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Everquest Next PAX personal Q&A
xyagentguy
Member Posts: 78
Hi folks. I wanted to write to you all the tidbits I found out about Everquest Next by asking several questions of the dev team and attending SEVERAL of their mini-presentations and the mmorpg.com panel. The dev's, btw, are EXTREMEMY nice and I made sure to thank them profusely for all their hard work and dedication. Also this list is just from memory, I cannot promise I remember or heard everything completely accurate, but I'll do my best.
First and foremost I asked them about playing a single class. I told them that since EQNext doesn't really have any sort of vertical leveling system to speak of (which they seem strangely silent about all of a sudden), most gamers have concluded that a large part of the game would be going out into the world and acquiring all the different classes and then further acquiring a bunch of different skills and abilities for these classes, which we can then mix and match into our own personal multi-classed preference. They agreed that this was an important aspect of the game.
SO. I then asked what about the large player group that comes from EQ1 and EQ2 of old, that probably has little interest in multi-classing and wants to stick with a "purist" class or role. I was told that this subject is a top priority, to make sure EVERY class was completely interesting and compelling on its own and I was assured that the game would be just as fulfilling to a single-class player. They said they realize they would ostracize a large part of their fan base if single classes weren't just as exciting as multi-classes.
I then asked, for example, if I started the game as a Shaman and ONLY wanted to be a Shaman, would I have a greater array of spells and skills then a small initial handful and could more be acquired. They claimed the answer was yes, though, they stressed it would not be as large an array as seen in prior games and I wouldn't have a "90 spell hot bar."
For the Shaman in me, I asked if "warding" was in the game, and to my surprise, they practically didn't know what I was talking about. I had to explain it was blocking damage as oppose to healing hit points. They sort of felt like this "mechanic" was in the game but had nothing specific to say.
Now is the strange part, and I COULD be mistaken. But I did ask twice and was clear as could be. They verified that the first 4 skills on the hot bar are indicated by your CLASS and WEAPON. We knew this. Each of the 40 classes will have 2 weapon sets to chose from and of course there may be repeats like "sword" and "dagger" but a rogue's dagger set will be different than an assassin's, etc (note: they did not use the example rogue and assassin).
BUT - I was told TWICE, that the second set of 4 skills on the hot bar are NOT, in fact, dictated by class, only the hot bar "template" is. The actual abilities are purely pulled from the multi-class system and it will be up to the players to determine what set of skills they want for those 4 slots. Now, these skills ARE set up as a template, determined by class. For example, a rogue will have his first 4 abilities dictated by his weapon, and the next 4 abilities MUST follow the rogue template, which may be 1 offensive 1 offensive 1 movement and 1 movement (I was actually given this example). So this rogue can pick from movement or offensive abilities (though Im not sure if there are any other restrictions) but as a rogue, cannot have any defensive or utility spells AT ALL. Until they change their class, which according to the dev's, hasn't been decided yet on how to do, for example, do you just push a button, or talk to a trainer, or go on a quest to change class, etc. What weapons you are holding DO NOT determine your class but your class DOES determine the weapons you can use and the skills they are associated with.
I was told that if I love Shaman, it is possible to pursue a traditional "slow" and other hallmark shamanistic spells and slot them into my second 4 skill set, but that "slow" itself is not a shaman-specific spell. Any class could use "slow" as long as it is within their template (I imagine utility?).
I overheard a little bit about races and how they are very aware that everyone has their own favorites and how the Everquest franchise has fleshed out quite a few. They said whatever may not make it into launch will certainly be fair game for future content.
They CONFIRMED that Kerran are a CAT race, and do not have to be lions. There will be Kerran's that look much more like tigers, or cougars, or panthers, or cheetah's etc. At least I THINK they mentioned all those cats, it was a pretty big list.
Dave at the mmorpg panel talked again about how roles ARE important, such as having "the big guys" stand between the mob and the "little guys" but that roles can be fulfilled in different ways, not purely with just a trinity set up.
I asked them what happened about a year or two ago when the dev's said very specifically that EQNext would reduce the number of classes and would be much closer to EQ1 than the giant amount in EQ2. They said simply that that game had been scrapped and the new game follows a new path. They didn't want to create the same old thing.
I hope you folks found this at least a bit informative, I can try to ask more questions over the next few days if you have any and that they will answer. 
As far as I know I am not breaking any rules?
Comments
thank you
i guess the EQ1 slow mechanic will be in EQN -- EQ2 had no slow
EQ2 fan sites
Thanks for asking. But truth is, all of your information was already available, either during the class panel, QAs or interviews.
Maybe you can ask about vertical progression specifically, and if you do slightly progress, either with HP/Dmg, or skills.
Another one would be to ask about specific roles, if they are in some form available.. like a Crowd Control Class, or a Debuffing class or a class with heals, or about Heals generally.
i have a question for Op
at SOE Live, they said support classes will be recognized and rewarded
source
http://www.eqnexus.com/forums/threads/class-system.517/
8-3-13 – 16:16 in above video
if I do poor damage but debuff the mob and/or crowd control
how could that be recognized for rewarding experience?
- slowing (seems to be a confirmed skill)
- lowering magic resistance
- lowering stats
- power drain
back in 2001,
DAOC had an experience system that rewarded players based on the damage they did or heals performed
I played a support role, albion sorcerer .. similar to EQ1 enchanter
http://camelot.allakhazam.com/db/class.html?realm=Albion;cclass=13
and noticed i was getting less experience than direct damage classes, while playing in a group
How does EQN plan to reward experience for class roles who's primary function is not direct damage?
is it just going to be shared group experience? or is there going to an experience system for individual contribution too?
SOE will probably say can't talk about this yet but who knows.. maybe they will
EQ2 fan sites
"Id rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."
- Raph Koster
Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall
Currently Playing: ESO
Good questions, the answers are a bit so-so
So let me get this straight... instead of endgame needing tanks, dps, healers, and crowd control, which we were told were out (they didn't want to rely on anyone in particular), we will now have to rely on "big guys" and "little guys"? That is Aye Owe Kay. Sorry but I got a feeling they are trying to find a way out of things that they feel uncomfortable about.
Thanks for posting this!
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Yeah, i think they were just trying to avoid saying "tank" because "tank" is immediately associated with threat/hate generation. By the sound of it, the game will still have "tanking" but in a more positional / defensive sense rather than in an aggro-generation sense. I could be wrong though.
"Id rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."
- Raph Koster
Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall
Currently Playing: ESO
There's an interview with Terry up on reddit, but there's no new info. It seems the only thing new so far is the art.
There are no real video's or transcripts, though there are a few screen shots of new stuff, like dark elves and dwarves.
See, I was very much under the impression that the first 4 skill slots were determined by weapon and the next 4 slots were purely class based skills. For example, if I was a shaman, my second 4 skill slots would be shaman spells, MADE for shaman. And then other classes could ACQUIRE Shaman, and get assess to those SHAMAN skills if they wanted. But this is not the case.
I remember one other tidbit. One of the dev's said that dark elves have horns in EQNext because . . . and the other dev was like DON'T DO IT! DON'T GO THERE (as if to say it's still not meant to be revealed) but he finished his sentence by saying "Dragons, anyone?"
Also, I remember something else. I overhead one of the dev's mentioning how (at least it seemed to me) that EQNext would indeed pursue more modern setting fantasy roles, like the use of machines, guns, steampunk-ish stuff. So I think we can expect to possibly see things like Engineer, Ninja, Pirate classes, sort of like what they mentioned in the round table question. I told them that I think EQ players will accept it if they see how cool it is and how fantasy-eque the style remains. He told me that he agreed completely, so I THINK that means they are in???
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
that much has been revealed weeks ago
https://twitter.com/DaveGeorgeson/status/364984558459957248
Kimberly ?@Ejani 6 Aug
@DaveGeorgeson Did you say in an interview that Dark Elves have dragon blood in them? I thought I saw them all but must have missed one
Details
David Georgeson ?@DaveGeorgeson
@Ejani some common ancestral elements. Not blood. That story comes later.
EQ2 fan sites
Oh no, I was just making fun. Your text was very informative! Keep it going!
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
I was with you. But I'm beginning to think 2016 might not be unrealistic.
Logic, my dear, merely enables one to be wrong with great authority.
They spoke a lot about Landmark, too. A lot of stuff we already knew, like how players will be able to create stuff and sell them on the marketplace for a real cut of money from SOE. Stuff that can be very simple to entire map's of content like a swamp land with a moat and castle. One continent in EQNext will be dedicated to JUST this sort of Landmark stuff.
They also talked more about the Landmark contests they will have. They used an example how they may challenge Landmark players to create a certain place or city or structure and after 30 days, whoever created the best one, will become the OFFICIAL EQNext place, city, or structure etc.
The tidbit I found interesting was that they said they would give the players all of the creative team's concept art and designs and that it will have to fit that theme.
seeing this and also slow being a skill in EQN
are both newsworthy to me - thank you
EQ2 fan sites
Sweet and per Terry Michaels Twitch will be streaming tonight's session. He said tune in at 7pm (I assume PDT since it is in Seattle).
I agree, especially seeing steampunk and guns might be in game. Where will they draw the line with keeping with lore and EQ franchise. It seems like they just want to throw in whatever they come across that might sell a few more boxes. I'm still interested as they have some good ideas, but almost everything new I hear takes it further from being EQ in anything but name.
One thing I'm curious about with landmark, have they announced the pricing model yet? I can't imagine it being F2P completely. Just wondering how they are going to make money on it.
According to them in almost every interview have said that both games will be F2P with no purchase at all needed. They have said that they hope alot of players will use the Player studio to make alot of there money back along with there non p2w cash shop but those will have to wait and see on.
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