Agreed. How dare they incorporate questing into more of the game. I demand two months free play and lots and lots of pizza and pie to make up for it. Mmmm pie.
My spidey senses are tingling on this as well. Maybe we are just assuming the worst because the players love Jennifer Chan and we can't have nice things, sometimes.
This is ridiculous. Why would Windstalker be elbowed out over ToV exp when TBL was a much bigger hairball?
Forced questing? Yes, Bards and SK’s and Shaman etc should be able to play without getting their Epics!
Better question...why all the fanfare over Darkpaw Studios, and then just over a month later, Holly bolts for the exit? She just (essentially) became the head of her own gaming development studio. What sort of "opportunity" would cause her to just drop all that and abandon ship? I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but there defintely seems to be a part of the story that isn't being told. We may never know what that is.
From her post she got the offer of a lifetime type job. It has nothing to do with Darkpaw or the "State of the Game" . Timing means nothing. If you got the job offer you could not refuse then you would probably take it also. Remember, Holly didn't only work for SOE/DBG, she also used to work for Disney for many years. Disney is making a huge push into Cloud gaming and online gaming also. Maybe she got an offer to go back to the Mouse House, one of the richest companies on earth.
Questing isn't forced one bit, yes not questing is slower for sure but far from impossible. My alt is now 115 and the only questing he's done is the 4 group missions, none of the mercs/partisans. So, 3 months into the expansion I already have 1 toon Max XP/AA with all progression done and another toon (Leveled Separately) lvl 115 with pretty much none of the progression done. If you still haven't got at least 1 toon 115 using either method you're doing something wrong.
My best guess where and why Windstalker left? https://pantheonmmo.com/ With Brad's passing.. they got a project lead opening.. and very soon after he dies.. suddenly Holly quits. Too conviennent in the timing department IMHO. I will not be surprised in the least when they announce she's joined their studio
Why do we all assume SHE left Darkpaw? Perhaps Darkpaw told her to leave. This is the way upper echelon spin things when they are let go. Either way - on with the game!!!!
Just wanted to post the same as the connection is just logical. Holly also mentioned that she will leave just Darkpaw but she could still work for Daybreak. Darkpaw Games is not a company , its just a word mark (trade mark) that still does belong to Daybreak Game Company LLC. Source Her cryptic words strenghten my assumption that EQ3 (= Pantheon ?) is in work and that she officially does/will work for this secret project now. I am sure that we will read more from Holly in the future and that many of you will be surprised in a good way.
These two facts are not conflicting and they seem to be separate companies but there are connections between them. I won´t wonder if Brad McQuaid did hold some rights on EverQuest or if VR did acquired EverQuest franchise rights from Daybreak.
At this time they do conflict - VR has been very open with who is working on project and who isn’t. Having someone working on the project secretly wouldn’t be consistent. If this was the case, it would have been announced or will be soon.
my guess is an NDA was issued so she could get her severance. EQ is about to be moved to another company imo. nothing to do with smed or mcquaid. was hoping for server merges and word on someone saving the game, maybe still going to happen.
I am guessing there was an NDA in place before she left the company as they also cared about what was discussed while she worked there.