Everquest Next

[Regolyth]

Agreed once again! There were so many options in UO. Why do games have to be so limiting now?

*sigh*

[Morreion]

The Tattered Notebook: It's OK if EverQuest Next is a niche game (Massively)

So, really, stop with the Guild Wars 2 comparisons. It's OK if that's the only non-trinity game you're familiar with (Ultima Online and SOE's own Star Wars Galaxies say hello), but the chances of it being similar to EQN in anything other than its fantasy trappings are slim.

As ever, the primary problem with MMOs in general and EQN in particular is people, especially those people who refuse to step outside of their comfort zone or, worse, who attempt to force EQN into the well-worn genre box that already limits EverQuest, WoW, and their thousands of offspring.

And I know, I know, we must be inclusive. Every new game must appeal to everyone and blah blah blah. Except no. Every new game does not need to appeal to everyone.

In fact, if the MMORPG genre is going to survive instead of collapsing under the weight of an expanding and unsustainable free-to-play bubble, specialization and niche offerings will be the key to that survival. And while SOE may at first seem an unlikely candidate to make a niche but high-quality sandbox MMO, it is in fact the best candidate, as I've explained at length before.

The Tattered Notebook: Quips, quotes, and EQ Next tidbits from SOE Live (Massively)

On starting areas: Where will people start in game? For EverQuest Next Landmark, Franchise Director Dave Georgeson explained, there will be different starting areas to help spread the population out. But for EQ Next, new players will be dropped in the area of the current Rallying Call. This is so new players can become a part of the action immediately, as well well as be among other players. Imagine if the game's first Rallying Call were to build Qeynos, but after a year we had moved along to Halas and Qeynos was populated by very angry dragons. Talk about the ultimate newbie trap! Dropping a new player there would not be very beneficial to retention.

EverQuest Next confirms cross-region play (Massively)

"Clearing up a few misconceptions about EverQuest Next in Europe and UK," Smedley tweeted. "All players -- including ones from Prosieben -- can play on all servers. If you are from the EU or UK you will go through Prosieben, but [you] will be playing on SOE servers."

EverQuest Next groups will function without 'the stereotypical tank' (Massively)

"The dedicated roles of the holy trinity are not going to be present in Everquest Next. There will be different classes and different builds that are angled towards some of the roles," Michaels explains, "so there might be a class or a build that is more tankish but you don't need that person to accomplish that goal and content. You can go in there without having somebody who is the stereotypical tank."

Not only that, but EQN is attempting a new spin on aggro in general. "The combat's very different. There's not the common threat mechanic that people see in MMOs where there is somebody who can generate enough aggro that the NPC will never ever turn away from them," Michaels says.

I'm concerned about this because combat is veeeeeery important to get right. I hope this isn't an 'everybody is a solo DPS hero' plan.

The Daily Grind: What kind of death penalty do you want in EQ Next? (Massively)

SOE hasn't mentioned much about about what it has in mind for the death penalty mechanic in EverQuest Next. You might recall that the original EverQuest was famous for its unforgiving death penalty, which included corpse runs and XP loss. EverQuest II, on the other hand, did what most newer MMOs do and reduced the death penalty to an inconvenience, and in some cases, a preferred form of fast travel!

So what'll it be for EQN? Inquiring minds want to know.

I hope it isn't trivial. Trivial is boring IMHO (and we have plenty of trivial MMOs around right now, in many different ways). But I'm not holding my breath.

The Tattered Notebook: EverQuest Next roundtable roundup (Massively)

7. Should friends lists be account-based or character-based?

Here's another I am actually very passionate about. And by very, I mean this is close to a deal-breaker for me if devs go the wrong way. In fact, the very reason I do not play Star Trek Online and Neverwinter is because my privacy is forcibly ripped away from me. Even devs get to have characters that the public isn't privy to, so I want the same privelege. During the discussions, players came up with some very interesting alternatives to the choice listed.

The devs: Producer Terry Michaels stated, "I like staying connected with friends, but would love something like an acquaintances list too!" Klug said, "Ideally both as long as it isn't confusing. Each player should be able to choose if their alts are exposed."

[Regolyth]

I'm going to chime in on that friends list bit. I think that friends lists should be account wide, or at least have the option to be. In games like DAoC, it was very tedious for me to add all my friends back to my friends list when I created a new character. I was friends with these people, not my character. Sure, the character might not know them, from an RP perspective, but the list wasn't for the character. It was for the controller. What was even worse was that someone had to be online for me to add them to my list. At least later games allowed me to add people who were offline.

I'd also like to say, contested lands all the way. Maybe not all of them, but some of them (at least half). Of course, I'm a big fan of PvP (UO style baby!).

[Morreion]

I agree with the friends list being account-wide as long as you have the option to log in as anonymous or have the ability to hide an alt if you choose to do so. I dislike games taking away all of my privacy decisions from me. Who do they think they are, the NSA? ;D

[Regolyth]

I did forget to put that in my post. I agree with being able to log in anonymously. Some times you just want a quite night alone.

[Morreion]

How Class Interdependence Can Build Community in EverQuest Next (Wolfshead Online)

I suspect each class will be primarily a damage class with limited support capability. It’s would be like Baskin-Robbins claiming they have lots of variety by offering 40 different flavors of vanilla ice cream.

Why are they doing this? I believe they are looking to adopt a pickup and play philosophy in order to appeal to the masses that have made MOBAs like League of Legends and SMITE popular. It is in these non-MMORPG games that SOE has found inspiration for class roles which are far more simplistic with limited support utility and are essentially damage-centric. Only time will tell if this will work.

I agree that this is a big concern, because everybody being a DPS solo class with a self-heal or dodge equals a 3-month MMO with no community IMHO.

EverQuest Next devs decide against class/race restrictions (Massively)

Interestingly enough, the developers have decided against the plurality of the playerbase on this issue. The devs said that they never wanted to put players in the position where they'd make decisions they'd later regret. With over 40 classes, multi-classing, and all of the items in the world, the team felt that players would not be able to be informed enough to pick a race in the beginning if it would be restricted, class-wise, down the road. Another issue is if the team added new races and classes in the future, they'd be forced to arbitrarily restrict some people from playing them due to information the players didn't have up front.

Actually, classes and races that have different advantages and disadvantages adds lots of spice to an MMO. Everyone being the same is a homogenized and bloodless experience ('you can be anything you want- because it doesn't matter one bit'). I'm not liking a lot of their decisions on mechanics.

Maybe you can tell I've been to a lot of MMO rodeos before

EverQuest Next devs punt the question of guns and ninjas (Massively)

In a new roundtable video, the devs talk about the pros and cons of including a fantasy twist of these familiar concepts in Norrath. The main concern the team had for anything being put into EQN was that it pass through a lore filter to make sure that it wasn't going to be out of place.

The devs aren't committing to a "yes" or "no" on these concepts wholesale but will be examining them on a case-by-case basis to see if there's a precedent -- and to keep their options open for now.

EverQuest Next video producer's letter previews upcoming updates (Massively)

SOE senior producer Terry Michaels has released a brief video producer's letter that talks about what fans can expect from EQN Landmark over the next few weeks. Michaels says that the devs will be talking about some as-yet-unannounced building tools as well as soliciting player feedback on said tools.

EverQuest Next debates which small race will make the cut for launch (Massively)

While Dwarves are a given for a launch race, several other short races are up in the air as to whether they'll make it in the initial cut of the game or be held back until later. Fae and Gnomes ended up at the top of the poll, while Ratongas and Froglocks tied for last place. The devs were surprised by how popular the Fae ended up being in the poll, which in turn caused them to take a closer look at their potential as a launch race.

[Morreion]

EverQuest Next may allow you to join multiple guilds (Massively)

SOE is leaning toward allowing for multiple guild memberships because it anticipates that EverQuest Next's one-class-can-do-it-all flexibility will encourage players to reach out to several social circles. The following video posits situations like how a character may want to be in a social guild during the week but join a mass project guild for weekend work. Give it a watch and let us know what you think!

SOE president 'can't wait' to see EverQuest Next on PS4 (Massively)

"We haven't announced technically that we're putting it on the PlayStation 4, but it's fair to say that we're a Sony company, so I say that with a smile on my face. Can't wait to see it on PS4."

Three more EverQuest Next classes confirmed (Massively)

Three more EverQuest Next classes confirmedIf all you want for Christmas is more EverQuest Next news, PC Gamer UK has an early present for you: three more confirmed classes! Cleric, Necromancer, and Beast Lord are joining the five other revealed classes of Wizard, Tempest, Warrior, Rogue, and Blademaster. Didn't get the one class you were hoping for? Don't despair -- with over 40 classes, there's a good chance that many fan favorites will still make it into the game along with interesting new ones.

[url=
massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/30/everquest-next-devs-talk-lore-delivery-in-latest-roundtable-resp/]EverQuest Next devs talk lore delivery in latest roundtable response (Massively)[/url]

Danuser talked about taking a different approach to how story is delivered; NPCs talking, cutscenes, and such are all tools in devs' story-telling toolbox (and will be utilized in the game), but they're not the only ways. "We don't rely on those to get the story across for you," he said. "We want you to be exploring the world and having this very dynamic story playing out." Players can take lore or leave it, just play or seek out deeper stories. Find a library of ancient tomes? You can read them or not -- it's up to you.

EverQuest Next will feature a longer day/night cycle (Massively)

So what did the developers decide to do with this polling data? According to the round table, they're going to make the day/night cycle an even two hours long.

The Tattered Notebook: EverQuest Next roundtable roundup, take two (Massively)

12. Fast travel in EverQuest Next: love it or leave it?

If you were looking for a hot-button topic, fast travel seems to be it. Players feel strongly about the issue, just not all in the same way. I can understand that; I have my own concerns about fast travel stripping away the exploration part of games, but there is that convenience factor. Which would you prefer: moseying along through the world to enjoy the scenery as you go, instant access to friends and groups, or something in between?

I want to be able to get to my groupmates within 5 minutes, wherever they are in the world.
I want a huge world, even it means 30 minutes getting to my group each night.
Fast travel with limitations, such as only via player abilities or requiring you to visit "the long way" first.
I would like a fast travel network between major cities/hubs only, not outside.
I don't have a preference.

No fast travel at all and only available at hubs are neck-and-neck in the polls, but the clear leader is that travel is acceptable, with limitations.

The devs: Franchise Director Dave Georgeson sums up the thoughts of the majority: "I like to explore first. Make me explore and then give me fast travel to avoid repeats... but preserve risk." Creative Director Jeff Butler thinks along those same lines but emphasizes the ability to group more by saying, "Taking too long to reach your friends feels like denial of service, but it should be fun to explore -- with limitations on porting about madly!"

Norrathian Notebook: EverQuest Next Round Table roundup, round three (Massively)

20. If a player sells an item to an NPC merchant, should other players be able to buy that item from the merchant?

Player economy. When you talk about building a sandbox game, many players immediately start questioning how the economy will be handled. And the devs are seeking input on how to go about that. This question focuses on the use of NPC merchants.

Yes! In fact, merchants should only sell things that other players have sold directly to them.
Yes, social buyback options are fine, as long as the merchant also has a static list of purchasable items.
Merchants should be able to sell items sold directly to them, but only if the original player has a time window in which to buy his stuff back first.
No, merchants should only have a list of static items. If players have a way of selling items, it shouldn't be through NPCs.

The middle choices seem to have the monopoly on votes, with more players wanting merchants to have standard sales inventory as well.

The devs: Technical Director Steve Klug sided with second-place, noting, "Merchant diving can be a minigame in itself-I'm for it. There should also be a period of buy-back." Georgeson, however, shares the least popular view, saying, "No. If you want to buy from players, then do so. The game should encourage player-to-player action whenever possible."

[Regolyth]

It sounds like some good ideas and important topics are being discussed and thrown around. Hopefully they'll all get the proper amount of notice and regard and the devs will come up with something awesome.

[Morreion]

Norrathian Notebook: EverQuest Next Round Table roundup, fourth edition (Massively)

24. What type of specialty server would you be most likely to play on, or what type do you play on in other games?

It's fitting that we're leading off this roundup with the question that governs your gaming experience: Which, if any, specialty servers would you like to see in the games? There's certainly something to be said for having everyone together, but there are also advantages to having servers earmarked for specific playstyles. What's your preference?

No specialty servers for me!
Roleplaying
PvP
Hardcore (for example, permadeath)
Special Rule Set (for example, No-Trade Restrictions)

Although the "no specialty servers response" is running a close second, more respondents expressed a preference for a roleplaying server. Few answered in the affirmative for permadeath or special rule sets (9% and 8%, respectively), but one-quarter of those polled would select a PvP server.

The devs: Director of Development Dave Georgeson mirrors the majority of voters, stating, "I admit to liking RP servers. Seems to attract friendlier people for some reason. I have fun there." Senior Producer Terry Michaels is on the opposite side of the spectrum, siding with the least popular vote: "I am drawn to Special Rule Sets. Unique situations with great challenges are cool.

Norrathian Notebook: The key differences between EverQuest Next and Landmark (Massively)

Definite differences

Even within those similarities, there are some distinct differences. We already mentioned the most notable one: dev vs. player content. But what does that mean for the individual features? There are a few other key differences beyond these as well. So let's break them all down.

Voxel-based destructable world

Landmark: Players can claim any land, including underwater territory (but excluding cave entrances), that is not already claimed by others to build whatever they want, with the only exception being inappropriate subject matter that will be removed by devs. Players also can grant special permissions to others as far as being able to use the property, which includes everything from props (doors, lights, treasure chests) to manipulating the land itself. On individual property, all environmental changes are permanent; they won't heal unless the player actively heals them to their original state.
EQN: Devs build the cities and the environment; players cannot destroy certain areas such as cities. Player buildings will be restricted to specific plots.

Combat

Landmark: Combat abilities will be based on what weapon the player has equipped, and stats will be affected by what gear and accessories the player has on. It is confirmed that weapons can be switched during combat, giving players great flexibility in how they address situations (for example, they can bounce from melee to ranged and back).
EQN: Abilities are based on which class a player has selected at a given moment. Each class has two weapon types, and each weapon has specific moves associated with it. Four abilities will be weapon-based, and the four other abilities will be class-based (players get to select which class skills are active).

Good info here- worth reading.

EverQuest Next will feature Ambassador D'Vinn and Fippy Darkpaw (Massively)

EverQuest Next's 39th round table video is now live, and in it, SOE Senior Brand Manager Omeed Dariani and Senior Game Designer Bill Trost pair up to discuss the EverQuest franchise's nemesis characters and which ones players want to see in EverQuest Next. Ambassador D'Vinn, the Dark Elf NPC who terrorized newbs as the deadly caboose of pretty much every train to the Crushbone zone line in classic EverQuest, won the player poll and will be featured in the upcoming MMO.

As to Fippy Darkpaw, Trost promises he, too, will be present in EQN. "I believe in his mission, and I hope someday he succeeds!" Trost joked.

EverQuest Next's vampires will not sparkle (Massively)

Lucan D'Lere, for example, will still be associated with Freeport, but he might make different life choices this time around. But it was the Dark Elf vampire Leone who won the poll because, well, EverQuest players. Danuser promises that the rebooted version of Leone and his friends will not sparkle.

Norrathian Notebook: Building EverQuest Next in Landmark (Massively)

By community vote, the first race that the team is focusing on is the Teir'Dal , or Dark Elves. The Teir'Dal were the elite military force that stayed behind so that the other races could get away to safety. Over the years, these elves, who maintained their military structure even as they were on the move, were physically changed as they had to adapt to living in the hostile underground land. For structures, that translates stylistically into hewn stone, sharpened edges, militaristic defensibility, and much verticality. Dark Elves also value mastery over magic as well as over nature. If you're considering trying your hand at creating a structure fit for this race, I'd recommend taking the time to watch all five of The Workshop episodes focused on the Dark Elves; you'll glean some very useful hints and tips.

New eBook: From Ash Comes Fire (EQN)

Our newest EverQuest Next novella, “From Ash Comes Fire”, tells the story of Qora and Koan Gamysh, human twins from the village of Ojin in the Desert of Ro. Their lives are turned upside down when their home is attacked by bloodthirsty brigands flying the flag of an ancient pirate captain. The events that follow will put both their fighting skills and family bond to the test.

SOE Live 2014: The revolutionary intelligence of Storybricks' AI in EQ Next and Landmark (Massively)

How does this work? NPCs all radiate influence that others react to. And not only do individual people have have different types of influence, but different groups do as well; races, kingdoms,and organizations all have different kinds of influence that cause different reactions. Each also reacts differently. No behavior is scripted. If a king walks into town the people will react accordingly, giving respect and reverence. However, if a necromancer strides in, people will most likely scatter in fear. That same king would get a different reaction if he were to walk into a camp of bandits who coveted his wealth. The panel explained that this is accomplished because objects also radiate influence and serve as cues to characters, such as a crown to a king or a specific staff to a necromancer. The various NPCs are programmed to have certain responses to specific cues.

Of course, in the game the NPCs are not the only entities; players are there exerting influence, too. Players' actions will also have consequence and can turn the tide of a situation one way or another. This demonstration helped bring the idea of Rallying Calls to life, showing how players influence the development of a world populated by much more than just themselves. The Rallying Calls are triggered by player actions and are impacted by player choices, and they change the world in lasting ways. As Franchise Director Dave Georgeson stated earlier, the direction of each individual server world is pushed by the combination of events and player choices. Another dev emphasized, "You literally make history happen around you." And remember, unlike in static games, there is no reset button so you can do things over! Once a scenario has played out, the results are permanent.

SOE Live 2014: More EverQuest Next tidbits (Massively)


-There will be guild homes and towns in EQN; these will be really special and hard to get.
-The devs are committed to taking all the races through the foundation workshops.
-SOEmote has improved significantly (and looks much more natural).
-Players know that Qeynos will exist, but Freeport and it's current state are still a mystery.
-Devs are experimenting with social hubs that players can check anytime from anywhere, even getting alerts for high-profile happenings.
-Factions are spread out across the land, so there will be multiple opportunities to learn a class, not just "visit one guy on one mountaintop."
-Being heroes of the world does not just mean slaughtering things; you can build temples to the gods, open trade routes, even help farmers with crops.
-Even small changes to world are tangible: If you help merchants become wealthier, they walk around in better apparel and show off that wealth. The "quest completion log" is, in effect, an account of the changes you see.
-NPC groups will ally with and help each other as well as fight against each other.
-No decision yet if food and drink will be necessary.
-The future may hold player-fiction contests for official lore, but there's nothing planned in the short term because of the excessive time involved to review them -- time needed on other aspects of game right now. SOE says, "We need to make sure that every detail of the story that we release fits into the continuity of the world; we're a stickler about that."

SOE Live 2014: Discussing EQN and Landmark music with Jeremy Soule (Massively)

Soule emphasized how the music in EQN and Landmark is there to take the story beyond visual to a whole new emotional level. He noted how the visual and audio information have parallels and reminded me that "if you understand the language, you can narrate with those parallels." (And that's not just for games: He's even written three pieces that went with a triptych of paintings.) He further illustrated using Landmark's cave system. Soule explained that he used psychoaccoustic technique, incorporating things like doppler and taking into account the actual measurement of the space. This way the audio changes with the atmosphere depending on where players are. "If you are in a cave, that music had better tell a story that you're in a cave," he said. "It'd better feel claustrophobic." In fact, every aspect of the environment has to be addressed so players feel where they are through the music.

[Morreion]

Sadly I thought this would happen.


Daybreak has canceled EverQuest Next, Landmark is launching ‘this spring’ (MOP)

Daybreak has officially canceled EverQuest Next. President Russell Shanks just broke the news on the official site this afternoon:

To Our Daybreak Community,

I’m writing today to let you know that, after much review and consideration, Daybreak is discontinuing development of EverQuest Next.

For the past 20 years EverQuest has been a labor of love. What started as a deep passion of ours, as game creators, grew into a much larger passion shared by you, millions of players and Daybreakers alike. Watching EverQuest’s ability to entertain and bring people together has inspired and humbled us. It’s shaped our culture and has emboldened us to take aggressive risks with our game ideas and products. When we decided to create the next chapter in the EverQuest journey, we didn’t aim low. We set out to make something revolutionary.

For those familiar with the internals of game development, you know that cancellations are a reality we must face from time to time. Inherent to the creative process are dreaming big, pushing hard and being brutally honest with where you land. In the case of EverQuest Next, we accomplished incredible feats that astonished industry insiders. Unfortunately, as we put together the pieces, we found that it wasn’t fun. We know you have high standards when it comes to Norrath and we do too. In final review, we had to face the fact that EverQuest Next would not meet the expectations we – and all of you – have for the worlds of Norrath.

The future of the EverQuest franchise as a whole is important to us here at Daybreak. EverQuest in all its forms is near and dear to our hearts. EverQuest and EverQuest II are going strong. Rest assured that our passion to grow the world of EverQuest remains undiminished.

Yours truly,

Russell Shanks
President, Daybreak Games

Curiously, Shanks doesn’t mention Landmark by name, but Daybreak’s Holly Longdale quietly told forumgoers this morning that Landmark is scheduled to launch later this spring. “Landmark will be available for $9.99 USD. At this time, we do not have any plans to make Landmark free-to-play,” reads the FAQ. “There are no plans at this time to require a membership to access Landmark or include Landmark in All Access.” Daybreak has separately confirmed to Massively OP that Landmark will continue as planned.

Comments-

Well, here's watching a company commit suicide. Guessing they a regretting purchasing SOE at this point...they might as well firesale their assets to someone who cares and move on.

You have been hyping this game for how long? And now you just pull the rug out from under it. Wow... I think game developers ( for every platform and genre) need a rude awakening. The style in which they are conducting themselves, across the board, is utterly pathetic.

Even though I knew there was a 50% chance of this announcement coming along, I'm very sad to actually see it. This marks the death of the last AAA MMORPG that (as far as I know) was in development from a seasoned studio. More importantly, I'm pretty sure this is also going to mark the death of the EverQuest franchise. Not quickly, but it's going to be a slow and steady death and there won't ever be another EQ game that launches from Daybreak.

My opinion has always been that Daybreak is a money-grubbing shadow of what SOE used to be. This announcement does nothing to sway me from that opinion. Sorry to say that I'll probably never return to Norrath now. =(

2011 - 2013 - EQ games go F2P. Mandatory subscription dropped. SOE fully commits to f2p model

2013 - Revenues decline sharply, SOE in red, now a loss center instead of profit center

2014 - Sony decides to sell SOE, shops for buyers

Summer 2014 - Columbus Nova and Sony discuss SOE sale

Fall 2014 - Jan 2015 - Columbus Nova Financial Analysts pour over SOE assets

Jan 205 - Columbus Nova agrees to sale, EQ Next development seen as troubled

Feb 2015 - Sale closes, announced to media. SOE redundant staff laid off. EQN development shaken up in hopes to get it back on track, Georgeson is fired (laid off), Columbus Nova sets firm EQN milestone markers

Feb 2015 - Summer 2015 - Between the SOE sale and the lay offs, EQN team suffers devastatingly low morale. Milestones missed. Smedely asked to resign. New CEO appointed. Columbus Nova gives EQN another chance, new milestones established

Jan 2016 - Milestones missed again. Execs decide development is a lost cause. EQN cancelled but not made public. Landmark also seen as lost cause but since development is further along, it will be wrapped up and sold at a discount (and ultimately abandoned)

Feb 2016 - Game assets analyzed to see what can be recycled. EQN team is analyzed to see where they can be moved.

Mar 2016 - Public announcement

Well goodbye Daybreak. You have officially nothing I want. I was supporting you still in vain hopes that work was being done on Next. Now that the dream is over so is my all access.

Another Black Eye for the MMORPG Industry as Daybreak Games Cancels EverQuest Next (Wolfshead Online)

If there’s any sliver of hope in this week’s announcement it’s this parting comment from Russell Shanks:

Rest assured that our passion to grow the world of EverQuest remains undiminished.

Who knows what this really means. It could be corporate speak that keeps hope alive for the fans when there is no real hope. I do not believe that Daybreak Games will ever produce anything from the EverQuest world that will ever stand up to the original EverQuest. All we will see will be more expansions to keep their current subscribers happy. How ironic that Daybreak Games will turn out to be the sunset for the EverQuest franchise.

The MMO industry has to get its act together and prove that the success of EverQuest and World of Warcraft was not just a passing fad. After a series of spectacular failures, this industry needs a win right now.

The cancellation of Blizzard’s Titan MMO and Daybreak’s EverQuest Next MMORPG handily proves that the so-called experts know nothing after all. Both have demonstrated that they are incapable of making another fantasy MMORPG that anyone would play. At least they now readily admit it. At least they’re honest. That is small consolation for those of us that feel betrayed. Our only hope is that the torch will be passed on to a new generation of MMORPG companies.