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EverQuest's lead designer leaving Sony Online Entertainment
The lead designer on the original EverQuest is set to take his leave from Sony Online Entertainment. This news is straight from the source, a blog post from Travis McGeathy. McGeathy put up the notice on the official EQ blog, noting how quickly his past five years with the company have gone by. "Between fan faires, community summits, and the forums, I've met more dedicated and knowledgeable players than I could ever count and many of you have become good friends. That level of interaction with players is something you don't often get to experience in this industry and I'm certainly going to miss it."Mr. McGeathy doesn't note where his path will next take him, but he will definitely be missed. Players are already pouring out their affection for his work on the game in a thread on the official forums. He's leaving the game in the hands of Ryan "Rytan" Barker, another designer on the team. Though his future job plans are still up in the air, Mr. McGeathy is apparently going to be taking a cross-country trip to celebrate his newfound freedom. Good luck, sir. Massively had a chance to talk with EQ's outgoing lead designer just a short while ago, during EQ's 9th anniversary. Make sure to check it out for a look back at his time with one of the grand old mavens of the genre.
EQ's Fabled Planes of Power Lore explores the Tower of Solusek Ro
EverQuest's Fabled season really heats up with a scorching visit to the lair of the Prince of Flame himself, His Royal Hotness, Solusek Ro. (Oh, sorry for those puns. I'm so, so sorry). That carefully tousled hair; those bishonen features... You might find him laying waste to Tunaria, or directing the construction of another temple to his fiery father in the Plane of Fire, but he often stays at the very top of his tower he constructed on an island in Doomfire itself. SOE has the story on the Particolor Prince, the minions that guard the instruments of his power, and the tower that houses them all in their latest installment of the Lore of the Fabled Planes of Power.
The Rise of the Casual MMO
It's always a little odd to hear someone talk about gaming as 'hardcore' or 'casual' because it is, after all, still just game. When we log out of the game and turn off our computers, we've come to the same place no matter if we spent our time clearing Karazhan at record speed, or spent it in a tavern discussing the finer points of blood elf hair-styling over tankards of ale. When someone announces they are making a casual MMO, what do they mean by that? World of Warcraft was at one point described as a casual MMO, and perhaps compared to EverQuest or Dark Age of Camelot, it was. It set up a milestone for casual gaming, but gaming has moved on and now even WoW is considered too hardcore for many. How is it possible to define what a casual MMO is, when the definition keeps changing?
WoW blamed for bad parenting
Here's a recent news item from the Contra Costa Times, about a kid who played way too much World of Warcraft: "[World of Warcraft had become] the one place he was joining the world. Bringing him back to the real world took months of therapy, a wilderness camp and boarding school." Months of therapy, a wilderness camp and boarding school -- could the cure be worse than the disease? The article describes him as a "tween" -- between the ages of ten and twelve. So let's break it down. A middle schooler was allowed by his parents to spend as much unsupervised time playing World of Warcraft as he liked, such that it was the only thing he did. A game the parents would have had to pay with their credit card each month, along with the initial cost of the game. The parents didn't notice their son had become withdrawn for such a long time that months of therapy, a wilderness camp and boarding school became the only options. Who was really to blame?Blizzard knows that their game is addictive; they've even gone so far as to create parental controls for the game. Parenting support groups urge children to be restricted to just a couple of hours a week on the game. Given there is so much concern about children playing computer games of any sort to excess... how is it Blizzard takes the blame? Before World of Warcraft, it was EverQuest. Before EverQuest, it was Dungeons & Dragons. It can be hard for parents to keep tabs on their children; their natural desire is to give their children space to mature and learn how to take care of things on their own. But any sort of parents should be able to tell when a game, or depression, a fight with a friend or any of the thousand things that get too serious has gone beyond what a child can handle. Waiting until a problem has become so severe that boarding school and months of therapy are the only solutions are not Blizzard's fault. It's the parent's.
EQ Lore: The Bastion of Thunder
EverQuest's annual Fabled event has more than enough power to replace the creatures of days of yore with more powerful versions of themselves (and loot ready for present-day challenges as well!). The Fabled power is bringing old players back to the fold in record numbers to relive old and loved raids. While exploring the Fabled Planes of Power last night, we saw people gathering for Fabled Saryrn and Vex Thal raids, and several groups were making their ways up the towers of the Bastion of Thunder to take on these newly empowered foes.SOE continues with their weekly retelling of the lore of the Planes of Power with the skinny on every wing and tower boss. All the way through the Bastion of Thunder, from Askr to Agnarr himself -- the living manifestation of Karana's anger. When you meet Agnarr and kill him, remember -- Karana will thank you for it.
First LoN promo weekend of Spring kicks off today
The next Legends of Norrath Promo Weekend is imminent, beginning at 2:PM PDT today, and will run until at 10:00 AM PDT on Monday, April 7th. The usual deal of increased card drop-rates in EverQuest and EverQuest II applies, as well as the introduction of two new cards. Players will be able to snag the Icewell Commander card (seen at EQ2Players), as well as the handsome dog pictured here, the Blackburrow Troublemaker. Look at his sweet face -- how can you not want to take this adorable Gnoll home?
Raiding LU 44 Preview: Do You Feel the Hate?
Coming this Tuesday, April 8th, along with the rest of EQ2's Live Update 44 is the Shard of Hate. It follows last year's Shard of Fear and Estate of Unrest free, nostalgia-drenched content updates. Unlike those other two, though, the Shard of Hate is a raid zone. EQ2 lead designer Akil "Lyndro" Hooper was kind enough to take some time out of his day to show us around the spite-filled roads and alleys of this small, deadly fragment of Innoruuk's demesne. You'll find the portal to the Shard of Hate in the dark elf section of Nektulos Forest -- go all the way east, then head north. You may see the Avatar of Hate lurking nearby, but he'll let you in. It's safe to zone in, but don't move around much; patrols come close to the zone in. Who rules the Shard of Hate? --->>>> %Gallery-19782%
Five MMOs better than World of Warcraft - Part 1
For our first game, we choose SOE's EverQuest. The Elder Game. When it launched in 1999, nobody was quite sure yet just what you DID in an MMO. Sure, join groups and kill stuff, but is that it? In its early years, it was largely just a chat room in glorious 3D. Monster killing was almost secondary, which was fine, because it took so long to pull and kill one and then recover from it. Straight through their second expansion, Ruins of Kunark, many groups were without any sort of healer, and a high bandaging skill was prized. Absent any sort of real goal to the game, players were content to build a strong community, participate in role-playing events, and by the way, set the stage for most every modern MMO. The EQ developers scattered content everywhere. By their second expansion, they thought players might enjoy gaining favor with NPC factions and working together to take down the big monsters. By the third expansion, Shadows of Luclin, they were convinced of it – but they gave a nod to the casual play community by making a new race, the feline Vah Shir; an entirely new path to max level (the second time they'd done that), and some of the most solo and small group friendly zones in the entire game. On their fifth expansion, they implemented the raid tool – instead of various groups working separately to kill, they would all be gathered into one raid. At the time of the Planes of Power, EQ had made the template that many later games would follow.EQ had its problems, and they were big ones. It was nearly impossible for most classes to solo effectively. Top guilds had insane recruiting gauntlets that more or less shut out new people. The game was so incredibly huge by then that nobody could ever see more than a fraction of the place. Opaque keying requirements meant most content was locked behind raids, which shut out non-raiders. And the raiders were left with little to do but raid. When World of Warcraft went live, people flocked to it, and EQ's fortunes went into a steep decline. Since then, though, they have drastically overhauled the game. There is still no better game for large-scale raids – the maximum size for new raids is an incredible 54 people – and the waiting around for health and power to recover has been largely eliminated by rapid recovery when not in combat. If your joy in life is raiding, there is still no better game out there than the original EverQuest. It's had many imitators, EQ has the straight, uncut stuff with no compromises. Find out which MMO we think has a better PVP experience ==>>
Cinemassively: Pre-Alpha Everquest
In honor of the EQversary giveaway, we dug up some thoroughly ancient footage of Everquest. Tetra2012 posted a video almost two years ago that is supposedly from November of 1997! Every day, we post a machinima with qualities such as special effects, high-end graphics, or a killer storyline. This video is grainy and not very detailed. However, it's a piece of history.Sony Online Entertainment has invited players to make their own piece of history for EQ's 9th. Machinimators have until April 3rd to capture the magic of a game that's stood the test of time. Were you around for the alpha or beta of Everquest?
The Massive EQversary Giveaway
For nine years, the world of EverQuest has opened the doors for many travelers in search of adventure. One of the earliest games in the MMORPG genre, EverQuest still retains a passionate and loyal fanbase to this day. For those players who are elders of the lands of Norrath, as well as those who are interested in visiting this fair and foreign land once again, we bring you the chance to win goodies in honor of EverQuest's 9th Anniversary celebration!Twenty lucky winners will be picked to receive a 30-day timecard code for EverQuest (ARV $15), because you can't beat free game time! (Note: you must already have an EQ account for these cards to work.) One prize winner will get a copy of EverQuest -- with all expansions including their most recent addition, Secrets of Faydwer (ARV $40)! Just perfect for those who have never played, or those who haven't played in a while as well as those who'd just like an account for alts! And one final prize winner will land a swanky promotional "NeverQuest" poster featuring The Simpsons (ARV $20)! To win, you must be 18+, a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec), and otherwise acceptable under the official rules. Comments must be left by no later than 12:00 PM Eastern U.S. time on 4/01/08 to be eligible. So what are you waiting for? Get to commenting so we can hook you up with some fantastic EQ Anniversary prizes!
SOE exhibits 20 new pics of EQ2's Game Update 44
The official EverQuest II community site has been updated with 20 screenshots of the forthcoming Game Update 44. The screenshots illustrate the new features that were announced a week ago. There are quite a few shots of the new Shard of Hate instance and its related events, as well as the updated trade skill facilities in Freeport. You can also see the two new warg mounts and an oh-so-titillating shot of the new "Show Ranged Weapon" option for Rangers who'd rather show off their epic bows than their melee weapons.Once you're done looking over those, you can go read some snarky, sarcastic remarks about all the new Game Update 44 content in a pretty amusing commentary titled "Island of the Patch People," provided by EQ2 players RazorX and Coyote over at Ten Ton Hammer. All patches can be nitpicked at least a little, even the awesome ones!%Gallery-19417%
Fabled Planes of Power lore part 12: The Crypt of Decay
Once a year, on the anniversary of EverQuest's launch, the gods and monsters long past their prime are given new vigor and power and are reborn as Fabled versions of themselves. For one month only, they are powerful enough to challenge even the greatest of guilds, and drop much more powerful versions of their old treasure. This year, SOE en-fables (mmm is that a word?) the Planes of Power. All the old gods, defeated and forgotten, are back with renewed strength, from the Queen of Nightmares, Terris Thule, who has no mouth and cannot scream; to the four-headed dragon that guards the fabric of reality itself, Quarm.Along with the Fabled critters themselves, SOE is publishing the stories of how they came to be. This week: how the minions of Bertoxxulous came to find themselves in the the pestilent Crypt of Decay. Come back each week as SOE reveals the lore behind each zone until the reawakening of the Plane of Time itself.
How EQ3 could change Norrath forever
Reading this recent interview with SOE's John Hayase got me thinking about something quite interesting. It all came from the simple question, "Can we speculate on an EQ3?"I read the answer, which was the expected 'speculate away' response and got to thinking about such a notion right away. EverQuest as a brand is still fairly strong, it's only problem is that the fantasy genre is starting to become the World War II of massively games. Plus, one of the biggest criticisms given to EverQuest II is its lack of artistic inspiration. Not to say the game is ugly or anything -- it's just kind of bland. So what could put some 'oomph' behind a classic series that's gone a bit stale over the last decade? Steampunk, that's what.
Ask Massively: Free epics for all!
The "Powers that be" at Massively have convinced me to put down my March Madness bracket long enough to present you, our loyal fans, with yet another edition of Ask Massively. If "They" would be so kind as to put down the heavy blunt object, I would be all too happy to amaze and astound you with my wit and wisdom. Of course, since my last remaining functional brain cell is about to die of loneliness, a sharp blow to the ol' noggin might help out.This week's column is going to focus a bit more on World of Warcraft. Specifically, the upcoming 2.4 patch. Now since nobody else at all has anything to say about this patch, and it is in danger of slipping completely under the radar of the typical World of Warcraft fan, I thought that I would pick a question from our readers that focuses on one of the most important changes in this patch To wit...Dear Massive MegalomaniacSince I'm sure that you are in a top end guild and have all of your top end gear, I was wondering what you thought about all of us casual players who are going to catch up to you in gear for the low, low price of a few Badges of Justice. How does it make you feel to work so hard on all those encounters and attunement quests only to see that content given away to those of us who have lives?-- The HA HA GuyWow. I think I like the brown-nosing emails a little more.If you would like to take a few potshots at me (in the form of a question), feel free to stop by our tipline, or send an email to ask AT massively DOT com. After the break, I'll have more on "Welfare Epics, Part Deux"
King Tormax commands you to enter this weekend's LoN tournament
Another "Double Threat" Loot Tournament is scheduled for Legends of Norrath players this weekend, offering the chance at fame, glory, and some shiny new cards. Your 10 Event Pass entry fee will guarantee that you receive a minimum of three Inquisitor booster packs, as well as one of two loot cards and a special promotional card. The promotional card is none other than King Tormax, Lord of the Storm Giants. Once a formidable raid target in Kael Drakkal, he's now a bit of a pushover with new levels and gear, but plenty of people would surely like to pick up this card to remember him at his best.The two loot cards on offer at the tournament are the Familiar of Phara Dar for EverQuest and Fury of Di'Zok for EverQuest II. The event will kick off at 7AM PST on Saturday the 22nd of March, and go until 9PM PST the next day -- and yes, this is one of the tournaments that only U.S. residents can enter. Check after the break for full tournament and prize details.
Happy Birthday to EverQuest!
Yesterday was the ninth anniversary of the original EverQuest, and the official EQ team blog has up a unique image that puts the whole history of the game together into one fantastic timeline. Even if you weren't online over the weekend for the 50% XP bonus, you can still participate in the Fabled Planes of Power content - it runs through April 16th.If you missed it at the end of last week, we had a lengthy interview with lead designer Travis McGeathy about the anniversary event. We also chatted about the game's recent history, back to the Serpent's Spine days, and snag a few tantalizing hints about the future of SOE's oldest game.For an extra treat, check below the cut for an anniversary video that does a great job of making EQ look ... pretty cool, actually.
Chatting with EverQuest's lead designer for EQ's Ninth Anniversary
Sunday is EverQuest's ninth anniversary, and in honor of the event the development team is rolling out the annual 'Fabled' content! The Fabled event takes high level content from the days of yore and makes it once again relevant for today's players. It features great loot, full-on nostalgia, and a fantastic reason to celebrate almost a full decade of MMO greatness.We have our own way of celebrating great events like this, and it lead us to speak with Mr. Travis McGeathy, the lead designer on SOE's classic title. We had the chance to talk with him about this year's addition to the Fabled event - the mighty Planes of Power. We look back over the last few expansions to EverQuest, and talk (a little bit) about the next expansion due to hit the world of Norrath. In his words, what they're work on right now "may shock people a little bit". Want to know more? Check out our full interview with the lead designer on this increasingly venerable game below the cut.%Gallery-9857%
EverQuest's 9th anniversary is this weekend
This Sunday is the ninth anniversary of the landmark Massive game EverQuest. The official EverQuest blog has a short announcement about the event, hinting at the festivities that will be unlocked over the coming weeks to celebrate the game's longevity. As in previous years, the developers are revamping content from a previous expansion to make it relevant in today's raiding environment. For 2008, the Planes of Power are seeing a resurgence, with loot and challenges equal to the content from the most recent expansion, Secrets of Faydwer. Along with challenging raid encounters, all players will be able to participate in a treasure hunt started by the NPC Garin Tvalish in the Plane of Tranquility.In honor of the anniversary, the community team is holding a video contest to celebrate. Budding machinima artists can check out the official rules to see what they're looking for. Essentially it sounds like the team wants a high-class trailer, showing a variety of zone and NPCs - giving non-players the best look at the EQ of today as possible. Winners could snag a camcorder or digital camera, and the top two participants will net themselves a unique in-game title for a character of their choice. Make sure to come back tomorrow for our interview with EQ Lead Designer Travis McGeathy about the anniversary, the last few EverQuest expansions, and the future of this online world.
LoN promotion weekend brings next pair of new cards
The weekend is coming up, and we have another Legends of Norrath promotion to look forward to. For those that are unfamiliar with this regular event, it spells out an increased drop-rate for packs of LoN cards in EverQuest and EverQuest II, and there's usually a few brand new cards up for grabs.Not breaking tradition, two new cards are debuting for the weekend. These are the Thulian Dreadknight, and the Wood Elf Shaman. To take part in the weekend, simply kill mobs in EQ and EQII between 2PM PST today, Friday, and 6PM PST on Sunday the 2nd of March, and you'll have the enhanced card drop-rate and a chance at one of the two new cards.
One Shots: Druid on a stick!
Sure enough, we mentioned we're all about some old-school shots, and we got lots and lots of them! Today's One Shots comes to us from Grimthorn Redbeard, who sent this one along with the caption of "Druid on a stick." Technically, that's really not so much what it is, as it's a graphical bug in EverQuest that used to pop swimmers up onto the decks of boats while swimming -- but it made us laugh all the same! Old-school, new-school -- we don't care! Feel free to send in your interesting, beautiful, funny, or just strange screenshots and stories to us here at oneshots@massively.com. Your adventures could be featured here next! %Gallery-9798%
