Everquest Next

[Data4]

With the apparent acceptance of MMOs as games worth paying attention to around here (shut up, faggots. Just look at the forum activity), I'm surprised no one's started the thread yet. Nothing really to add, except that MMORPG.com and Ten Ton Hammer have both named it "Best of Show: E3" after a very small, closed door presentation to select members of the gaming *cough* press.

I figured I'd at least get the thread started. In another month and 2 weeks, it'll be the second coming of Christ or something. Well, okay, sarcasm aside, I am kinda curious what, other than possible payola, caused these two sites to make their proclamations.

 

[Emily]

Is it theme park or sandbox?

 

[Data4]

According to John Smedley, it's supposed to be the "largest sandbox MMO ever designed."

I have to be honest with you. We have completely blown up the design of EverQuest Next. For the last year and a half we have been working on something we are not ready to show. Why did we blow up the design? The design was evolutionary. It was EverQuest III. It was something that was slightly better than what had come before it. It was slightly better.

What we are building is something that we will be very proud to call EverQuest. It will be the largest sandbox-style MMO ever designed. The same exciting content delivered in a new way. Something you've never seen before. The MMO world has never seen before. We didn't want more kill 10 rats quests. We didn't want more of the same. If you look at the MMOs out there, they're delivering the same content over and over again. So are we. We need to change that. When we released EverQuest, we changed the world. We want to do that again with a different type of game.

 

[Angthoron]

Okay, they have my curiosity then.

 

[Zed]

It will be revealed on August 1st (PAX East) according to Wikipedia.

 

[Angthoron]

They better add proper means to support player-based politics though, if it's a sandbox.

 

[DragoFireheart]

Remember what they said and don't let them bullshit you.

 

[Data4]

It will be revealed on August 2nd (SOE Live in Las Vegas)

FTFY

https://www.everquestnext.com/

 

[Zed]

It will be revealed on August 2nd (SOE Live in Las Vegas)

FTFY

https://www.everquestnext.com/

Never trust wikipedia.

 

[Gregz]

EQ was so fun back in the day, then when Verant sold out to SOE followed quickly.

 

[shihonage]

We didn't want more kill 10 rats quests

Now the rats will just get knocked out and put in jail.

 

[Crispy]

Still, color me interested. I loved EQ2. Shit was hard.

 

[Takeda Kenshi]

Keeping an eye on this one, but like with most MMOs will not get my hopes up.

 

[Zed]

I enjoyed EQ2, even though I didn't really play it a lot.
I have high hopes but zero expectations.

 

[Dire Roach]

EQ was my first MMO so it still holds a place in my heart even after I realized it was a horribly buggy and brutal grindfest. What I remember most fondly about it was the feel that, at least in vanilla EQ, Norrath was a vast unexplored world full of secrets. There was no in-game map, only a not-so-accurate paper map that came in the box. Quests were not just thrown on your lap, you had to actually discover them by trying to chat with text-parser NPCs. Info about how to get magic items spread by word of mouth from other players and there was always a constant stream of speculation and false rumors.

What can they possibly do in these days of decline that would get MMO oldfags excited?

 

[Sergiu64]

I dunno why but I just disliked EQ2. EQ1 on the other hand is great, even now. I guess I enjoy the grind or something.

I think it's the fact that EQ1's raids sizes are 54, and used to be even higher at 72. Other MMOs seem to keep the number low, at like 24. People end up being forced to be a certain class in order to be closer to optimal raid composition.

 

[Ranselknulf]

 

[Terpsichore]

ArcheAge was supposed to be a decent asian sandbox (imitating early western MMOs) but in the end got dumbed down and jewed out as well.

EQ2; a great game, was massively jewed and dumbed down once they decided to add cash shop and all that crap. What's preventing this new game from being crap?


There's no hope, everything is shit.

 

[markec]

What's preventing this new game from being crap?

Monthly subscription?

 

[Scroo]

What's preventing this new game from being crap?

Monthly subscription?

That would indeed be one step in the right direction, but I fear they will make it F2P and offer "convenience" items. In which case I won't touch the game.

 

[Data4]

They've already hinted that it'll be F2P, but if they keep the model they're using for their other games with the option of paying a sub and not having features locked, I won't really care. I'm not a competitive player, so I don't give a rats ass if DemonSlayer666 can buy an XP boost potion or whatever.

 

[Mortmal]

I dunno why but I just disliked EQ2. EQ1 on the other hand is great, even now. I guess I enjoy the grind or something.

I think it's the fact that EQ1's raids sizes are 54, and used to be even higher at 72. Other MMOs seem to keep the number low, at like 24. People end up being forced to be a certain class in order to be closer to optimal raid composition.

No its cause EQ was not streamlined at all,no hand holding you had barely any directions,mobs encounters are not linked in groups, its a real world to explore, a dangerous unforgiving world . That was a fantastic experience, the best part was from vanilla to velious, then it went downhill .It was for hardcore gamers, i remember those 72 man(and women) raid lasting hours and hours, i dont know if i could do it again . Theres nothing matching EQ, UO and daoc still.

 

[Terpsichore]

They've already hinted that it'll be F2P, but if they keep the model they're using for their other games with the option of paying a sub and not having features locked, I won't really care. I'm not a competitive player, so I don't give a rats ass if DemonSlayer666 can buy an XP boost potion or whatever.

Just like EQ2, where you have to pay to unlock every single piece of gear and skill level.

 

[Ranselknulf]

http://www.tski.co.jp/baldio/midi/velketor.mid

 

[Alchemist]

Hmm, Star Wars Galaxies was one of the better sandboxes before Lucasfilm forced it in the wrong direction with the NGE. Maybe SOE can take what they learned there and apply it to EQ Next. I have a glimmer of hope for this.

MMO design really has stagnated in recent years - if they truly break out of the mold this could be interesting.