For our developers

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by Geko, Dec 8, 2022.

  1. Geko Elder

    "Everquest is dying... You have heard this before? But it never happened right? Well, this time it will. Mentions of the demise of Norrath have been around for a long time, but we can conclusively say that Everquest has roughly 15 to 20 years left.

    Why is this prediction different from the ones of the past? Well, this prediction is not about the game dying, but the players dying. We as a community are dying, literally. The last generation to play Everquest is approximately 35 to 40 years old right now. Once this last generation dies off, Everquest will fade with it.

    So I humbly ask the developers of today to make your mark on the game. Brad made his mark, and we loved it. Here is your chance to make your mark on the greatest game I can think of. Show us new lands, new ideas. Please give the player base a chance to journey the imaginations of the last developers of Norrath."
    Sissruukk, Jumbur and Angeliana like this.
  2. Iven Antonius Bayle

    The game is not only dying because the players are dying, there are more reasons. 15-20 years is very optimistic.

    Next year (2023) the 30th expansion will be released and in march 2024 during the 30th expansion there will be the 25th anniverary so that would be the perfect time for a very special expansion and to leave some marks. A collaboration with former orginal devs like Vu Nguyen (Estate of Unrest, Felwithe, Kael, PoK, Shar Vahl, etc), Scott McDaniel (All 74 outdoor zones and objects through TRoK), Rosie Rappaport aka Rosie Cosgrove Strzalkowski (3D models like goblins and bixies; art director) and Jay Barbeau (music, sound) would rock.

    https://www.everquest.com/news/imported-eq-enus-50380
    Joules_Bianchi and Aenvar like this.
  3. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    I hope the ambition from the devs is greater than just making "yet another expansion", that will be played through in a year.

    A "mark" is much more than an expansion. The introduction of the AA-system in SoL was a mark. In-game maps was a mark. Instances was a mark. Mercs in SoD was a mark. Housing and guildhalls was a mark. Advanced Loot was a mark.

    A mark should add an extra dimension to the core gameplay...

    "Yet another keyring" is not a mark.

    Maybe the new UI-engine will be a mark...:)
  4. Brontus EQ Player Activist


    I completely agree and share your passion for what Norrath means to many of us. I've mentioned the issue of player attrition due to old age on a number of occasions but there no sense of urgency at Darkpaw to tackle this problem. What's really frustrating is that it often feels the loyalty of players is rarely acknowledged and reciprocated. There is a lot of inertia and apathy on these forums that doesn't seem to want to rock the boat and they don't want anything new. I guess "were in their world now..." So the sacred cows continue to graze the fields happily chewing their cud without a care in the world until the wolves finally confront them.

    As far as design philosophy, EQ is in a rut and set in its ways. Don't expect any real innovation, just more copy and paste from the expansion sausage machine. They've had 17 years to innovate after the MMO that shall not be named took the world by storm. They would have done it by now. Thankfully a few passionate EQ players got together in Irvine CA and did innovate and they created a cultural phenomena and a billion dollar MMO business to boot and the rest is video game history.

    Over the years many of us have pleaded with the devs to be more communicative, more open, more transparent, more collaborative. In contrast, devs in other MMOs like Lord of the Rings Online make an effort to communicate with the players, they have devlogs, they do regular livestreams, they do Q and A sessions, they have expansion launch livestreams, meetups, contests, parties, and events.

    Once you learn to trim the tall poppies of your hopes and dreams for a better and properly actualized Norrath in this version of EQ, you can sleep better at night. I try not to think about it and instead play the early TLP servers first few expansions and keep reliving the original magic over and over again.

    The only way Darkpaw can stop the EQ franchise from dying is to create a brand new version of EverQuest. That would attract both new audiences and existing loyal players from both EQ and EQ2. A new EQ would also attract top cutting edge talent that would be open to innovation to push the genre forward. There is a good chance if EG7 were to create a new version of EQ that they would most likely conscript another studio to create it and start fresh.

    I've talked to some industry insiders about EQ who really know what's going on behind the scenes. They too would love to see a new EQ but they are not hopeful. The EverQuest franchise had incredible potential. It's a real shame that those in charge fumbled the ball and never got a new EQ off the ground.
  5. Cidran Augur

    This is exactly what I'm in favor of: going forward without forgetting the past.

    Zoning into a new, undiscovered place and hearing something composed by Jay Barbeau would be a dream come true.
  6. Geko Elder

    I hadn't planned to respond on this post, but I feel I may not have been clear in my intention.
    Please do not re-make anything from the past.

    Our current dev team has a very heavy weight placed on them, but please step up to this responsibility. You as a team are preparing Norrath's funeral. You will be burying this game, and I do not say this in a negative way.

    Take some huge risks! Build us brand new zones that are beautiful and elegant. These zones should not remind us where we were 10 years ago, they must be our final celebrations.

    Re-think the current recipe of 4 hero missions to level. Allow us to grind levels and talk to our group mates! Let us make new friends!


    I am excited to see what new ideas you create for EQ's 30th expansion. I truly hope as a team you will allow us to experience the imagination's of the last developers of Everquest!
  7. Elyssanda Bardbrain

    Not all players are old. There are many in their 20s and 30s playing now.. Yes, I would bet the median age is upper 40s, but their is a strong contingent of younger adults playing this. (also players up into their 70s and 80s) One of our Raid leaders is in his mid 20s.. My 31 yo son just introduced his 25yo GF to it. My son grew up with EQ alot of our kids did.
    One of my coworkers asked why I NEEDED Sundays Mondays as my 2 days off, I said oh I play this old MMORPG and those are our raid nights. He asked, and I said EQ, and he Laughed and goes Holy Crap Evercrack is still around?! he downloaded it last week, and he's barely 40.
    Nennius, demi, Qwalla and 1 other person like this.
  8. demi Augur

    my Son just turned 26 , and he grew up with me playing EQ and just few weeks ago he asked me if i still played and said that if i did to let him know and we could play sometime cause he started playing as well :p so there is a new generation of Norrathians around .. this game will continue for at least another 20 to 25 years .. I will be here for their 50th anniversary ..
    Nennius and Elyssanda like this.