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Everquest Next: sandbox mmo
Update, 10/18/2012
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/18/soe-live-2012-keynote-announcements/
EverQuest Next has been redone from scratch so that it's not EverQuest III. Smedley promises it's going to be the "world's largest sandbox-style MMO ever made." It'll be playable at the next Fan Faire.
10/18/2012 SOE Live keynote transcript can be read at this link
http://eq2wire.com/2012/10/18/soe-live-2012-welcome-reception-live-refresh-for-updates/
giving this subject its own topic
Originally posted by VorthanionOriginally posted by chukekle1Enjoy the wait, EQ Next has been talked about for years and years, i don't see it happening. Hell they just recently a few months ago shutdown 3 studios and fired more then 250 people. The EQ series is going down the tube and EQ Next is just a wishful thinking ideal for EQ fanboys.
The rumor mill states that the original concept of EQ Next has been discarded and a newer facebook style of game has taken its place. Perhaps that's why there have been absolutely no updates from the developers over the last few months.
EQNext was first mentioned august 2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EverQuest_Next
no art was seen for the game until Summer 2010 when soe gave some sketches
http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/56438/SOE-Fan-Faire-2010-Roundup-EverQuest-Next-Announced
there has always been a "black out" regarding info about it - nothing new there
at the 2011 summers fanfaire,
SOE didnt talk about it beyond saying it would use the same game engine as PlanetSide 2
maybe we will hear more info at the October 2012 fanfaire but I doubt it
SOE was still hiring for EQ Next
http://eq2wire.com/2011/10/08/soe-hiring-for-eqnext-team/
in Feb 2012, Greg Spence, former lead programmer of EQ2, has been moved over EQ Next
http://blog.gregsplace.com/2012/02/moving-on-to-next-great-thing.html
Comments
if you goto SOE Careers site,
there at least 3 EQ Next jobs still listed as being open
http://www.soe.com/careers/
Senior AI Engineer, EverQuest Next
CA
Senior Tools Engineer, EverQuest Next
CA
Senior UI Engineer, EverQuest Next
CA
EQ2 fan sites
Sony has been restructuring (staff cuts) and tossing projects like "the agency" and low population mmos like the matrix so I'm dubious EQ next will happen. Now days there is so much competition in the MMO market as MMOs are costing the same as AAA console games to develop.
"Work With great people who have a sense of humor"
When it comes to continual revenue decline, and diminished relevance in the MMO industry, I guess laughter is probably the best medicine. Well Done, SOE!
Luckily, i don't need you to like me to enjoy video games. -nariusseldon.
In F2P I think it's more a case of the game's trying to play the player's. -laserit
I can't see Everquest Next not happening. I know some people from the EQ team have been moved to the EQ:Next team, and I think the cancelling of The Agency was in an effort to focus on EQ:Next and Planetside 2 (probably a smart move, as those two games have a better chance of being successful than The Agency would have just because of name recognition alone). Not to mention that I think SOE kind of screwed themselves since EQ2 came out by having too many products, none of which were all that great. Having two solid AAA games in EQ: Next and Planetside 2 would probably be a lot better for the company rather than having half a dozen mediocre titles.
I agree with you, however that appears to be the trend with big gaming companies these days. Back in the day SoE was by far the most hated gaming company in the industry. Now, after purchasing Bioware, the attention has turned to EA. People went on and on about how Bioware couldn't make a bad game..it just wasn't possible. EA bought Bioware, in turn produced Swtor and now we have articles like this floating around http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2012/04/04/ea-is-the-worst-company-in-america-now-what/2/. Oh how the tides have turned..apparently EA now the "Worst company in America" lol.
Truth is, this is how any big business works. They buy out smaller companies hoping to turn a quick profit. The problem with big business and gaming is..there's a level of creativity that gets lost in the process. Stuff that's risky from a business perspective is shunned in favor of more "accessible" mainstream content.
Sad thing is, I don't see this changing in the future. Taunted with the allure of big bucks, smaller, more creative companies will almost certainly continue to sell out unless they can maintain a continuous, significant cash flow. Minecraft, while not a traditional MMO is going through this sort of thing as we speak. An interesting article can be found here: http://www.gamebreaker.tv/pc-games/minecraft-makes-millions/
As far as EQ Next is concerned, once more info is released, something tells me people won't think as badly about SoE as they once did..after dealing with EA anyway.
That still doesn't answer the question of whether they're sticking with the old concept for the game or changed it to the rumored facebook concept.
if Planetside 2 is published as a facebook game I ll believe that rumor...as those 2 games share the same engine...really hope they have more to show at this years fan faire though, am quite excited to see more of EQ 3, would love to be part of moving my EQ2 guild to EQ 3....even if not as a leader on paper : P
The "Facebook Option" sounds so like them. "Everfarmquest....ville" My wife and all her annoying friends would so play that. I didn't say that.
Ballerinas are always on their toes. Why don't they just get taller ballerinas?
well can only say their lead producer said imagen the most crazy things and it wouldnt be what EQ3 is...but hopefully not in this way.....burn slowly and painfully if this were true ;P
I would love to find out where people are getting this "rumor" that it's going to be a facebook game from. Seriously, who are your sources besides some anonymous internet forum poster? False rumors spread by people relaying false rumors. And right, a facebook game is going to utilize the same Nvidia engine that Planetside 2 is going to be using. That makes a whole lot of sense.
EQ1's lead programmer recently got pulled to work on EQNext, so it's not vaporware. You will hear more about it during SOE's fan faire in october.
EQ1-AC1-DAOC-FFXI-L2-EQ2-WoW-DDO-GW-LoTR-VG-WAR-GW2-ESO
found the source of facebook rumor, an anonymous forum poster
http://www.mmofringe.com/forum/2-Section-8/17114-the-latest-on-SOE-and-Everquest-Next
this rumor was posted over 6 months ago
since that time...
- SOE put up jobs for C programmers on their career site (October 2011)
- moved the two Lead programmers from both EQ (Steve Klug) and EQ2 (Greg Spence) over to EQNext
I doubt they need all that for a facebook game
EQ2 fan sites
I saw awhile back somebody's (a soe dev) resume where they listed their previous projects/work etc. And one of them was listed PC Game: EQ Next.
Could never find this post again but it was posted because people were debating if EQ next would be for PC or console.
The Facebook/farmville EQ rumor was debunked by smed himself on Twitter back in December 2011. HERE is the cutouts of the screenshots of the conversation.
EQNext and Planetside2 are using the same mmo engine for visual effects
can see some Planetside 2 video footage here
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-alpha-planetside-2/728575
EQ2 fan sites
EQNext was first mentioned august 2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EverQuest_Next
no art was seen for the game until Summer 2010 when soe gave some sketches
http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/56438/SOE-Fan-Faire-2010-Roundup-EverQuest-Next-Announced
there has always been a "black out" regarding info about it - nothing new there
at the 2011 summers fanfaire,
SOE didnt talk about it beyond saying it would use the same game engine as PlanetSide 2
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111555-EverQuest-Next-and-Planetside-2-To-Use-New-Forge-Light-Engine
maybe we will hear more info at the October 2012 fanfaire but I doubt it
SOE was still hiring for EQ Next
http://eq2wire.com/2011/10/08/soe-hiring-for-eqnext-team/
in Feb 2012, Greg Spence, former lead programmer of EQ2, has been moved over EQ Next
http://eq2wire.com/2012/02/07/zoltaroth-steps-up-as-lead-programmer-of-everquest-ii-rothgar-heads-to-eqnext/
http://blog.gregsplace.com/2012/02/moving-on-to-next-great-thing.html
I appreciate the current news. With a flurry of games coming out Everquest Next has nearly become an afterthought. Guild Wars 2 is looking like they have paid close attention to what MMOers have been looking for since games like EQ have come out. I feel GW2 has set a nice bar for up and coming MMO's.
Lets hope the SOE team puts as much thought into detail as Anet/NCsoft has with GW2.
The Old Timers Guild
Laid back, not so serious, no drama.
All about the fun!
www.oldtimersguild.com
An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it. - Jef Mallett
Truth is, this is how any big business works. They buy out smaller companies hoping to turn a quick profit. The problem with big business and gaming is..there's a level of creativity that gets lost in the process. Stuff that's risky from a business perspective is shunned in favor of more "accessible" mainstream content.
Sad thing is, I don't see this changing in the future. Taunted with the allure of big bucks, smaller, more creative companies will almost certainly continue to sell out unless they can maintain a continuous, significant cash flow. Minecraft, while not a traditional MMO is going through this sort of thing as we speak. An interesting article can be found here: http://www.gamebreaker.tv/pc-games/minecraft-makes-millions/
As far as EQ Next is concerned, once more info is released, something tells me people won't think as badly about SoE as they once did..after dealing with EA anyway.
When big business steps in its more about their bottom line than appealing to the gaming community. Even when some people like Curt Schilling went on their own the gaming community felt inspired that an independent developer was going to build a game free from cooperate hobnobbing, however 38 Sudio's is having its own set of problems.
http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7938433/curt-schilling-video-game-company-asks-rhode-island-more-help
The Old Timers Guild
Laid back, not so serious, no drama.
All about the fun!
www.oldtimersguild.com
An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it. - Jef Mallett
With 88 studious no longer creating an MMO, i have shifted my views back to EQ Next, i have played GW2 and it is not my fancy. I am also a huge EQ1 junkie and i hope they make the classes more inline with that game than EQ2. With Smed and Smokejumper in control i am very hesitant, but we shall see.
Artorus Giltanus - Ranger EQ1 Retired
Arturien - 90 Deathknight WoW
update from Smokejumper
http://eq2wire.com/2012/06/19/eqnext-news-late-this-year/
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/19/those-wanting-everquest-next-information-have-a-long-wait-ahead/
http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=519092&post_id=5765513#5765513
DoD
Joined: Aug 8, 2005
Messages: 1069
Offline
Answering the original questions.
EQ Next is still being built within a black box. The *earliest* we are currently considering that we *might* reveal info is late this year. We're being very particular about what needs to be in the game before revealing it to folks, so until that stuff is ready, we won't be showing anything. (Screens you saw from a couple years ago are completely obsolete now and are not pertinent to the current game at all.)
There is no reason for EQ or EQII to ever fade away. EQN is not being designed to replace those games. The only way it could "kill" EQ or EQII is by being such a phenomenally better game that everyone flocks to it. Many miles to go before we sleep.
SOE is still operating in a news blackout - just like Blizzard's Titan
EQ2 fan sites
Great to see some kind of news about EQN!
The Old Timers Guild
Laid back, not so serious, no drama.
All about the fun!
www.oldtimersguild.com
An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it. - Jef Mallett
Thanks for the update!
i would guess 2014 for both EQNext and Blizzards Titan
EQ2 fan sites
i agree but they need to have pvp servers like EQ did as well.
open pvp battles for camp/zone control is what i want and i don't care if they don't balance for pvp.
just as long as they change the way resists works and don't let better geared people resist every spell you cast on them.
recent ad for sr gameplay engineer
http://eq2wire.com/2012/09/11/eqnext-job-opening-senior-gameplay-engineer/
EQ2 fan sites
Thank you for starting this thread Nadia! More than any other game I think EQN will have tools and tech MMOs have not had before... Well, maybe EQ2 would have had some of them
. I hope, hope that EQN will have a world and tools to have a solid home again.
Credit for link below goes to Farstryder:
http://themittani.com/features/mittani-interviews-soe-ceo-john-smedley
While the interview is not about EQN specifically Smed mentions SoE's games as a whole in which we all know EQ is the flagship. Here is what got me excited:
You’ve mentioned a desire for more sandbox MMOs in your Reddit AMA, and sandboxes are obviously a major draw for Eve players. Do you have plans for adding sandbox elements to PS2, and if so, would you like to discuss them? If there really is an untapped market for sandbox MMOs, why haven’t we seen more of them, besides Eve and SWG?
Sandbox elements - SOE is redefining itself as a creator of emergent gameplay experiences. That's our future. You can call it sandbox but it's so much more than that. A good example is Player owned bases in Planetside 2. That's coming. We're going to make huge continents that are empty and have vast resources on them and players can fight it out and put down their own bases there and other players can come and obliterate them. Sound familiar Eve Players? Actually we had something like this in Star Wars Galaxies too. THAT is content. At some point as an industry we need to realize that we have already lost the race to outpace players in making content. I personally thought SWTOR was a great game. I loved Diablo III. The problem is you get to the endgame and as game makers it's not just expensive. it's impossible to stay ahead of the curve.
Think about this statement - If WoW had come out yesterday.. at what point would people be "done" with the content. We need to focus on game systems that are perpetual and give players a lot more control over what they can do rather than JUST putting yet another dragon in front of them with scripted content. We need to be doing both in order to be successful. And that's our plan.