-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
SOE Live 2013 - EverQuest Next Thread: Return of the Sandbox [free2play]
- Thread starter Ashodin
- Start date
You're in for a treat then, or it may be your worst nightmare. Take WoW, then strip away all the hand holding; quest hubs, quest tracker, mini-map, consuming food and drink just for bonuses, knowing what direction you're always running in without looking at the sun or dropping a weapon on the ground, banks, portals, instancing, dungeon/raid finder, structured PvP, arenas, battlegrounds, auction house, swimming like an olympian from level 1, etc...
I'm excited for what conveniences may go away.
Whoah, we don't know any of this. There is literally 0 information about the game besides story boards.
You guys are running wild with this. Manage your expectations.
Suburban_Nooblet
Banned
Free to play is a dealbreaker. Let me pay my $14.99 to keep a "real" community.
You're in for a treat then, or it may be your worst nightmare. Take WoW, then strip away all the hand holding; quest hubs, quest tracker, mini-map, consuming food and drink just for bonuses, knowing what direction you're always running in without looking at the sun or dropping a weapon on the ground, banks, portals, instancing, dungeon/raid finder, structured PvP, arenas, battlegrounds, auction house, swimming like an olympian from level 1, etc...
I'm excited for what conveniences may go away.
Hmmm could go both ways for me then.
I dont like what wow has become, but i loved vanilla and TBC.
So maybe if we meet somewhere in the middle?
Remove flying mounts, arenas, quest hubs, portals, dungeun finders
Keep banks, ground mounts
Really? F2P, when done right, is great, especially for MMOs that require a large playerbase.
Personally I like the GW2 B2P model, but P2P is dead.
krypt0nian
Banned
Yes please.
There will be a sub option, though. No, it won't be a requirement. How's that community in WoW? lol
Rogue_Ledr
Banned
They really need to take some chances and be pioneering with this game.
too many MMO's have failed because all they did was duplicate WoW's experience.
They needto break the mold with this game.
too many MMO's have failed because all they did was duplicate WoW's experience.
They needto break the mold with this game.
MEGA QUOTE POST
Here's a specific quote from Smedley:
If that doesn't make it sound far away from those types of games, you're ignoring the text. Conversely, there's been no messages from Smedley or Georgeson saying they're going to "ape" other MMOs. Everything they've said is clearly going in a different direction for an MMO.
Awesome! But it looks all pinterest-y.
From what it sounds like, it's going to be genuinely different than EQ 1 or 2.
Here's another quote:
I'm not even sure questing as we know it will exist in EQN. The timesink will be there, yeah, and the large world for sure (I want REALLY big). I also don't want those features either, as it takes people out of the game.
I'm hoping dungeons are randomized and spontaneous. That's a tall order to be sure, but a man can dream.
I agree. P2P would have just shown they aren't forward-thinking with the MMO community.
Whoa. This is the type of stuff I'm talking about!
Seems like they want to head in that direction for F2P. In terms of the game being different, check out the first quote I posted up there. Sounds crazily different.
HYPE
I disagree - you can design the tools needed for players and emergent gameplay to happen, and then just let things happen naturally. It's all about making sure the tools are there, really.
I'm not sure what you mean, but I think they're shooting for a pure form of sandbox. Not sure if that's what you want or not (or even if it's what I want).
Actually, I'm curious to know why it wasn't fun for you.
Get hype!
If ANY of this is true, holy shit
Also valid. It's what I'm getting vibes about the game.
Here's a specific quote from Smedley:
If that doesn't make it sound far away from those types of games, you're ignoring the text. Conversely, there's been no messages from Smedley or Georgeson saying they're going to "ape" other MMOs. Everything they've said is clearly going in a different direction for an MMO.
Awesome! But it looks all pinterest-y.
From what it sounds like, it's going to be genuinely different than EQ 1 or 2.
Here's another quote:
I'm not even sure questing as we know it will exist in EQN. The timesink will be there, yeah, and the large world for sure (I want REALLY big). I also don't want those features either, as it takes people out of the game.
I'm hoping dungeons are randomized and spontaneous. That's a tall order to be sure, but a man can dream.
I agree. P2P would have just shown they aren't forward-thinking with the MMO community.
Whoa. This is the type of stuff I'm talking about!
Seems like they want to head in that direction for F2P. In terms of the game being different, check out the first quote I posted up there. Sounds crazily different.
HYPE
I disagree - you can design the tools needed for players and emergent gameplay to happen, and then just let things happen naturally. It's all about making sure the tools are there, really.
I'm not sure what you mean, but I think they're shooting for a pure form of sandbox. Not sure if that's what you want or not (or even if it's what I want).
I actually always felt the opposite. I thought first-person was the better choice for immersion while third-person felt odd when you have everyone in WoW PVP zooming out a mile into the air so they can see everyone coming from a great distance
Edit:
I agree. I don't want EQN to be a total sandbox either. I was mostly hearkening back to my earlier post. I sincerely do NOT want EQN to end up like EVE. I'm sorry to the EVE players here, but that game is not fun to me.
Actually, I'm curious to know why it wasn't fun for you.
Get hype!
You're in for a treat then, or it may be your worst nightmare. Take WoW, then strip away all the hand holding; quest hubs, quest tracker, mini-map, consuming food and drink just for bonuses, knowing what direction you're always running in without looking at the sun or dropping a weapon on the ground, banks, portals, instancing, dungeon/raid finder, structured PvP, arenas, battlegrounds, auction house, swimming like an olympian from level 1, etc...
I'm excited for what conveniences may go away.
If ANY of this is true, holy shit
Also valid. It's what I'm getting vibes about the game.
I really hope the game has a realistic art style like EQ1 did. I'm tired of everything being cartoony. The EQ1 models are so much better (old and post Luclin) then EQ 2. Freaking Erudites turned into aliens, what the hell lol. Fat Ogres and Trolls again dammit !
Dunno what to expect, but if I'm being selfish I would love a return to EQ1. I think a lot of people will be let down with that with all the talk of this game being a giant sandbox and all the player importance to the life blood of the game they have been talking about.
Dunno what to expect, but if I'm being selfish I would love a return to EQ1. I think a lot of people will be let down with that with all the talk of this game being a giant sandbox and all the player importance to the life blood of the game they have been talking about.
still has old controls as well. Unless they updated it with in the last year.
I miss role sting servers
.Fine Ham Abounds
Member
My problem is, everything they've said so far sounds like the kinds of brainstorm dreamweaving PR hype fluff I associate negatively with SoE, and with promises that have been made by every company across the MMO spectrum. I'm not saying I'm expecting something that will disappoint me on an EQ2 level or something here, but my expectations are tempered by the realities of the past.
You guys are developing some interesting ideas and I don't want to demean or derogate that. I just mean that when I think MMO with a controller I could be thinking EQOA or I could be thinking FreeRealms or DC Universe. When I think sandbox I think of what EQ1 and SWG once were, or what EQ1 and SWG became. And when I think of promises made on changing the face of MMOs... well, I think of EQ2 and GW2. Neither are bad games necessarily, but for my money where they promised to be revolutionary they were evolutionary. I simply can't bring myself to expect more from this project.
SoE has basically been saying, "here is our ambition, trust us, it will surprise you." That's great, but it's a company line, and they need to re-earn my trust. I don't have some kind of blind hatred for them at all, and I love the things they are saying, but they can be interpreted very broadly. Personally, I think those Smedley quotes can be interpreted anywhere from allowing the player to grow crops and cut down forests, to simply be describing how they are approaching the world utilizing Storybricks.
Well the devil is in the details here. By its very definition, emergent gameplay is actions the developers didn't expect the player to take. So you cannot create tools for something that hasn't even been thought of yet. Emergent gameplay is a 100% player designed 'mechanic', if you will.
However, you can take a hands off approach when it happens. The player can find some way to trivialize an encounter, but the devs do nothing about it. Feign death pulling is a good example of this. Then you can say your game supports emergent gameplay - but its not something you can actually design for.
I wonder if it will have a more refined version of the facial recognition stuff they were doing for EQ2.
http://youtu.be/vG6GK6Oo58c
If somehow they could integrate it with the use of a HMD or Occulus Rift...
http://youtu.be/vG6GK6Oo58c
If somehow they could integrate it with the use of a HMD or Occulus Rift...
I understand your view on it, and I respect it. You are clearly just not wanting to be let down by letting yourself give any sort of trust, and I totally agree with that.
I'm not even really an original EverQuest fan - the most I've played was EQ2 when it launched, and only for a month or two. So the hype I have for the game is genuine desire to see their dream of making something vastly different than the current crop of MMOs today realized.
Augemitbutter
Member
EQ2 had the worst character design at that time. i don't think i ever struggled more to create a passable looking dark elf. he looked like garbage in the end, but at least he didn't look like shit.
RPGCrazied
Member
Really, really hope this is F2P. I might check it out then. My days of paying monthly for games is really coming to an end. I still do it with WoW, only reason I'm still doing it is the time investment I've put into that game.
It definitely will be F2P. count on that!
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
I agree that they should take a hands-off approach to the unexpected, but emergent gameplay can very much be part of the intent of a design. I think the very best developers always attempt to make mechanics and systems with certain synergies and parameters in mind. You can make a game that handholds players down a path of your design, or you can build the game as very open ended and around a player developing a playstyle utilizing the tools given them. You can't predict where some players will take things, but I simply don't agree that emergent qualities are completely designed by players and beyond the conceptual scope of a designer worth his/her salt.
I won't lie, on an emotional level, I'm totally there with you.
RPGCrazied
Member
Nice. Now lets hope the restrictions aren't ass.
I'm sure it'll be gimped inventory though.All I want from the game is the following:
Huge world and I mean HUGE, I'm talking multiple 1-2 hour treks to change the region you're in. So that when you go somewhere it has meaning and purpose, even via horseback or boat.
Heavy emphasis on exploration. I want to be able to get out there and find new things, I want the world to surprise me.
Robust crafting system. I want to be able to be a crafter that people seek out for specific items that I have access to and will pay a premium for and even more if they're from foreign regions of the world.
Regional based economies where Leather in Region A is worth 5 and then 10 in Region B so that you can load up on Leather and sell it in Region B for a profit since you're headed there anyways. Expanding on this I hope they go the EVE route of a completely player run economy where items are all crafted from various material drops, salvages, or nodes in the world. I want to be able to be this crafter who brings his wares to the offbeaten path and is able to sell them at a premium due to the scarce rarity of certain materials.
I want to be able to build houses and boats, specifically houses without many forms of restrictions as to where they can be built. On top of that I want the housing system to be like UO where you can place pretty much anything and lock it down to show it off. Would also be nice to be able to setup a vendor in your house to sell items for you while you're away.
A smaller want that isn't as important is I'd like is if you kill a bear it doesn't drop a greatsword, I'd prefer if the bear only dropped pelts, teeth, eyes, etc so that you would have to seek out the type of enemies for specific item types.
Essentially what I'm asking for here is a deep crafting system, deep trade & economy system, the ability to build houses and boats, enemies to have realistic loot drops, all contained in a massive world. If they do anything extra it would just be icing on the cake for me. Good news is all of the things I want have been done before in the genre so they're not unrealistic expectations or anything, they're quite grounded really.
Huge world and I mean HUGE, I'm talking multiple 1-2 hour treks to change the region you're in. So that when you go somewhere it has meaning and purpose, even via horseback or boat.
Heavy emphasis on exploration. I want to be able to get out there and find new things, I want the world to surprise me.
Robust crafting system. I want to be able to be a crafter that people seek out for specific items that I have access to and will pay a premium for and even more if they're from foreign regions of the world.
Regional based economies where Leather in Region A is worth 5 and then 10 in Region B so that you can load up on Leather and sell it in Region B for a profit since you're headed there anyways. Expanding on this I hope they go the EVE route of a completely player run economy where items are all crafted from various material drops, salvages, or nodes in the world. I want to be able to be this crafter who brings his wares to the offbeaten path and is able to sell them at a premium due to the scarce rarity of certain materials.
I want to be able to build houses and boats, specifically houses without many forms of restrictions as to where they can be built. On top of that I want the housing system to be like UO where you can place pretty much anything and lock it down to show it off. Would also be nice to be able to setup a vendor in your house to sell items for you while you're away.
A smaller want that isn't as important is I'd like is if you kill a bear it doesn't drop a greatsword, I'd prefer if the bear only dropped pelts, teeth, eyes, etc so that you would have to seek out the type of enemies for specific item types.
Essentially what I'm asking for here is a deep crafting system, deep trade & economy system, the ability to build houses and boats, enemies to have realistic loot drops, all contained in a massive world. If they do anything extra it would just be icing on the cake for me. Good news is all of the things I want have been done before in the genre so they're not unrealistic expectations or anything, they're quite grounded really.
Stupidly hopping aboard this hype train... I want to believe. Give me something that gives me a small taste of that sense of wonder, mystery, sheer amazement, and meaningful community that EQ1 held and I'll throw money at them.
Although I chatted in the other thread about a wide variety of things I want and desire, there are a few things in particular that I really want from this game and hope it has... going to revisit this after SOE Live and see how it stacked up.
1) No instances. None.
2) Place an importance on 1st person view. I loved this about EQ; it makes the world far more immersive.
3) No fast travel beyond what EQ1 offered at launch... aka a bind point and druids/wizards.
4) Bring back the danger. AKA... corpse runs/pulls, real death penalties, trains, etc... FORCE players to respect the world again. I don't give a shit if I die in other MMOs so I just do whatever and try whatever I want. I should have to stop and think before I do something stupid. Dark Souls is a great example... if you don't respect the world around you, you will die.
Although I chatted in the other thread about a wide variety of things I want and desire, there are a few things in particular that I really want from this game and hope it has... going to revisit this after SOE Live and see how it stacked up.
1) No instances. None.
2) Place an importance on 1st person view. I loved this about EQ; it makes the world far more immersive.
3) No fast travel beyond what EQ1 offered at launch... aka a bind point and druids/wizards.
4) Bring back the danger. AKA... corpse runs/pulls, real death penalties, trains, etc... FORCE players to respect the world again. I don't give a shit if I die in other MMOs so I just do whatever and try whatever I want. I should have to stop and think before I do something stupid. Dark Souls is a great example... if you don't respect the world around you, you will die.
Echelon079
Member
I dunno about HMD or Rift support, but they have said that this and the player studio ( which allows you to create in game items and earn real life cash through the marketplace) will be big in EQ Next.
Having spent so much time in Norrath, I can't wait for the announcements.
I agree completely with all of these points. No fast travel besides druids/wizards will make the world feel like an actual world again.
Seriously doubt there will be flying mounts.
Yeah, I would be shocked if there were.
Also, no factions. Well, you can have soft factions/allegiances, but I really don't want another WoW scenario.
TheRealTalker
Banned
we need some tech discussion panels to watch so we can maintain our hype till the reveal
anyone know any good forgelight engine/ storybrick vids
anyone know any good forgelight engine/ storybrick vids
I don't think there's gonna be anything like a split down the middle faction system like say WoW. I don't think EQN is going to be very gamey if that makes sense. As you said soft factions could be possible, even racial factions where you may even be KOS to certain people in the game.
Forgelight: See Planetside 2
Storybricks...there's like one video of it from the original creators of it that I posted on the first page. The video is pretty rudimentary cause they're mostly a bunch of programmers and they were trying to make an actual game. So I believe SoE contacted them and asked them to collaborate with them on EQN.
I really want this to be in. On that thought, in the original EQ I remember camping Minotaur and getting excited when I saw one with a Mino axe. Hopefully you can see part of what a creature will drop by what it holds/has equipped. Can't remember if EQ2/WoW did this.
I liked that about EQ1, where it had so many different factions. Your race and class had an effect on how each faction perceived you in the game. And then killing certain creatures would help some factions and hurt others. I liked all of that.
Forgelight Vids: This first video should make you pretty excited if you think about what will be possible in EQN.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljLa-gXAaHQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cp3j-7yz3I
Storybricks Vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tYBHo8F4gQ
https://twitter.com/j_smedley/statuses/348691827966242816
Heh. I remember back in old EQ1 devs had mentioned that the Fiery Avenger was in the game but no one figured out how to find it. My guild at the time decided it might have something to do with Kane Bayle so we raided the Necro/Shadow Knight trainers in the sewers. After many deaths we finally took down Bayle but all we got was a basic rusty sword and everyone involved was now KOS in Qeynos. Still glad we did it. One of many fond memories.
I take that to mean maybe NPC factions, and players can subscribe to any of them in the game, rather than set sides like WoW.
Well the main thing you should be excited for is a huge diversion from current MMOs. It's looking like this might be the case for EQN.
TheRealTalker
Banned
thank you kind person
Definitely.
theMrCravens
Member
My predictions:
Game concept will look awesome on paper...
...but a few weeks post-release it'll still end up a min-max endgame thing with mass zerg guild controlling everything (on PVP servers anyway).
Game concept will look awesome on paper...
...but a few weeks post-release it'll still end up a min-max endgame thing with mass zerg guild controlling everything (on PVP servers anyway).