EverQuest Next Landmark to focus on public building with possible private mode

EverQuest Next Landmark's building projects will mostly take place in public although there might be a "black box" mode for private endeavors, SOE discussed in a new roundtable discussion.

The developers explained that this issue wasn't something that's ever come up in other games, since Landmark is so different. Thirty-seven percent of players polled said they would like to build their creations in public, which the team found encouraging.

There was concern about griefing, which the devs said shouldn't be an issue. When you stake a claim in the world, you're the only person who can build on it unless you give friends or the entire public permission to change that area.

The playerbase also expressed concern about how to keep their player studio projects a secret so that other players can't rip off their ideas. SOE will look into giving such players a way to develop in private, although Landmark will remain focused on public building. However, there will be no offline mode for building because SOE believes that it defeats the social aspect of the game.

Landmark's beta will begin this winter, with dates to be announced "in the next month or so," according to Dave Georgeson.

You can watch the full discussion after the break.