Gamespot News: SOE talks EverQuest II updates

Really the only thing that concerns me about these adventure packs is that they are further compartmentalizing a game that is already too compartmentalized. You have locked encounters, instanced dungeons, flagging, and now adventure packs that plug into the world only if you pay for them. The whole game just feels so "on purpose"... it loses immersion and believability.

I could care less about the $4.99 per adventure pack.

The question: "Is it fun?" hasn't been asked enough at SOE when designing this game. Complaining about one thing like this is nipping at the fringe of the real problem.

Ok, I have a few questions about this new system.

If I buy an adventure pack, is it accessible from ALL characters on my account?

If I get a station access pass, does that mean I get all the updates for free? If not, why not? I would already be giving SOE an extra $5 or so and this would pay for the content already.

PS on topic of station access pass but off topic for this thread, does the station access pass include being able to use the eq2players.com content?

Will SOE continue to focus on content for the main player base who pay the standard subscription only. By content I mean new dungeons where all players can access all the zones without paying? Will this remain a regular thing?

Apologies if these questions have already been answered, I have a hangover.

Its ok for me to have to pay for major expansions, but not for those small adventure packs. If they introduce that, I'm off. The monthly fee is too high as it is.

The thing is, once SOE releases an expansion, not only will they have current bugs to fix but new ones also. This is why I left SWG, because they were making JTL while the current game was jacked up. I'm really enjoying EQ2 (up until the current patch), and I hope I don't have to click that "Cancel Subscription" button for this game too. It was hard to let go of something that I worked hard for in SWG, but if I can do it there, I can do it here. I'll give EQ2 a little more time, seeing as it's a farely new game, and because I also got a couple game cards for x-mas.

Here's hoping SOE.... /cries.self.to.sleep :smileysad:

Yes we could think so, but then you should think about EQ2 so too.
When you buy adventure modules for traditional tabletop RPG you aren't paying monthly fee for Core Rule Books and Expansions. LOL. =)
So, as i think, 15 USD/month + cost of expantions and maingame is a good enough price to make adventure modules free for all who pays it, without additional costs.
Message Edited by NimTornado on 01-09-2005 12:23 PM
Message Edited by NimTornado on 01-09-2005 12:24 PM

I think people are still confused about this.

SOE do give us free updates from time to time. The $15 monthly charge is for regular maintenance + free updates.

In addion to that they also going to give us adventure packs for a minimul fee. Now, isn't it better to have these for a nominal fee other than not having these at all.
So, I am fully ok with SOE charging money for adventure packs and expansions.

These are all fine.

The only issue which I have is that will they give a high priority to fix the remaining defects as to giving us these new expansions?

This a a [expletive ninja'd by Faarbot] joke.

I bought this game thinking the 20$ pricetag would keep the game frequently updated with content, and now they're trying to ream me for another 5$ per uber dungeon and/or weaon I NEED to have.

Give me a break, if we don't start getting regular content for our $20.00 I'm gone.

Its seems that SOE only care about money. Maybe they put this new scheme in place because they are losing lots of money to WoW and EQ2 isn't as big as they hoped it would be.

I agree with eveyone else, who cares about new content fix the game first. You can't do trade skills after this new patch the zones crash every 1hr, and the game is getting more and more laggy. It would be a result of nejena because that server is pretty full, but its a pain in the [expletive ninja'd by Faarbot]. The game run better when it first came out the more the fix it the worse it gets.

When are SOE going to start thinking about the little people

Agreed. One more patch for me.

RbT

Capitalist Pigs . . .

and if anyone uses the word "Free" in relation to SOE again . . .

/smack

Message Edited by Coraxiznoc on 01-10-2005 12:51 AM

Nim, you are a very smart person, and I am hoping that others will see the logic in your posting as well and object to such underhanded methods as charging for additional content.

*** For all of you who do not see the problem with Sonys plan, please take a minute to think about this. Sony is rationalizing their plan to charge us for additional content by comparing it to the likes of table top role playing games such as D&D, which offer modules at an extra cost.
Let me support Nim here by saying that this is a very unreasonable comparison that in truth "holds no water" whatsoever.
TSR games offer module packs for dungeon masters who want to run an additional story line either because they are fresh out of original game plans, or just want to experience something of a different sort with their gaming group. These packs are priced accordingly however, plz keep in mind that, (as pointed out by Nim), people who play traditional rpgs do not pay a monthly fee for playing priveleges, and if they did, I am quite certain, (coming from a D&D player point of view), that they would expect to receive such modules as part of their montly pay to play package.
Many of you are saying that you dont care about such extra charges, but only care about getting the game fixed. It should be pointed out that yes, the game should be fixed as soon as possible, however the gaming community should not feel that they are forced to pick and choose the lesser evil of having the game fixed, or paying for extra content.
The fact is, the game needs to be fixed, plz do so as we have been waiting patiently and continue to wait as we have no other choice. But when it comes down to paying for content, on top of our monthly fee, we do indeed have a choice before us.... it would be smart of you Sony, not forget this fact.
I read a post earlier witch stated that they did not mind paying for an additional module type pack, but can you not see, that we are already paying for this to begin with? I am quite sure that most subscribers considered the monthly price tag, and made a decision that it was quite worth the 15 bucks a month to enjoy this game. What we all did not know however is that this fee would not include all available content. The fact that this information was not revealed at the time of purchase or presentation of the game is incredibly underhanded and deceptive. I say deceptive because with all certainty, SOE sold us their product with the well kept secret that after we initially bought their game, and agreed to the ongoing fee, that their would be other fees for aspects of this product that we would naturally believe to be included.
On a final note, the concept of making portions of the game available to only those who can afford it will further divide the eq2 community, which was initially intended to be a very social/interdependant type environment.
Sony, with this decision, you are driving a wedge between its player base. We all are that you have been greedy in the past but this new proposal contradicts everything that the everquest world was intended to be.
Perhaps since youve gone to this extent, you might consider selling these "adventure packs" also known as zones and content to the highest bidder on ebay that way the entire game can go straight down the tubes... But hey, who cares about quality or ethics when you can make an extra buck right?!
Sincerely,
Ladyjayblue

I think they need to fix the bugs first. However if all the team are working on fixing bugs, and adding the newcontent. then if people want additional content on top of that, then the extra fee's pay for the extra staffs wages. it really does depend on how much new stuff is added with the regular monthly fee.

As for people who can't afford to pay missing out on loot etc *shrug* people who have to work 5-6 days a week regular hours miss out in ways also, they also get to play the game they like less, they do however have the money to buy expansions/additional content if they choose.

I'm hoping the packs will have the additional story content that is missing in some areas, i'm not so bothered about the loot, and I suspect it will be on par with whats droppingv elsewhere anyway.

But if the people actually buying those packs are the people that like to actually explore and investigate the plot, as opposed to sitting at zone shouting where can I find XXX NPC I need to kill for XXX quest, or where does XXX loot drop instead of actually like, following the quest themselves or asking a character personally for advice. Then I'm cool with that, don't see it happening though.. i predict alot of people buying the first pack, and then [expletive ninja'd by Faarbot]ing they paid 4.99 for an expansion that gives them loot comparable to what the can get in EL etc and they were ripped off.

I'd be amazed if the loot was the same as you get in EL etc. Experience shows that expansions always up the stakes in loot.

SOE dosent care if they upset the game balance as long as they get a few extra bucks. They can always wield the nerfbat a few months down the line and make the mobs tougher to get things back under control

Pay up or be left behind has always been the way of MMORPG's its just that SOE expects its customers to pay a heck of lot more than other companies

Not that Im for or against any future decisions made to EQ2, but if you have never put some figures to numbers here is a quick guess based off information found. This is not actual figures nor is anything based off of pure facts (For those number pushers out there who like no mistakes, etc Im no mathmatician) But for what its worth....


4,634,500 = 14.95 month * 310,000 subscribers (not including their All Access for the 21.95)
55,614,000 = 14.95 month * 310,000 Subscribers for one year (Not including their All Access for 21.95)

49.95 = Game price (One time cost per account, on average new game costs)
_____
49.95 One time cost


After one year of gaming:

4.95 = 59.28 Adventure pack@1 a month for 12 months (possible 2 month, say its one a month for now)
14.95 = 179.40 monthly service (None All Access account) (12 months subscription paying monthly)
29.95 = 29.95 Average cost of expansions (guesstimate) (possible 2 a year, but say its one a year for now)
_______
238.63 + 49.95 = 288.58 per person per year possible

Total subscriptions as of current number of people in EQ2: (310,000 as of Jan 10, 2005 based on 310,000@288.58 a year)
89,459,800.00

On adventure packs alone@310,000 with half making a purchase in one month:
155,000 * 4.95 = 767,250


Heres something for those who play using a broadband account based on an average monthly payment of 49.95:

14.95 = Monthly EQ2 account
49.95 = Average cost of DSL (guessing) (Odds are you don’t have it just for EQ2 but who knows)
4.95 = One adventure pack purchased in a months time
______
69.85 = Total monthly cost of playing EQ2 with DSL/Cable

Basically, SOE is getting there money's worth. Granted theres overhead involved, but either way, heres some numbers thrown together just for the purpose of putting somewhat a figure to whats already being paid for. Give or take with different things taken into account.

(*FYI - if my numbers are that far off I will delete the info and let the serious mathmaticians post their stats.)

Snailz,

Yah I put something similar together a while back and was able to roughly guess that after devolpment fee's and such that they would being making money in roughly 6 to 8 months. Personally they should be making hand over fist in around that time period and I don't see why they need to bill us for any of this extra fee's content and web statics, when it might cost them customers in the long run. We'll see how many just play through 50 and drop the game for WoW. Lot of games out there now to be tied down to a company that does things like this. 15 bucks a month is almost to expensive for causal gamers to caugh up.

So it's your basic multi-million dollar business, we're talking mondo-bling, true enough... Makes you wonder how many of these gripes are actual, truthful gripes or, more than likely, it's just another company trying to skim off the top of SOE's profits. I mean think about it, logically, what better way to steal an MMORPG's client-base than through its forums? Masquerading by competitive companies on forum boards is hardly a new strategy, it's been widely used since the late 80's and early 90's.

Somebody wants a piece of SOE's cookie badly and they are willing to pay by the post, so be mindful.

Just like the hype, don't believe all the gripe.

Ibnithl EQ1 / Illraeth EQ1 & EQ2 / Sylraeth EQ2 / Ibyn EQ2 & a few other characters

I can pretty much guarantee that the 310k subscribers is EQ2's likely peak. With WoW's latest publicity move (no more new copies for now), their game has gotten even hotter. Several new games are coming out, including some excellent genre games and some out-of genre games.

Add to that a poor first patch, which drove off some word of mouth from the players (ie: many players will stay, but their friends will remember how frustrating the game was for the player and not join in), a general feeling of disenfranchisement from the player community (which will dampen the "new game ardor" for a lot of players), and some lukewarm reviews and fanbase commentary....we're looking at our peak already.

I think Smedley and the suits have some ideas up their sleeves - remember these games are run on schedules that don't allow the developers a lot of latitude for direction. He's already fired off one distraction flare on the players with this announcement, so his big gun is likely done. If the next patch tanks, all he likely has left for a crowd distraction tidbit is the name and theme of the first expansion pack.

Right off the bat, we're seeing the game moving off in a direction a lot of players don't want to go. With the tradeskilling issues at the fore, but also others like selling offline, outleveling content, and a general perception of "nerfage" in the air, we're looking at a surprisingly skeptical playerbase so early in the game.

While my own decision and timetable has been set, I can see how this is going to be a rough decision for the players who have yet to decide to sign on for the long haul with this game. This distraction/announcement was greeted with a lot of passion by the playerbase, and may be an indicator where the players are heading.

RbT

Well my two pennyworth,

I pay £9.99 a month, so in a year thats £120 when a new game costs £34 i reckon that a certain amount of free content should be included. I should not have to pay extra for game content.
I personaly can accept having to pay for 1 add on a year but not 2 or more or for new dungeons.

The only thing that disturbs me on this, is the guild issue.

I am in a guild on Oggok. What happens if half the guild members get the new add-on, and the others don't?

I'm not worried about the cash. But if you put out these add-ons, you pretty much going to seperate our guild members.

I would rather see a price increase, then everything is free.

But please do not seperate your players. It would remind me of EQ 1/live all over again.


And if anyone reads this that is making a MMORPG. Listen to what I say. Start your game off at X price. All additional content, expansions, etc is free. If you feel the need to jack the price up a buck, then do it. But never ever seperate your player base.

Very very good point.