What is EQX? The future of EverQuest?

I could not have said it better, great point.

While the presentation given spoke of bringing onboard a new dedicated team for EQ 3, I think it also basically put EQ into a more rigid box in terms of expectations.

Namely no revamp & "more of the same" for expansion content along with "systems improvements" or future-proofing to keep the game viable. In other words, reading between the lines, maintaining the players they have & the income they spend with EQ but not giving them anything more than the bare minimum to keep them.

So an increase in the amount of content per year is probably off the table, and we will as players probably need to fight hard just to prevent further shrinkage in what they give us.

Which is why LS pissed me off with the shrinkage we are probably going to get when a 30th expansion should have been aiming to surpass the "usual" amount of content and let's not forget how we all got short-changed in CoV thanks to the Covid Pandemic.

80 10 10 is a bad idea when there is a lot of new shiny tech out there.

People aren't asking for a remake of EQ, they want a modern EQ.
You can keep the zones as is, but modernize it.

Twitch Drops
Meta events
Alliance wars/World vs World/PvP all the modern MMORPGs have some version of this.
Solo through it, but of course group is more fun. Solo focused not group focused as in to level.
After being leveled now its group focused. Current EQ is leveling is a group focused thing. Mission? You need a group for that.

EQ2 failed because it was like a 80 10 10 approach, group focused game, everything just like EQ1 but newer graphics.
WoW solo focused game, new/modern.
EQ2 changed from EQ playstyle to WoW solo focused.

80 10 10 is just repeating EQ2. Should be 50 40 10 or 40 40 20.

MMORPG players have a checklist and EQ1 fails on many of those checks. Twitch drops no, meta events no, pvp events no, fun activities no, fashion wars no, voice acted NPCs no, cinematics no, combos no. List goes on and on and on.

Another thing to be mindful of is social media aspect, Twitch. Is it fun to watch.
Thats where Rust comes into, do people talk to each other in voice? Is there stuff to build. Can you make a story of your playthrough on social media?

story, the main comment is

@Elbulldozr
2 months ago
As a 30+ year old with a job and all the other things life throws at you, thank you for these videos. I have never played Rust, nor will I ever. Your videos allow me to escape for an hour or so to a world I know nothing about, save for what you display, and I can’t get enough. Endless entertainment. You the man.
4.7K likes

So basically make EQ3 not many zones, focus on the gameplay gameplay, is it fun roleplaying too, is there fun activities to do, fighting of course. If you can't make a story out of playing the game it really isn't that good of a game then for the modern era.

Fortnite its just 1 zone really. More zones and plethora of things is not always better.

There is just too much new stuff out right now to invest so much 80% keep it as is, maybe 5 years ago that would be a good idea, but now? Wrong, people want new even if it is bad, its something. Pokemon GO.
People DIY EQ because EQ isn't delivering. VR, all these nice cool things. They DIY.

Roleplaying roleplaying roleplaying. Thats why FFXIV is popular game, roleplaying aspect is very underrated. Social media showcasing the game in a positive way.

See that video, he's not trying to make all the zones, he's just making fun stuff. Thats how EQ3 should be. Not plethora of zones and missions and raids. Thats not what people in modern era are looking for.

Usual uberkong lunacy aside...

...They sorta of have something of a point even if their elucidation needs massive work.

80/10/10 is questionable, in some sense, as a lot of people are wanting a more modern version of Norrath as a world, for lore purposes, and for gameplay purposes. It doesn't have to be the same as EQ1 (Albeit a lot of EQ1's basic systems are very intriguing to attempt to explore further).

It needs to be the next game that will both draw in existing fans of the world, as well as tempt new players to join in on the experience. The devs also need to show some level of respect for a player's time. Even younger MMO players with fewer responsibilities have so much going on outside the game -- both other avenues of entertainment, or just personal life things -- that a game needs to be a game rather than a singular hobby.

One of my big things recently I've noticed is that story/narrative driven MMOs tend to hold my attention better nowadays. Ones I can hop on with my friends for 2-3 hours a night at most, or even join up with some people I don't know as well for short bursts, work out for me better on the gameplay/social experience side.

And I know I'm not alone in this.

Great, yet another doomed idea to suck more resources out of EQ.

Condensed for effect.

I think EQ2 has pretty graphics. I sometimes log in there and run about a bit. Actually got into the tradeskill system there. But it didn't have the draw EQ does. Plus most of my peeps are in EQ and I am around still for the peeps more then anything else.

Or World of Warcraft.

The endless Stan Lee-ing is more cartoon saturday than a D&D based RPG

Do they all have to be steroid cases more ripped than Aaaahnold and carrying weaponry bigger than the characters? It's just silly looking and reeks of e p e e n - envy.

Tired of copy pasting EQ zones and expansions? Let's copy/paste WoW's artwork.

most notable impression of the compared artworks. Old style, the main focus is the characters. New one the main focus is the gear. The players catch the eye more in one, the weapons and armor are the stars of the other.

second impression is, they're all melee classes because it is so weapon focused.

Did you miss where they posted it anyway after having created it to begin with? ;p

Yep, the EQ concept of "you start off as some nameless peasant & BECOME a bada$$ adventurer" is way more attractive than the nonsense about being born a superhero, and how do you relate to some cartoon of a Hero anyway?

Spiderman's popularity is heavily rooted in how relatable he is to ordinary people.

I could for sure get behind a game where your character physically changes as they become higher in level, and it would be a really neat feature if their physiology actually adapted to reflect what they do.

Carry around a bow & shoot arrows? Develops large shoulders & strong lean arms but not super-heavy musculature elsewhere, becomes physically athletic but not huge, more a cross-fitter with bigger shoulders for bow-power.
Spell-caster? becomes slim & elegant with excellent dexterity & high degrees of animation in the hands & fingers, why slim? well they need to be quick on their feet because that's their only physical defense when something get's through their magical ones.
Hand to hand combatant? Gnarly knuckles callouses & cauliflower ears, a flattened nose & tough looking jawline, something like a striking-based MMA fighter.
Swing a big axe? Many might think this would be the one for the Conan types, but they should actually be more "square" with thick trunks & thick legs to go with the barrel chest & thick arms, more like a competitive strongman such as Eddie Hall / Brian Shaw than a body-builder type where the massive calorific intake required for the huge strength needed actually leads to a fairly chunky frame, Luclin era Ogres are actually closer to that than Barbarians.
Swordsman? Barbarian/Conan/Bodybuilder type is probably a bit too heavily muscled for a good swordsman but could just about be excused.
Priests could be pretty much any average or even a bit flabby body type depends how physically demanding their activities are.
Bards are gonna be elite runners, quite lean & built for endurance more than strength.

a double helping of THIS

You ever seen those guys that shoot 160+ lb longbow long term it is crazy
One side of their back and shoulders are larger than the other and it is offset
Looking from the front one shoulder is higher than the other.

It would be cool to see those physical changes in a game

I think Daybreak needs to create a new developement studio specifically for the new EQ MMO. They need to have their own building and even a new location. I don't think Americans make good MMOs anymore. American entertainment industry has become too woke and disconnected to their customers. I'd prefer to see some Eastern European studio create this. In Europe they still appreciate European based fantasy tropes.

At it's heart, EQ was about Tolkien and Dungeons & Dragons old school concepts of European fantasy. Tolkien is very well respected in Europe especially. This is why Norrath from release to Scars of Velious resonated with most of the players.

What most video game studios do in the ideation phase is to hire many concept artists to flesh out the visual look for the world. This can take quite a few months to finish. Then after all the various artists have completed, the executives at the studio gather in a board room and go over each of the artists concept art work. Eventually they decide on one concept style. Then the game artists start working on creating the actual assets.

The visual look of the new EverQuest MMO will make or break the future of the franchise. If I was EG7 I'd want to reach out to as many MMO players in some kind of focus group setting to get their feedback before they decide to invest $50 million.

The original EQ had amazing art. It was hand painted, slightly caricatured, quaint, quirky, but somehow appealing. It was respectful of Tolkien, European fantasy and fairy tale tropes. Those tropes are hard-wired into the DNA of Western culture. The colors were bright and iconic. There's a real magic in that original EQ art that needs to be captured and reimaigned.

EG7 needs the support of the veteran EQ players or the new EQ will faill. EQ veterans will be their word of mouth boots on the ground early adopters. If existing EQ fans are not onboard, the video game press will take note and not look favorably on the venture. Look at what happened to many iconic franchises in Hollywood in the past few years. The major studios decided to go woke and alienate their loyal fans and lost billions of dollars in the process.

I hope EG7 treads very carefully and does not mess this up. I would love to know who is advising them for their new EQ MMO.

Yep.

Also, you consider their point of view. EQ3 is suppose to be for newer generation. Otherwise why keep EQ1 up and running if all your doing is attracting EQ1 players, then theres no one in EQ1.

Think of it as a business. Whats the goal behind EQ3. Attract old farts already playing? WRONG

EQ3 can do better than WoW artwork models though. EQ3 going to need to improve on a lot of things.
80 10 10 approach isn't going to cut it. EQ is already outdated keeping the outdated 80% of it, thats very bad.

History going to repeat itself.
EQ2 went in with 80 10 10, did not bold well.

Successful transition to different version GW1 to GW2. They went in with a 40 40 20.
GW2 is better than EQ and EQ2 combined, its still top 10.

It's been 25 years till you decided better make an updated game. Current EQ is outdated.
Then they decide 80 10 10 approach?

They need to look at their videos on YouTube and read comments and listen.


@sidewinder86ify
2 weeks ago
Only a handfull of players can do the missions and raids.. rest waits for TA pls, TA pls.. TA, TA... (Taskadd) haha, game devs need to start focus on single player mode and remove the thoughts of groups. Also, add Raid ore to the Overseer.. would be epic.

I have done 0 raids on the latest expac's.. not possible solo, yet I pay for it.. Hmmmm.


@mightyredstallion
11 days ago
A person can't even solo yard trash in these last few expansions. Hard to even duo yard trash with mercs, and that's with blazing away squeezing maximum efficiency out of your toon. Every other MMO has solved the problem of grouping and all that. GW2 specifically has an elegant approach that enables solo players to enjoy end-game content/bosses and still get loot. Away with this old system and saving up DKP for a month to get a bracelet.


@TiddlyBlinx
11 days ago
@mightyredstallion There would be 100,000 people here eager to buy this expansion if Everquest would have just listened to them 20 years ago. But they just don't listen no matter what.


@mightyredstallion
11 days ago
So happy for the couple hundred or so of you who actually get to digest the end-game content. For the rest of us, EQ is 1-50. If you have a buddy and are enjoying your time with them, you can grind out 85. After that it falls apart.

Sharts landing, partisan tasks and all that junk. End game is just not fun (or even possible) for the majority of people. I go back every now and again for old time's sake. Run a new toon with my daughter, pay some guy $20 to PL our mains to level cap. Then it's back to other games we can actually play. Doubt we'll be back this year. Who knows. Enjoy your expansion.

80 10 10, because you think EQ is doing great?
EQ is just retaining people its not getting new people. Milking the cash cow. New EQ the whole point is to get new people. Which is what EQ is not doing well. It's outdated, so many things, why would anyone come to EQ. Way better options out there and thats why EQ is 49/140.

A lot of people commenting that they want EQ with solo content.

Why?

Because almost all of the other MMORPG games have that, they've played them & found they liked being able to not have to rely on other players, just like most gamers don't have to in almost every single game out there, cooperative dependence games are an anomoly .

Doesn't mean EQ should, indeed it almost certainly never will anyway.

But EQ's problem is a lack of people to play with in a game built for playing with other people for everyone who has lapsed playing & needs to get caught up, or new players who try the game.
But in EQ almost all of the people who are playing (live) are already max level or close to it - months & months of molong (solo-play) away, far across the divide.

A very great divide (pun intended) to cross.

EQ could help players cross that divide, and I think it will need side-kicking it is ever going to do that, but EG7 / Daybreak / Darkpaw might not want it to, they might be happy just having EQ carry on the way it has for the past 10 years because it is still a very profitable game.

EQ3 will be what they are going to pour effort into, though the idea they can build it with $30M dollars is probably completely unrealistic, unless what they do is basically take EQ, revamp it within a new engine, then slap an EQ3 label on it and push it out as a new game, 80% of its design being what EQ has, 10% improved being graphics & underlying code, and then 10% new being things EQ cannot do with its current engine anyway.

To be fair on the slide it said 30m+
He also kind of rolled through that really quick iirc from watching the video he was like 30 million plus blah blah we will go more into total investment into the game later.
I need to go rewatch that part and write down what he actually said

There is nothing wrong with EQ wanting to be group focused game.
But if you can't do any solo at all in some form of the end game, thats bad.

Waiting for group period, just playing for 20 minutes play.
Monday - Thursday 20 minute playing. EQ doesn't have anything for that.
Friday - Sun 4 hours playing.


See this.
Solo focused game, yet people people people people.
Soloing with other people.

Solo game but your always seeming to be with other people. So its
Win Win

EQ, group focused game. Pretty much no one LFG 1-110, heck 115 120 pretty no one.
Are there people around playing, yes but they are nowhere to be found, want nothing to do with you.

So you end up boxing.
It's a lose lose

Group focus, no group. can't solo either, and to spinkle in the feeling no one wants you.

Modern MMORPGs solo, but with others constantly, other people they want you to be around, they love seeing others.

EQ opposite.

So, EQ group focused and all is fine, but how everyone is playing, how the game designed. It's a very old old old 1999 method. Outdated.

Its no wonder can't find groups, have to box, no one LFG, no one wants you, very traditional guild like system.
Worked in 1999. But its 2023 now.

You can still do group focused but you have to make it so like other modern MMORPGs, where its natural and people enjoy seeing others.

I'll goto Dragon Necropolis.
ugh 3 other people in the zone.