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[Interview] EverQuest: 19 Expansions Strong

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129

For this week's episode of Wayback Wednesday, Rob had the opportunity to check out the latest Everquest expansion. He was joined by SOE Producer Thom Terrazas and Assistant Lead Designer Julie Burness. It's a great look at EQ's 19th expansion, Rain of Fear. Check it out!

Last November EverQuest released their 19th expansion Rain of Fear. This is the third expansion in a series that continues a story that was kicked off in the House of Thule. A new god known as the Triumvirate has taken over the power of Cazic Thule. With the Rain of Fear expansion our heros have destroyed the Triumvirate releasing the power of Cazic Thule. This caused a huge explosion in the sky and resulted in shards raining down across Norrath. Players are now racing across Norrath to collect these shards and bring balance back to their world. 

Read more of Rob Lashley's (and check out the video interview!) EverQuest: 19 Expansions Strong.

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Comments

  • MMOGamer71MMOGamer71 Member UncommonPosts: 1,988
    Impressive no matter what MMORPG is your favorite.
  • Xstatic912Xstatic912 Member Posts: 365
    Truly is well done, and to those still playing it, hope you get many more of what you all like..
  • StormakovStormakov Member UncommonPosts: 200

    I still might have been playing today if the graphics didn't make my eyes bleed.

    Congrats EQ, I doubt any MMO will ever reach that many Xpacs again.

  • AsamofAsamof Member UncommonPosts: 824

    are we really congratulating SOE's nickel and diming methods? whut?

     

    WoW would have as many expansions if they charged full price for every major content update (SOE does this)

  • kevjardskevjards Member UncommonPosts: 1,452
    Originally posted by Asamof

    are we really congratulating SOE's nickel and diming methods? whut?

     

    WoW would have as many expansions if they charged full price for every major content update (SOE does this)

    yes and blizzard are so perfect.selling mounts for £25 a shot a few yrs back.

  • strangiato2112strangiato2112 Member CommonPosts: 1,538
    Originally posted by Asamof

    are we really congratulating SOE's nickel and diming methods? whut?

     

    WoW would have as many expansions if they charged full price for every major content update (SOE does this)

    Instead of releasing the expansion over a series of patches like WoW, EQ2 and now Rift do, EQ releases it all at once and starts work on the next expansion.  They have released so much content its absurd and their expansions are not small.

    Most people would gladly buy an expansion every year if their game got the amount of content EQ gets.

     

    Now if your point was about EQ2 over the last 2 years you would have a point, but thats an exception, not the norm.  You just sound like someone still bitter about the NGE.

  • GrakulenGrakulen Staff WriterMMORPG.COM Staff LegendaryPosts: 894
    @asamof also when EQ first came out in 1999 most people didnt have highspeed internet. To download something like the original expansions would have been absurd
    The only viable way would be by disc. By 2004 that had changed tremendously. But I still don't think the addition of things like Dire Maul add up to an EQ expansion.
  • EpicentEpicent Member UncommonPosts: 648
    Happy to see this game still around and kicking.
  • ZorgoZorgo Member UncommonPosts: 2,254

    I hope no one takes this for a 'oh boy I'm gonna re-install EQ so I can see all that content' type of announcement.

    At some point, the folks at SOE made a decision to abandon the early game and have hardly one aspect added to the game which helps you get from point A to point Z. 

    Problem is, you need groups from B to Z, and they DO NOT exist from B to Y.

    Even with xp gains and mercs, it would take so long to 'catch up' that it is prohibitive. ( I'm not sure it is even possible).

    So if you have a toon at 60 to 65 sitting around their servers, you may be able to shave off a few months catching up, but don't expect to be raiding for a few years, and expect a lot of lonely nights where levelling isn't even possible.

    SOE has focused this game solely to those that didn't give up and kept playing. Essentially, they decided it was easier to focus on them and retain them then to re-work the whole game to entice new players.

    If someone wants to rejoin the EQ life, they should wait for the release of a progression server, make sure they are there on day one, make sure they play hard core, and make sure they have fine social skills to meet and join guilds which actively group together and help each other level. 

    Aside from that, enjoy your game top tier - you didn't think much of us who left anyway.

     

  • NadiaNadia Member UncommonPosts: 11,798
    Originally posted by Zorgo

    I hope no one takes this for a 'oh boy I'm gonna re-install EQ so I can see all that content' type of announcement.

    At some point, the folks at SOE made a decision to abandon the early game and have hardly one aspect added to the game which helps you get from point A to point Z. 

    Problem is, you need groups from B to Z, and they DO NOT exist from B to Y.

    Even with xp gains and mercs, it would take so long to 'catch up' that it is prohibitive. ( I'm not sure it is even possible).

    i havent played in the last 4 years but i heard otherwise

     

    I had 2 friends reroll a year ago when game went free to play

    they subbed for 1 month and, starting from scratch, had max level characters in less than 3 weeks

     

    they didnt stick w EQ because at upper levels its a group intensive game

    but leveling was easy for them

  • darkhalf357xdarkhalf357x Member UncommonPosts: 1,237

    Zorgo is over generalizing.  I still play EQ.  I started last year. Im level 61.  There are plenty of players on the VOX server and there are tons of guilds.  Never had a problem grouping up with a guildy. Your not going to go from say WoW to EQ (easily).  Its a different more challenging type of game.  Though they have made it easier its still an unforgiving game.  Mobs dont stop following you until they zone.  Still not going to find an existing MMO with more content.  Fun if you are up for it.  Check it out.

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  • FromHellFromHell Member Posts: 1,311
    very good column, please write something about SWG next time

    Secrets of Dragon?s Spine Trailer.. ! :D
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwT9cFVQCMw

    Best MMOs ever played: Ultima, EvE, SW Galaxies, Age of Conan, The Secret World
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2X_SbZCHpc&t=21s
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    The Return of ELITE !
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  • MardukkMardukk Member RarePosts: 2,222
    Originally posted by Nadia

    Originally posted by Zorgo
    I hope no one takes this for a 'oh boy I'm gonna re-install EQ so I can see all that content' type of announcement. At some point, the folks at SOE made a decision to abandon the early game and have hardly one aspect added to the game which helps you get from point A to point Z.  Problem is, you need groups from B to Z, and they DO NOT exist from B to Y. Even with xp gains and mercs, it would take so long to 'catch up' that it is prohibitive. ( I'm not sure it is even possible).

    i havent played in the last 4 years but i heard otherwise

     

    I had 2 friends reroll a year ago when game went free to play

    they subbed for 1 month and, starting from scratch, had max level characters in less than 3 weeks

     

    they didnt stick w EQ because at upper levels its a group intensive game

    but leveling was easy for them

     

    Well you can group to max lvl in a month or less. Soloing to max lvl will still take months and months. There is so much to the game I still felt like a noob after 6months back and lots of research done.

    The main thing that eq still has going for if is that it still feels like a massive dangerous world. Most of the recent mmos feel like neither.

    Also people bitch about the gfx. At least its got clean lines and not a pixelated mess like some old school and newer games.
  • strangiato2112strangiato2112 Member CommonPosts: 1,538
    Originally posted by Zorgo

     

    SOE has focused this game solely to those that didn't give up and kept playing. Essentially, they decided it was easier to focus on them and retain them then to re-work the whole game to entice new players.

     

    So you are criticizing them for not changing the game in order to attract new people to a 14 year old game?  SoE did domething smart!  Lets give em hell for it!  They didnt NGE EQ?  The nerve!

     

    And they really have made it somewhat doable to catch up, and it has greatly changed the low/mid game while keeping the high end game intact.  Which was pretty smart and it *has* helped them.  And they did release a couple rounds of progression servers so there is that too.

    They even kept the EQMac server alive (at a loss) when there was a big community outcry when they were closing it.

    SoE has handled their 14 year old dinosaur quite well.  But no, they didnt change what EQ is at its core: a group focused game with the best group mechanics in the entire genre.  Yes, they made 1-60+ very easily soloable because they had too, but once you get past that (or play on Vox or a progression server and group) its still EQ.

  • bmorrisonbmorrison Member UncommonPosts: 19
    still 4 less than what City of heroes had.
  • quseioquseio Member UncommonPosts: 234

    those are NOt expansions theyre like uber patches you got like 2 every year at least right ? heres a  similie eqexpansions are like novels to city of heroes patches or updates are like short stories in a magazine

    well the full year ones at least the half year ones are much shorter  than the full year ones

  • cronius77cronius77 Member UncommonPosts: 1,652
    Originally posted by Asamof

    are we really congratulating SOE's nickel and diming methods? whut?

     

    WoW would have as many expansions if they charged full price for every major content update (SOE does this)

    yeah blind fanboi ........bias much? give credit where credit is due , wow wouldnt even be here if it wasnt for EQ , who the heck do you think wow copied to begin with. Blizzard can barely release a working expansion in a year and half , Id love to see wow with 19 expansions ...a cold day in hell if that happened seriously.

  • phantomghostphantomghost Member UncommonPosts: 738
    Originally posted by Asamof

    are we really congratulating SOE's nickel and diming methods? whut?

     

    WoW would have as many expansions if they charged full price for every major content update (SOE does this)

    WoW sucks.  Their content is terrible, they could not keep my past the first expansion because the games concepts are terrible.  I will always hold a negative feeling towards WoW as it has ruined MMO's for me. 

     

    EQ on the other hand is still to me the best MMO to ever be released.  I regret quitting when my guild broke up. 


  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247
    Originally posted by MMOGamer71
    Impressive no matter what MMORPG is your favorite.

     

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    There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
    "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre

  • GrakulenGrakulen Staff WriterMMORPG.COM Staff LegendaryPosts: 894
    Originally posted by Loktofeit
    Originally posted by MMOGamer71
    Impressive no matter what MMORPG is your favorite.

     

    image

     

     

    Yes

  • Rider071Rider071 Member Posts: 318

    Greeat Job, Mr. Crackfinder!

    Been playing EQ off and on for years, was fun to finally see the last expac's zones, as I still have yet to committ to leveling 1 toon to max, lol.

    Was really great to listen to phanTHOM and Julie talk about the game, you can definitely get the feel of why EQ has done so well over the years and why it will continue to do so. Lots of good stories told in this piece, a good watch.

  • frestonfreston Member UncommonPosts: 503
    Credit where credit is due. These people deserve recognition.
  • Entris38Entris38 Member UncommonPosts: 401

    This MMO still hold my fondest memories, except for hell levels, those were the only levels I really seemed to notice.  Retired from the game at the launch of Luclin and was there from about 3 months after launch, something about Luclin turned me off to the game. My pally had 58 real life days played....and several alts........I was very addicted.

     

    I have been conisdering giving all the new content a whirl, this just nudged me a little more.

     
  • HardwareLustHardwareLust Member Posts: 2

    Started EQ1 from day 1 back in 1999.

    I got seperate with my first wife beacuse of EQ1 .

    None Mmo hooked me so badly since then and i have taste em all .

    SoW any1?  need to travel far ....... pst me please i could donate.......

     

     

     

     

  • jtcgsjtcgs Member Posts: 1,777
    EQ1 was a good game but funny thing about it, even with 19 expansions it didnt really have more content than Asherons Call that only had 1 expansion....and a FREE monthly update every single month, some of them were the size of an expansion, the smaller ones just kept adding up to expansion sizes every few months.

    “I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson

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