JChan, Everquest Remastered

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by Vicus, Mar 12, 2020.

  1. Vicus Augur

    Hello JChan,

    Congrats on the new position. I will keep this basic because I don't want to bore you with tech stuff that I am well aware you know plenty about (love the Ice in the new xpac). I posted here because this is not a progression server. Final Fantasy 7, WoW classic, Rachet and Clank, Secret of Mana, Neverwinter, ect. All of these remaster/redo's are going to be or are very successful. Right now I feel that there has not been an EQ3 because there are plenty of money backers that fear it will flop due to the fans of the game are not the current market fans (we are old). I believe that doing a remaster will give the Everquest name new life. Use a remaster to be a "test bed" for Everquest 3. Don't go to big and don't rewrite to much. Use the same story, characters, zones, bosses ect but make it a bit fresh. New graphics engine, same simple combat with maybe 1-2 improved things, better UI, new raid strats and call it a day. Crowd fund the project. Make it known that if it does well it will improve the chances of an Evequest 3. EQ1 and EQ2 players would support the game due to this. Remastering EQ1 will give your staff the needed time on the new engine to prep for Everquest 3 (4-6 years from now).

    So how would it be done? Not Simple but easy layout:
    Announce the project in 3-4 months with the release of a new progression server. This will keep current players busy for the next year. (I don't care what type of server, not a debate I want). Also make sure you announce that this will be the FINAL progression server. So if people want to give Everquest one final glory run, this is their final chance. This will boost subscribers while you work on the remaster.

    Crowd fund the start of it the day of the announcement (with advertisement on some MMO sites). This way you can hire 1-2 new staff members and show these money backers the power EQ fans have as we come out to support. If the game doesn't make goal (i'd be shocked) then we all will know it's time to give up on a EQ3, but I just don't see that happening. Even Pantheon backers would back this project (me).
    Make it a new game, not something where you have to deal with Veteran awards, store bought items, expansion perks ect.

    Redo the character damage charts. This way you don't have unbalanced monks, mages, ect. No AA's or a completely simplified way to do AA's compare to the current system. Make it easier on yourself so you can still release new expansions without blowing up your brains in the process, so you can focus on making deadlines and learning on what you can do for EQ3 (work on it in the background).

    This is the important one! Make sure with the NEW remaster that you create a mobile APP that allows us to send out Overseers or check the Bazaar ect. Also allow us to contact our friends in game without being online. You want to connect with the younger crowd, learn how to use mobile to your advantage, and keep people from unsubscribing because they need to be subscribed to talk with their friends! (Throw this as a funding stretch goal...and watch people reach it).

    Make sure you have original, Kunark, and Velious completed before release. Drop the game starting with original. Do not promise ANY deadline dates for expansion release. Release them randomly 4-7 months a part from each other. It will be a new game with new strats ect so there should be some longer learning curves for bosses then the cut and paste progression server strats that are being used now. Have a team working on Luclin and beyond while a smaller team is adjusting Original, Kunark, Velious. Like I said, keep it simple so that the remaster doesn't become something that makes you hate working it and lose your steam for EQ3. Once you get enough support you can speed up EQ3 production or split off and do the same thing for EQ2 while still working on EQ3. Once the remaster starts to lose steam or runs its course (4-6 years) release EQ3 to the masses. Just make sure you get it out there before WoW 2 heh.

    There is a HUGE lull in MMO's right now. Doing this will allow you to stop the current trend of dropping a new progression server that slowly dies before it gets caught up to the current game. This is the time to start the hype and get people committed to you before they take their money to some other crowd funded project. This is how I would make the EQ name live on so the next generation has an EQ game to call their own. Not saying stop supporting regular EQ/EQ2 just yet but maybe 1-2 more expansions more tops, then focus on the remaster and EQ3. Sometimes just have to put the Horse down even if you love them like family. Also randomly as I am a person who has made a lot of money tracking market trends, there is going to be a large uptick of people staying home due to the current virus trends. A lot more money will be spent online. Kickstarter...people at home on the computer more...profit, just saying.

    P.S.

    Just my personal opinion but I feel like WoW has already started this process. WoW classic will end semi soon and there will be an announcement of WoW TBC or WLOTK "classic" server where people can relive the experience of the server in the timeline of patches. They will milk this from Classic - MoP or so (to avoid Mythic + drama).IMO then release WoW2. They will milk the money as long as they can with WoW but sooner or later WoW2 will come (might be VR for all we know). They are going to make millions from this if not more by using this model. Nothing wrong with stealing the model:) If it works it works! Maybe one day EQ can take back the title of top MMO again by striving to be more.

    Good Luck either way JChan and thanks for keeping the game going by taking the new position.
    playthequest likes this.
  2. code-zero Augur

    Oh please in Loki's name NO!!!!
  3. Buri Augur

    I don't think the new head of EQ needs you to tell her how to do her job....
  4. I_Love_My_Bandwidth Mercslayer

    Do you honestly believe this hasn't been discussed at some level within Daybreak/Darkpaw?

    There's something on the horizon. It edges closer every day. Be patient.
    Goburs likes this.
  5. Vicus Augur

    Sharing ideas is not telling someone how to do their job. You think CEO's come up with all the ideas and ignore their employees, consumers, media, market trends, ect?
  6. Vicus Augur

    Would love to hear why no? I am sure even to you it's obvious that the game/franchise can just keep the current cycle of release progression server, expansion, then server merge it all together because we have released to many servers. Each server release the starting #'s are lower and lower. Miragul is a ghost town and they GAVE you a level 85 character. Something new has to be done. I don't care if its this above or something different...as long as its different, and I don't mean FV rules or No Truebox or PVP different.

    I will give a simple example of why it won't last (sorry I am someone that still has hope). Holly just left for "A once in a lifetime opportunity". If that was a good or bad thing for Everquest that is for you to decide but as a CEO of any company...and I hope you would at least think this through...you want your company to be the "Once in the lifetime opportunity". Would be nice if the EQ name was doing something different that was catching the eyes of the MMO community. I mean Everquest use to be the top. Now it's not even on the horizon. From 1981-1988 the NBA was competing with Hockey for attendance and views. There was a lot of crap going on that wasn't getting handled. A new CEO came in and cleaned up the game, suits, and increased it's market by making it more family friendly. They also started to compete in the Olympics, movies, commercials, ect. Now it leads sports in many categories and only trails the NFL in others. We have a new CEO and while I am not expecting it to be #1, it shouldn't be the game people think of as the game people played many years ago. Heck many people see news about EQ on other gaming sites and some of the responses are...is that game still around? Heck I would settle for it to take away the title of Everquest 1.5 that is now being owned by Pantheon.
  7. Vicus Augur

    I'm sure it has and I posted to show them that we (people who think like me at least) would support the idea. It would motivate me as an employee knowing that my consumer is open to the idea.
  8. Redsumm Journeyman

    "I will keep this basic.." [followed by a 4k word essay.]
    Elyssanda, Zamiam, Duder and 2 others like this.
  9. Jhenna_BB Proudly Prestigious Pointed Purveyor of Pincusions

    I AM A GOD....!
    code-zero likes this.
  10. Vicus Augur

    For a business pitch, this is basic. I didn't go into tech details, timeline, profit margins, budget, ect. I didn't say quick, I said basic.
  11. Goburs The Filthy Casualz Leader

    Good, god forbid someone chastise you on those ideas...look how you've responded to this so far.
  12. Vicus Augur

    Well if you look at most threads this is all it turns into. Bunch of people saying no and not giving a legit opinion. I'd love someone to counter with a better idea and gets noticed by the devs even more then mine. 99% of the post on this forum is about the next progression server. My opinion is we need to step outside of that box. Whats your opinion? Is it just. no? Or have something more to offer?
  13. Goburs The Filthy Casualz Leader

    My opinion is that you wasted your time on this thread, and JChan probably already has enough to do, without reading an essay.

    That's what I have to offer at this moment.
  14. Skuz I am become Wrath, the Destroyer of Worlds.

    Zamiam likes this.
  15. Viper1 Augur

    You lost me at crowdfunding. We already crowdfunded EQ3 and look how that turned out. I'd love to see a engine update to support DX12, would even pay a premium for the next xpac, when it's finished. But I'm through giving game studios free money to fail at making games.
    Caell, Risiko and code-zero like this.
  16. Vicus Augur

    I can understand that. There are other ways. Paid beta access. Preorder bundles. Higher subscription fees for the remaster server. I fully understand your point but I also counter that if we want a new EQ we will have to speak with our wallets because 1000+ post isn't doing it. I am open to other ways to help fund this...that gives tangible rewards to the person spending the money. Maybe on the final progression server, you pay a 3 dollar more sub price, but subscribers who subscribe at least 3-6 months get early access to the remaster server or a special xp item at launch. Whatever can be a lot of things.
  17. Skuz I am become Wrath, the Destroyer of Worlds.

    The effort / money / persons required to implement a full graphical revamp would be better spent on creating a new game with a modern code-base & engine, and have a much better opportunity to recoup that investment.

    Best case scenario would be the engine was designed in such a way that all of the current games geometry, art assets, databases & texture maps could be imported into it later on so that it could "house" the old EQ1 game within the new codebase as an optional retro-mode.
  18. That0neguy Augur

    No you pretty much did tell her how to do her job. It's one thing to suggest idea's or make statments like, "As a player, I would like to do this, because reasons".

    Your approach included a 4k word essay detailing steps to take. Guessing you have never had to give an executive an elevator pitch before.
    Skuz likes this.
  19. Vicus Augur

    I reread what I wrote and I will admit it, it was more detailed in a way that was giving specific steps. I was in charge for a long time and guess I need to word things in a way as you suggested. My intention was still to share ideas. If I had an in person conversation it wouldn't of been me telling someone what to do, just more excited to talk shop. Downside of text/internet.

    You are the second person that are hung up on 4k words. I type fast, it took me 10 minutes. I have no issues putting my thoughts together (but I apparently have issues putting them in a suggestive way). As for your guess, the devs have my account info and can google who I am. I wrote a longer post because in the MMO community, detail (that is why there is story and lore) is more respected then an elevator pitch. That is why mobile games while extremely profitable, still aren't really accepted by the masses as"real" games because they have the stigma by old school gamers of "get rich quick games". I'm retired young and I still get a daily email or text with a sale pitch/advice. I'm smart enough to know that I am happy where I am in life but I do know that I would be happier playing an EQ game throughout my retirement years for multiple decades (not on mobile...definitely on VR though). I would fund a new MMO but unless you are player in the market I know that chances of success are very slim. Curt Schilling is a great example of someone who wanted to play a great MMO and started his own company, then realized that...he was very good at pitching (and probably not a good idea to invite 6 of your friends to start a company). But that is a different conversation.

    P.S.
    Still would love to know what you want if not a remaster.
  20. Paincake Elder



    We live in a time where people don't think much before they type a post, and just blurt out a few words based on their instant emotional feedback. It's a generation of "one-liners". Pretty sad.


    I've been one to suggest the Remaster as well. Obviously, in time a sequel (EQ3) would be exciting. I however would like to see them just exclusively push a remaster of, like you said, classic-velious. Just start with classic content. Limit the art assets and creative ideas so time could be spent on the new (engine?), graphics, sounds, animation, music, UI, lighting. Don't touch the gameplay. Just modernize the look and sound of the game. Advertise the hell out of it (like RE2 and FFVII). It will be successful, no doubt. Basically, begin remaking EQ1.....follow the same patterns, you already have the assets and lore. Take a year between expansions if you need.

    Crowdfunding might work as well, even just for a remaster, if you can get artists to visualize it first. Show the public/players what they can expect. I'd donate a ton of money toward it.



    My guess however is that, IF, they ever did attempt a real Remaster of EQ1.....they would turn it into EQ3. Could be good. But time and time again, new mmo's come out, and NONE of them have that old-school EQ1 feel. Not a single one. EQ1 does not need to be modernized in a gameplay, or ease of access, way. Whatever is done, please do not change the feel of the game.
    Vicus likes this.