg's.
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rumpeldilskiminskitjolahopp
(this is for SEARCH purposes only, until we get a better way, or any way, to keep track of our posts)
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Originally posted by Jerek_
I wonder if you honestly even believe what you type, or if you live in a made up world of facts.
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Money is tight for many people who like to play MMORPG (young, students, etc), so I understand the complaint. However, you also need to look for the business model behind Sony thinking.
They are in the business of providing entertainment content. Their whole buisness approach is sound. They are providing different package options with the intent of eventually making Sony Access the most economical bundle possible. In light of this, you are getting all games that come with Station Access (4-5) + free mini-game upgrades for low price. You are getting more for less. They are phasing out the monthly fees and shifting you all to Station Access by default of economical validity. Considering the amount of entertainment time you are getting for this it makes it a steal. I don't see them as gouging you or robbing you of your money or trying to milk you like a cow. They are a huge multi-billion corporation. They don't need to milk an 18 yr old for $3 to survive. They are applying valid business model to gaming industry. Provide consumers with multiple package options no different than when you go see the movie in theater, are able to buy it, rent, pay-per-view, see it later on TV or cable, etc. This is why they are a profitable industry and continute to strive. I would only complain if they are over priced compared to the amount of value you are getting from the product or the product quality is so crappy that it doesn't deserve its worth. I only wish my industry actually followed the same model. I work in the book publishing world where most companies (even big ones) are dependent on government aid or are struggling to survive. A profitable book publishing is rare. Why? Because WE pay for you to buy our product and we keep it as low as possible. The reuse value of a book is much more than a movie, but we have to pay $500 just to have our books facing outward so you can see the cover on the shelves! They should have it where you get to pay $15 to read a fantasy novel with added content for $5 and $2 per additional chapter viewing MWHAHAHA!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I suppose anyone who spends most of their time doing one thing has their head up their ass and if they do something that you enjoy but make money off it they must be evil.
But i bet if i wrote a song about my bitches sippin on my 40 and how i like to grind them then beat'm i'd be your hero and you'd give me your money?
-Copeland
EQ has a great way of selling. Make 2 or 3 expantion packs a year which will bring in around 200 dollars a year from their players (exp1+exp2+exp3+mounthly fees).
then Times that by the 500,000 people that play the game.......soooo their bringing in 100,000,000 dollars a year. from their players.
And dont tell me everyone has EVERY ITEM from the exp pack and in the game.......now their starting this with eq2 too.
i think that 1 exp pack per year would be OK? but 2-3?
i know alot of well rounded fun games to play that have been out about as long as EQ and are more fun to play.
EQ2=EQ with better graphics imo
Em..no...the station access is all you need..it COVERS your monthly fee for both EQ2, EQ, EQOL, Planetside, etc... it isn't in ADDITION TO....it is INSTEAD of....
Notum Wars was not much new content just a pvp expansion with no new zones or servers, i dont think that analogy applies....now if only they could steal that idea instead id be a buyer...
Not to mention you have to pay for extra chars
+s
i honestly dont care how many expansion/adventure packs they put out in a year, its still gonna be the same combat, the same grind just with more places to do it that u will get sick of in a month again anyways.
i have a better idea. how bout u fix all the bugs, glitches,bad recipes (MA T4 armor for example) and lack of armor/weapon models first. and maybe do it for free first, u know...since u made us pay for 2 months of open beta and all. dont make me pay for it 4 months down the road.
This game's marketing is handled the same way Magic: The Gathering is. release expansions like there is no tomorrow and overwhelm ppl with stuff they "need" to buy if they wanna keep up and do what all the other players are doing.
I went through this with EQ1 back about 5 years ago...I'll be damned if they do it to me again.
It's a shame though, i really wanted to love this game...SOE! stop forgetting to add the fun! keep in mind all that this was from a huge fan and supporter of the game. im not flaming...just bitter.
I'm out SOE.../uninstall.
A.K.A. Wrython Hellsong, lvl 32 Erudite Dirge -- Befallen
Joined 2004 - I can't believe I've been a MMORPG.com member for 20 years! Get off my lawn!
Come on people think a little bit here. Didn't we just get a FREE update with 2 new dungeouns and a butt ton of new quests? All that is still going to happen. What they are saying is that ON TOP OF all the free stuff (not really free but included in monthly subscription) they will be adding additional content. ON TOP of everything else. If SOE didn't do this, this game would be exactly like every other MMO out there. They add some new things with every few ptaches. With this, they add new stuff every few patches PLUS for an extra 5 bucks you get MORE stuff to do. That doesn't sound like a bad idea to me.
You have to pay for quality..
WoW wont recieve drastic new changes to the game forever like EQ2 players will... So you poor people can go play WoW with your less content, cartoony, simple game. We'll be over here, playing a real game, and *gasp* Skipping two pizzas a year!
[12:38am] <+steve> don't speak of tampons in a channel like this
[12:38am] <+steve> don't speak of tampons in a channel like this