The World Needs EverQuest Next

Havepie · July 2013

The MMO world has taken a terrible turn from the days of EQ1. Developers have had to balance the wants and needs of a younger generation that needs instant gratification, and an older generation with less time on their hands. The days of camping 28 hours for JBoots are a thing in the past, the day of grinding in a dungeon from level 22 to 23 is all but over. Today, if you die, you simply respawn and go something else, you could even die as a mode of transportation. Yesteryear, if you died, you just signed up for 2 hours of getting your body back or paying someone to do it.

The landscape has changed, and while I, like most people, don't have time to burn into a game, I miss the sense of achievement when I finally get my epic after a month long journey. It will take a titan, one like SOE to right the ship in EQN. World of Warcraft capitalized on the instant gratification model, the easy model, but I am ready, and the world is ready for SOE to deliver the best of both worlds. To innovate and amaze. To Immerse and wonder us all over again.

I look forward to growing old friendships and forging new ones once again in the world of Norrath.

craftseeker · July 2013

Originally posted by Havepie
The MMO world has taken a terrible turn from the days of EQ1. Developers have had to balance the wants and needs of a younger generation that needs instant gratification, and an older generation with less time on their hands. The days of camping 28 hours for JBoots are a thing in the past, the day of grinding in a dungeon from level 22 to 23 is all but over. Today, if you die, you simply respawn and go something else, you could even die as a mode of transportation. Yesteryear, if you died, you just signed up for 2 hours of getting your body back or paying someone to do it.

The landscape has changed, and while I, like most people, don't have time to burn into a game, I miss the sense of achievement when I finally get my epic after a month long journey. It will take a titan, one like SOE to right the ship in EQN. World of Warcraft capitalized on the instant gratification model, the easy model, but I am ready, and the world is ready for SOE to deliver the best of both worlds. To innovate and amaze. To Immerse and wonder us all over again.

I look forward to growing old friendships and forging new ones once again in the world of Norrath.

Always chuckle when I see that sort of comment (highlighted in red) what about the gamers like me, over 50 retired or semi-retired cashed up and more free time than a college student?

But as for Everquest NEXT and the original Everquest, that is right on the money IMHO.

Havepie · July 2013

Originally posted by craftseeker

Always chuckle when I see that sort of comment (highlighted in red) what about the gamers like me, over 50 retired or semi-retired cashed up and more free time than a college student?

But as for Everquest NEXT and the original Everquest, that is right on the money IMHO.

Heh, well, I am generalizing obviously. But it is exactly to my point!

Games have been so geared to players who have no time. But there are so many people WITH time, who want a world that rewards you if you put in more time than the next guy.

Obviously not just time, playing smart is important too. But I have had it up to 'here' with easy mode!

Arclan · July 2013

OP makes excellent points. The WoW masses must be ready for a new challenge by now. Massive opportunity for $OE if they play their cards right which, history has shown, they don't. But I'm hoping they have finally learned a thing or two about business.

Gallus85 · July 2013

Originally posted by Arclan
OP makes excellent points. The WoW masses must be ready for a new challenge by now. Massive opportunity for $OE if they play their cards right which, history has shown, they don't. But I'm hoping they have finally learned a thing or two about business.

History has shown?

EQ (Best game ever, still live today, 14 years and 19 expansions later, practically created the Genre, or at least popularized it)

EQ2 (Was just as good was WoW *If you like WoW*, but had much higher PC system requirements so it didn't take off, but offered everything WoW did and more)

SWG (One of the best sandbox games ever, destroyed by LA, not SOE)

Planetside (One of the best online shooters ever)

Planetside 2 (Highly successful and very fun MMOFPS, pretty much sets the standard for the genre)

Vanguard (Was created by another company who went way out of scope, ran out of funding and launched a nearly unplayable mess, SOE fixed it up and it's still live today, getting updates and everything, people still play it.)

DCU Online (Currently the best done superhero themed MMO, average ratings of good to very good)

SOE isn't perfect but they've shown time and time again that they can innovate, produce quality products and even save broken games they didn't even make.

EQ was one of the best MMORPG experiences ever created and I'm glad it's SOE that's going to change the way we play again.

Foomerang · July 2013

The world needs Daethyca 2

CrazKanuk · July 2013

OP makes GREAT points. I would LOVE to see this game released as advertised. However! There are a couple really, REALLY good reasons to cringe.

1) Wizardry Online

2) Dragon's Prophet

Both games had such potential. I mean SOE basically took the Wizardry franchise and added in some permadeath and how can you mess it up? Well, download it.

Secondly, you've got Dragon's Prophet! Ummmmm, let's see, it's freakin' Runewalker. Oh, oh, yeah and there are freakin' DRAGONS! How can you possibly mess that up? Well.... download it.

I am literally ill thinking about EQN. First, I want to love it, I pray that it is half as good as it's being hyped, but then I also look at the other games that have been horrible. It's not even that the ideas are horrible, but the games are unfinished, unrealized, and uninspired.

So! I think that the real question here, since you've basically got someone (Smed) trying to control the head of a dragon (SOE), is what wins? Money or "The Vision", because the delta between what we're expecting and what will actually be delivered will ultimately be sopping up cash, so unless someone writes a blank check to get this game done right, it will likely let us down.

Telondariel · July 2013

That was a very optimistic post, OP. I happen to be hoping that EQN is as advertised, but I will maintain my own cautious realism. Wait and see for me.

Scalpless · July 2013

I think the world already has enough viral marketing, which is pretty much what this game is at this point as far as non-developers are concerned. TBH I feel a little sorry for all the people who are really excited right now, because I'm pretty sure most of them will be disappointed.

jdnyc · July 2013

I'm hyped to see what EQN had to offer, BUT it's smart to keep that hype firmly there. We don't know exactly what SOE had planned. The devil is in the details as they say. But from what we do know, the game does sound promising.

azzamasin · July 2013

I am over 50 and I am ready for a return to dedication in an MMO, longevity in an MMO, MMO's that cater to people with passion and commitment. In essence I agree with most of the OP's comments.

However let me just state for the record, you need to innovate upon old techniques, something that worked in 1999 do nto work in 2013 so please do not circumvent new style, quality and ease of use with old trappings and potential hurdles (see SotA's newest video for reference of what not to do).

Lastly please let PvE be the forefront of this game, exploration, discovery, social interactivity and hard ass boss fights are what many are looking for not another Darkfall Online or a gankfest blind player killer society.

Nadia · July 2013

Originally posted by CrazKanuk
OP makes GREAT points. I would LOVE to see this game released as advertised. However! There are a couple really, REALLY good reasons to cringe.

1) Wizardry Online

2) Dragon's Prophet

both of those games - SOE published but did not develop

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizardry_Online

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runewaker_Entertainment#Dragon.27s_Prophet

VincerKaden · July 2013

Originally posted by Gallus85
Originally posted by Arclan
OP makes excellent points. The WoW masses must be ready for a new challenge by now. Massive opportunity for $OE if they play their cards right which, history has shown, they don't. But I'm hoping they have finally learned a thing or two about business.

History has shown?

EQ (Best game ever, still live today, 14 years and 19 expansions later, practically created the Genre, or at least popularized it)

EQ2 (Was just as good was WoW *If you like WoW*, but had much higher PC system requirements so it didn't take off, but offered everything WoW did and more)

SWG (One of the best sandbox games ever, destroyed by LA, not SOE)

Planetside (One of the best online shooters ever)

Planetside 2 (Highly successful and very fun MMOFPS, pretty much sets the standard for the genre)

Vanguard (Was created by another company who went way out of scope, ran out of funding and launched a nearly unplayable mess, SOE fixed it up and it's still live today, getting updates and everything, people still play it.)

DCU Online (Currently the best done superhero themed MMO, average ratings of good to very good)

SOE isn't perfect but they've shown time and time again that they can innovate, produce quality products and even save broken games they didn't even make.

EQ was one of the best MMORPG experiences ever created and I'm glad it's SOE that's going to change the way we play again.

I have to agree. SOE makes it's mistakes in managing a game. But as far as the games themselves, they are always high quality. Whether EQN delivers on what everyone thinks SOE is promising or not is beside the point. The game will be slick, stylish, and have plenty of "wow, cool" components that all but the most jaded players will appreciate. That's not to say that is enough to lift a game to critical acclaim, but it's to say that SOE's track record for quality stands. Whether it can build on that and continue in a good direction is yet to be seen.

What I see so far: SOE's first mistake might be letting everyone get their hopes up to ridiculous heights. There are so many posts and articles speculating on what might be. It's the job of SOE to deliver something that pleases whatever target audience they're after. Not everyone will be happy with the result, no matter how (hopefully) awesome the end result is. I'm sure there will be a very vocal demographic who will bash EQN come August 3rd and beyond no matter what. Probably they're not part of the target demographic. That's fine. Just move along to another game. I will do that, if it turns out the game isn't for me. Can't wait to see one way or another.

Iadien · July 2013

Originally posted by CrazKanuk
OP makes GREAT points. I would LOVE to see this game released as advertised. However! There are a couple really, REALLY good reasons to cringe.

1) Wizardry Online

2) Dragon's Prophet

Both games had such potential. I mean SOE basically took the Wizardry franchise and added in some permadeath and how can you mess it up? Well, download it.

Secondly, you've got Dragon's Prophet! Ummmmm, let's see, it's freakin' Runewalker. Oh, oh, yeah and there are freakin' DRAGONS! How can you possibly mess that up? Well.... download it.

I am literally ill thinking about EQN. First, I want to love it, I pray that it is half as good as it's being hyped, but then I also look at the other games that have been horrible. It's not even that the ideas are horrible, but the games are unfinished, unrealized, and uninspired.

So! I think that the real question here, since you've basically got someone (Smed) trying to control the head of a dragon (SOE), is what wins? Money or "The Vision", because the delta between what we're expecting and what will actually be delivered will ultimately be sopping up cash, so unless someone writes a blank check to get this game done right, it will likely let us down.

It's time to learn the difference between published and developed.

CrazKanuk · July 2013

Originally posted by Iadien
Originally posted by CrazKanuk
OP makes GREAT points. I would LOVE to see this game released as advertised. However! There are a couple really, REALLY good reasons to cringe.

1) Wizardry Online

2) Dragon's Prophet

Both games had such potential. I mean SOE basically took the Wizardry franchise and added in some permadeath and how can you mess it up? Well, download it.

Secondly, you've got Dragon's Prophet! Ummmmm, let's see, it's freakin' Runewalker. Oh, oh, yeah and there are freakin' DRAGONS! How can you possibly mess that up? Well.... download it.

I am literally ill thinking about EQN. First, I want to love it, I pray that it is half as good as it's being hyped, but then I also look at the other games that have been horrible. It's not even that the ideas are horrible, but the games are unfinished, unrealized, and uninspired.

So! I think that the real question here, since you've basically got someone (Smed) trying to control the head of a dragon (SOE), is what wins? Money or "The Vision", because the delta between what we're expecting and what will actually be delivered will ultimately be sopping up cash, so unless someone writes a blank check to get this game done right, it will likely let us down.

It's time to learn the difference between published and developed.

Ok, so first of all, I referenced Runewalker with regards to Dragon's Prophet, so *face palm* to your argument altogether.

As far as the other arguments related to these games NOT being DEVELOPED by Sony, the argument amounts to a hill of beans because you're basically talking about the difference between funnelling money into a third party, or funnelling money into your own Development firm. I can tell you with a great deal of certainty that the people handling the money will be treating the people developing the game no differently than they would a third party. In fact, most companies, Sony included, have these two functions operate independent of each other for the precise reason that it's still a business and, as much as I'd love it, they can't funnel money into a project that won't have the desired return. Period.

Give your head a shake, if it was as simple as making a tweet, then don't you think it would have been done already? Some people must think that game developers are idiots and haven't the foggiest idea of what they're doing.

Iadien · July 2013

Originally posted by CrazKanuk
Originally posted by Iadien
Originally posted by CrazKanuk
OP makes GREAT points. I would LOVE to see this game released as advertised. However! There are a couple really, REALLY good reasons to cringe.

1) Wizardry Online

2) Dragon's Prophet

Both games had such potential. I mean SOE basically took the Wizardry franchise and added in some permadeath and how can you mess it up? Well, download it.

Secondly, you've got Dragon's Prophet! Ummmmm, let's see, it's freakin' Runewalker. Oh, oh, yeah and there are freakin' DRAGONS! How can you possibly mess that up? Well.... download it.

I am literally ill thinking about EQN. First, I want to love it, I pray that it is half as good as it's being hyped, but then I also look at the other games that have been horrible. It's not even that the ideas are horrible, but the games are unfinished, unrealized, and uninspired.

So! I think that the real question here, since you've basically got someone (Smed) trying to control the head of a dragon (SOE), is what wins? Money or "The Vision", because the delta between what we're expecting and what will actually be delivered will ultimately be sopping up cash, so unless someone writes a blank check to get this game done right, it will likely let us down.

It's time to learn the difference between published and developed.

Ok, so first of all, I referenced Runewalker with regards to Dragon's Prophet, so *face palm* to your argument altogether.

As far as the other arguments related to these games NOT being DEVELOPED by Sony, the argument amounts to a hill of beans because you're basically talking about the difference between funnelling money into a third party, or funnelling money into your own Development firm. I can tell you with a great deal of certainty that the people handling the money will be treating the people developing the game no differently than they would a third party. In fact, most companies, Sony included, have these two functions operate independent of each other for the precise reason that it's still a business and, as much as I'd love it, they can't funnel money into a project that won't have the desired return. Period.

Give your head a shake, if it was as simple as making a tweet, then don't you think it would have been done already? Some people must think that game developers are idiots and haven't the foggiest idea of what they're doing.

The developers on a game make a huge difference, just look at the CoD games...

DamonVile · July 2013

Originally posted by Gallus85

EQ2 (Was just as good was WoW *If you like WoW*, but had much higher PC system requirements so it didn't take off, but offered everything WoW did and more)

Now it is. At launch it was a terrible game that had little in common with wow. It was hardly the system requirements that sent people over to wow. It was the lack of fun.

It is a very different game now.

CrazKanuk · July 2013

Originally posted by Iadien
The developers on a game make a huge difference, just look at the CoD games...

Sure, but a million monkeys with a million PCs could write CoD if they had an eternity to do it. Actually, they could write what EQN is supposed to be as well

Iadien · July 2013

Originally posted by DamonVile
Originally posted by Gallus85

EQ2 (Was just as good was WoW *If you like WoW*, but had much higher PC system requirements so it didn't take off, but offered everything WoW did and more)

Now it is. At launch it was a terrible game that had little in common with wow. It was hardly the system requirements that sent people over to wow. It was the lack of fun.

It is a very different game now.

A beast of a computer was needed in order to run the game well with decent graphics. It was also very buggy at launch, and not solo friendly at all.

Originally posted by CrazKanuk
Sure, but a million monkeys with a million PCs could write CoD if they had an eternity to do it. Actually, they could write what EQN is supposed to be as well

My point is that the majority of people prefer the CoD games made by Infinity Ward over the CoD games made by Treyarch.

Sovrath · July 2013

Originally posted by CrazKanuk
OP makes GREAT points. I would LOVE to see this game released as advertised. However! There are a couple really, REALLY good reasons to cringe.

1) Wizardry Online

2) Dragon's Prophet

Both games had such potential. I mean SOE basically took the Wizardry franchise and added in some permadeath and how can you mess it up? Well, download it.

Secondly, you've got Dragon's Prophet! Ummmmm, let's see, it's freakin' Runewalker. Oh, oh, yeah and there are freakin' DRAGONS! How can you possibly mess that up? Well.... download it.

Sony didn't make Wizardry they published it.

The same thing with Dragon's Prophet.

sigh, I'm just going to edit myself "for snarkiness".

If you want to lambaste SOE for anthing you should do so for things they actually have done.

They didn't make these games and they didn't screw them up.

Nadia · July 2013

Originally posted by CrazKanuk
As far as the other arguments related to these games NOT being DEVELOPED by Sony, the argument amounts to a hill of beans because you're basically talking about the difference between funnelling money into a third party, or funnelling money into your own Development firm. I can tell you with a great deal of certainty that the people handling the money will be treating the people developing the game no differently than they would a third party.

theres a world of difference between

having your own development shop vs throwing money at a unrelated third party

- the difference is devs having business experience w both the company and software tools

SOE developers from both EQ and EQ2 teams have been transitioned to EQN team

CrazKanuk · July 2013

Originally posted by Sovrath
Originally posted by CrazKanuk
OP makes GREAT points. I would LOVE to see this game released as advertised. However! There are a couple really, REALLY good reasons to cringe.

1) Wizardry Online

2) Dragon's Prophet

Both games had such potential. I mean SOE basically took the Wizardry franchise and added in some permadeath and how can you mess it up? Well, download it.

Secondly, you've got Dragon's Prophet! Ummmmm, let's see, it's freakin' Runewalker. Oh, oh, yeah and there are freakin' DRAGONS! How can you possibly mess that up? Well.... download it.

Sony didn't make Wizardry they published it.

The same thing with Dragon's Prophet.

So you are essentially "that guy" who spreads misinformation, you say this in your guild chat, some other person who can't think for themselves (and why do we have so many of these people?) takes what you say for gospel and then continues the trend.

This is why the internet is such a cesspool.

If you want to lambaste SOE for anthing you should do so for things they actually have done.

They didn't make these games and they didn't screw them up.

I understand they didn't make them, I've said that before, but are you saying they're off the hook because they didn't make it? You're basically saying that it's ok to put your name on a piece of crap, as long as you didn't make it. Sorry, yes, as Publisher, SOE SHOULD be held accountable for crap games, they're the ones taking your money, not someone else.

Without completely derailing the conversation entirely, are you saying that SOE shouldn't be responsible for games that they publish? Personally, if I put money into founding a hunk of dung that SOE published, I would go back to them to get my money back. So what's the difference? I'm really sorry, but if you publish crap then you shouldn't get a free pass just because you didn't make the thing in-house.

IridescentOrk · July 2013

Well, the game may turn out the WoW 2.0 I have been waiting for. If not this game, I guess I will have to wait for "Titan". Need official info about EQN though. It's all about gameplay. The "sandbox" thing doesn't cut it at this point.

CrazKanuk · July 2013

Originally posted by Nadia
Originally posted by CrazKanuk
As far as the other arguments related to these games NOT being DEVELOPED by Sony, the argument amounts to a hill of beans because you're basically talking about the difference between funnelling money into a third party, or funnelling money into your own Development firm. I can tell you with a great deal of certainty that the people handling the money will be treating the people developing the game no differently than they would a third party.

theres a world of difference between

having your own development shop vs throwing money at a unrelated third party

- the difference is devs having business experience w both the company and software tools

SOE developers from both EQ and EQ2 teams have been transitioned to EQN team

+1 on the EQ staff being moved over to EQN, yes.

However, if you believe that EQN has an unlimited budget then you're crazy. Basically that's all I'm saying, EQN has a budget and to believe that they will re-invent an entire genre with one fell swoop is unreasonable.

Let me just set things straight here. I'm not saying I think that EQN will be miserable, but I am saying that the final product will not live up to the hype. Reason being that money is money and I don't see EQN having a $300 million dollar budget. But, if I'm proved wrong then GREAT! All the better, as long as I'm not barred from playing it

Sovrath · July 2013

Originally posted by CrazKanuk
Originally posted by Sovrath
Originally posted by CrazKanuk
OP makes GREAT points. I would LOVE to see this game released as advertised. However! There are a couple really, REALLY good reasons to cringe.

1) Wizardry Online

2) Dragon's Prophet

Both games had such potential. I mean SOE basically took the Wizardry franchise and added in some permadeath and how can you mess it up? Well, download it.

Secondly, you've got Dragon's Prophet! Ummmmm, let's see, it's freakin' Runewalker. Oh, oh, yeah and there are freakin' DRAGONS! How can you possibly mess that up? Well.... download it.

Sony didn't make Wizardry they published it.

The same thing with Dragon's Prophet.

So you are essentially "that guy" who spreads misinformation, you say this in your guild chat, some other person who can't think for themselves (and why do we have so many of these people?) takes what you say for gospel and then continues the trend.

This is why the internet is such a cesspool.

If you want to lambaste SOE for anthing you should do so for things they actually have done.

They didn't make these games and they didn't screw them up.

I understand they didn't make them, I've said that before, but are you saying they're off the hook because they didn't make it? You're basically saying that it's ok to put your name on a piece of crap, as long as you didn't make it. Sorry, yes, as Publisher, SOE SHOULD be held accountable for crap games, they're the ones taking your money, not someone else.

Without completely derailing the conversation entirely, are you saying that SOE shouldn't be responsible for games that they publish? Personally, if I put money into founding a hunk of dung that SOE published, I would go back to them to get my money back. So what's the difference? I'm really sorry, but if you publish crap then you shouldn't get a free pass just because you didn't make the thing in-house.

Well, first of all I apologize for my second paragraph. I was in a mood and had edited it as it was uncalled for. However you managed to grab that before I edited it so "I'm sorry".

More to the point...

Sony runs itself like "A big business". They essentially look for as many ways to make money as possible. This makes sense as they are a publicly traded company and they are obliged to maximize their returns lest the stockholders get mad. It's as if you had some stocks or mutual funds and you found out that the people managing them (company or fund) pretty much took your money and then sat on their "ass" and didn't do anything to actually make your investment worthwhile.

So we don't know the publishing deal or what they got out of it. I don't think Sony runs itself on the "hey, let's only publish things that are awesome!" platform.

They basically publish things and if the deal is right and it fits with their business strategy they will publish it. It's possible that they are getting more than just money when all is said and done. Maybe they get the IP's if they don't make their money back or maybe their investment is so small for whatever they will get that they just did the "least they could do" to make x dollars.

Look I played Wizardry for all of 5 minutes and it felt like absolute crap. It felt as cheap as a game could get. But I don't fault them for accepting a deal for publishing it as I'm sure they had a great reason for doing so. Heck, it could even be a "write off".

I worked for a company for several years and it didn't matter that they always lost money. apparently the owners (a larger company) used it to their advantage.

So we don't know the reasons by Sony published them. But they do make money and I suspect they had their reasons. I'll just blame the actual developers for such a crappy job.

nerovipus32 · July 2013

No matter what SOE game i play i always get that old school feeling from their games, plus their communities are really good. EQ2 has by far the best community in the genre.

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