Thom-Terrazas
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EverQuest: The Darkened Sea expansion is live today
We got our first glimpse of EverQuest's 21st expansion back at SOE Live, with its impending new features, a slew of new zones, and the promise of the return of two classic characters. For the past month, some folks have even been testing these things out in beta. Now with launch finally just around the corner (as in today!), Designers Jonathan Caraker, Alan VanCouvering, and Doug Cronkhite joined Producer Thom Terrazas and Creative Director Akil Hooper to talk shop while zipping through the newest zones of The Darkened Sea on a tour of what players will get to dive into. The Darkened Sea actually builds upon a previous expansion, The Buried Sea. "We have some stories and characters... that we liked back then that we wanted to continue," Terrazas explained. "So we're bringing back some familiar characters that have been off the grid a little bit the last few years." The story itself also takes place in the Buried Sea, starting off on a little tucked away island called Tempest Temple.
EverQuest begins Darkened Sea beta
While The Darkened Sea, EverQuest's 21st expansion, debuts in a little over a month, you can check out the beta as soon as... well, right now. Producer Thom Terrazas posted a letter on the forums yesterday informing players that the beta would begin today and continue through October 24th. Terrazas also put out a call for raiding guilds to sign up to test the expansion's raid content on September 22nd. Following that, the early access launch for The Darkened Sea will start on October 28th and the full release will follow on November 11th. There will not be a pre-order for the expansion. "We are also working on an easy way for players to purchase the expansion plus a monthly subscription to get in quickly and avoid getting left behind. Stay tuned for those details very soon," Terrazas promised. Coming next week to EverQuest is an update that will include a robe category for the player studio and a way to transfer large amounts of currency at a time.
SOE Live 2014: EverQuest will release The Darkened Sea expansion October 28th
As is custom, the next EverQuest expansion was announced at SOE Live 2014. And while Thursday's keynote shared the title, The Darkened Sea, it divulged little else. Players were going to have to wait until EQ's individual keynote address later today to get any actual details. However, for those who just can't wait that long, I sat down with Senior Producer Thom Terrazas and Creative Director Akil Hooper to get an early scoop on the game's upcoming 21st expansion and more. What do players have to look forward to? How about the return of the classic characters Firiona Vie and Lanys T'Val, a personalized looting feature, a higher level cap of 105, a new mount storage system, and eight new zones! Oh, we can't forget the dinosaurs! And did I mention that The Darkened Sea launches on October 28th for All Access members?
SOE has big plans for EverQuest, EverQuest II, and EQN Landmark in March
The Year of EverQuest may still be in its early stages, but that doesn't mean that things are going slowly. EverQuest, EverQuest II, and EverQuest Next Landmark have all churned out their share of updates (not to mention EQNL's alpha launch!), with plenty more on the way. And to let you in on what's in the pipeline for these three titles, I got to speak with all the games' producers -- EQ's Thom Terrazas, EQII's Holly Longdale, and EQNL's Terry Michaels -- as well as Franchise Director of Development Dave Georgeson about March's upcoming content. To help illustrate their words, we've also embedded a video after the break that highlights that very content.
EQ, EQII, and EQN devs dish on new game content for The Year of EverQuest
With EverQuest Next Landmark on the horizon, EverQuest Next in the wings, and EverQuest and EverQuest II going strong, this truly is the year of EverQuest. There's simply no denying that 2014 will be pretty significant for the franchise; one game turns 15, another turns 10, and the newest turns 0. To help kick of this monumental year, I got to talk shop with producers Thom Terrazas (EQ), Holly Longdale (EQII), Terry Michaels (EQN/EQNL), and Franchise Director Dave Georgeson and hear about upcoming content slated for each of these different projects. As Georgeson put it, "It's going to be a fun month!" As a bonus, we've also added a video that shows off some of that very content.
EverQuest releases 20th expansion, Call of the Forsaken
There should be a really big cake somewhere in SOE's offices today to celebrate the fact that the studio just pushed out its impressive 20th expansion for EverQuest. Call of the Forsaken launched today with a host of new features including a new storyline, four additional zones, enhancements to the mercenary system, heroic adventures, and (of course) more raids. Senior Producer Thom Terrazas had a speech prepared on this occasion: "The launch of EverQuest's 20th expansion is a testament to the dedication of all of the talented people, developers and members of our awesome community, who have contributed to the game over the years. As we approach the 15th anniversary of EverQuest in 2014, the influence of the franchise is unparalleled in the MMO genre. This latest expansion demonstrates our continued commitment to bring the highest quality content to one of the most dedicated player communities in the industry." The expansion for the free-to-play title is $39.99 for the regular edition and $89.99 for the collector's edition. EverQuest is currently running a "welcome back" promotion that includes a gold membership and a goodie bundle to those who log in by the 15th. [Source: SOE press release]
SOE Live 2013: Thursday keynote announces expansions, release dates, and more
SOE Live 2013 kicked off in the new Planet Hollywood venue with a keynote full of information as well as frivolity. The night started with a rap performance by a PlanetSide 2 player and continued with plenty of humor and even prize giveaways. Fan favorite Brasse, aka Linda Carlson, then lit up the stage (literally) in her PlanetSide 2-inspired Dwarven armor set and plugged Player Direct, a way for player-made gaming videos to gain more exposure. And then came the gaming news. Although even more details will be forthcoming as the convention progresses, there were some definite highlights shared by SOE CEO John Smedley, EverQuest Producer Thom Terrazas, and EverQuest II Producer Holly Longdale, including expansion announcements, release dates, and even some EverQuest Next tidbits.
Looking into the Heart of Fear with the EverQuest team
SOE Live is just a couple of weeks away, but before the EverQuest team heads to Las Vegas, it has launched a brand-new update for the game called the Heart of Fear. It continues the storyline of the House of Thule and Cazic Thule, the god of Fear, that began three years ago. The team led a tour of the new areas and gave some insight into what new goodies players will discover along the way. Check out the highlights of this final chapter in the Thule storyline.%Gallery-194040%
EverQuest producer's letter talks Shadows of Fear update
Fifty years from now, when we're old and gray and Massively is on version 3.0 and has discussion forums, my successor will be writing about an EverQuest producer letter update. This is because EQ simply will not die, and we fully expect at least one of the game's servers to survive global economic catastrophes, the onset of VR gaming, and various nuclear winters. The latest letter comes to us courtesy of producer Thom "Phathom" Terrazas, who spends a good bit of virtual ink outlining things like Hero's Forge armor, the Shadows of Fear update with its new zones and storyline, housing tweaks, and additions to the dev team. That's not all that Terrazas talks about, either, but you'll need to head to the official EQ website to read the rest.
Touring EverQuest's Rain of Fear with the SOE team
It's hard to believe, but EverQuest is due to launch its 19th expansion, Rain of Fear, in just a few more days. It brings a nice balance of the old and the new as it re-imagines some of the old classic zones but also introduces some stunning new ones as well. In addition, it launches with some features that longtime fans have patiently been waiting for, like the offline broker system, aggro meter, collection shinies, and hunter titles. We had a chance to talk with EverQuest Producer Thom Terrazas, Lead Designer Adam Bell, Assistant Lead Designer Alan VanCouvering, and Community Manager Eric Cleaver about the upcoming expansion. Join us for a look at the lore and new content in Rain of Fear (and a sneak peek at two of the coolest mounts ever!)
The Firing Line: Epic SOE memories on PlanetSide's ninth anniversary
So PlanetSide is nine years old this week (nine!), and Sony Online Entertainment is journeying down memory lane to look back at its ground-breaking MMOFPS. The firm is of course hard at work on the sequel, but some of the devs have taken a time-out to share their favorite memories with us. Though the word "epic" is overused in MMO discourse, it's a recurring theme here. Due to the size, scope, and sheer ambition on display in the original PlanetSide, it's actually appropriate too. While you're reminiscing with the devs, take a stroll through our side-by-side gallery that compares vehicles and equipment from the original PlanetSide with their counterparts in PlanetSide 2. %Gallery-156171%
Terrazas talks EverQuest F2P launch and anniversary celebration
March is definitely roaring in like a lion for EverQuest. It's launching its new free-to-play program, and it's also celebrating its 13th anniversary with a big bash in game. With all of the changes, players are sure to have more than a few questions about the free-to-play transition and the state of the game today. We recently sat down with SOE Producer Thom Terrazas at a roundtable to answer those questions, so read on for details on the new free-to-play plan as well as the Hero's Journey, revamped maps, birthday celebrations, and the announcement of a brand-new server!%Gallery-150850%
The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011
You know what I love about the end of each year? The lists. Man, but I'm a sucker for lists, especially when they come in "best of" varieties. In the lull between Christmas and New Year's, there typically isn't a lot happening in the world of entertainment, so it's a good time to look back before we head forward. And so it is for The Game Archaeologist. 2011 marks the second year I've been doing this column, and it's been one of my personal favorite series to write. Every week I'm learning more and more about the history of the MMO genre, and I'm encouraged to see just how much passion and interest there are for the titles that started it all and got us to where we are today. So before we head into 2012, let's take one last glimpse back at the road we've traveled. If you've missed out on any of these columns or want to revisit your favorite classic MMO, I've compiled a huge list of everything I talked about this year, from histories to interviews to player stories. There's also a special request for you (yes, you) at the end of this column, so do me a favor and hit that jump!
SOE welcomes players back, Mark Anderson named DCUO's new game director
"It's good to be back!" Many Sony Online Entertainment customers have said this these past few days as the studio's titles came back online after a two-week absence. They're not the only ones, either; many of the leads to SOE's host of MMOs are saying the same thing today. Eight developers representing a large portion of SOE's library posted "Welcome back!" messages on the Station Blog, expressing a mixture of relief, happiness, and hopeful visions for their games' futures. Several of these developers have also used the opportunity to show that they were working hard during the break. "We're incredibly glad to have our worlds back online again," EverQuest II's David Georgeson said, "and we really appreciate you all being so patient with us while we strengthened the castle walls." There's certainly a lot of information to digest in these eight posts. Lorin Jameson dropped the news that Mark Anderson's been moved up to become DC Universe Online's latest game director, while Georgeson hinted at a "major new feature set" for EQII that's in the works. Several of the devs mentioned that the downtime will result in a delay of future patches and expansions so that they can be properly tested. You can read the full assortment of "Welcome back!" posts at the Station Blog.
EverQuest gearing up for more content despite SOE layoffs
In the wake of last week's layoffs, fans are no doubt wondering which of their favorite Sony Online Entertainment MMOs will be feeling a possible staffing pinch. The company's venerable EverQuest title is apparently safe -- and none the worse for wear -- according to a letter by producer Thom Terrazas that was posted last night on the game's official forums. Not only will EQ business continue as usual, but the original incarnation of Norrath will be receiving even more content than it has in the past. "We're going to bring you high-level and enjoyable content throughout the year, even more than we have in past years," Terrazas explained, before mentioning the dev team's plans for more frequent seasonal events and the desire to "beef up the gameplay experience" during the spring and summer months.
The voice of the people: New EverQuest progression server named
Many current and soon-to-be-returning EverQuest fans are diligently keeping tabs on the new progression server. This unique server will allow players to travel back in time (in a way) to experience EQ from its humble beginnings through all of its expansion packs as they are rolled out at a measured pace. Now these fans have a name to put with the server: Fippy Darkpaw. This server name was the result of a one-week poll in which SOE offered six potential names for the new shard. According to EverQuest's website, "In the end, nothing could stop the raging juggernaut that was Fippy Darkpaw." Fippy is a well-known NPC with the suicidal tendency to attack Qeynos all by his lonesome. This new progression server is scheduled to open its doors in March. In the meantime, why not check out our recent interview with EQ Producer Thom Terrazas for more Norrathian news.
The Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: A cozy chit-chat with Thom Terrazas
Welcome back to the Game Archaeologist's third week of our EverQuest expedition! So, OK, we lost a few valued members of our team crossing the wilds of Norrath, but who would ever think that 10 rats could be so vicious when out for vengeance? It comes with the territory, and really, it's well worth the loss of human life if we can educate just one soul on one of the most influential MMOs of all time. Their mothers will understand their sacrifice. We've already taken a look at the highlights of EverQuest and the perspectives of several veterans of the game, which means this week we must be gearing up for an inside look into the machinations of grinding, hell levels, alternative advancement and DKP. For this, we struggled through the Swamp of Sony to find the ramshackle hut of Thom Terrazas -- and he was expecting us. A fight ensued, with many a chicken flung in anger, not to mention a few pokes in the eye, Three Stooges-style. But in the end, Terrazas capitulated and told us everything we wanted to know. Thom Terrazas almost has all his SOE merit badges, having worked on Planetside, Vanguard and now EverQuest in various roles. I was curious -- what was it like to be handed the keys to not just a game, but a veritable institution? Hit the jump to see what Terrazas has to say about his favorite memories, the future of the game, and why EQ hit it out of the park in 1999.
EQ's producer discusses new Legends of Norrath-gated instance after player concerns
Although the Legends of Norrath digital trading card game can be played completely separately from EverQuest, the two games have a lot of ties to each other beyond just lore. The former can be launched from within the latter game. There are also "loot cards" which not only function in LoN but can be redeemed in EverQuest for certain bonus items. Some people that play EQ but not LoN may have been upset in the past at missing out on a few of these loot card items, but it's doubtful that anything has caused as much of an outcry as is currently occurring over an upcoming loot card. The card in question is the Dragon Brood Crypt Key Card, and the resulting EQ reward will be the only way to access a brand new dungeon instance.
Massively interview: Thom Terrazas in his new role as EverQuest's producer
Thom Terrazas just recently replaced Clint Worley as the producer for EverQuest, and we were lucky enough to get the chance to speak to him about the move. Among other things, we found out what's in store for the current playerbase in the future, why EverQuest newbies should try the game, and learned that although the 51/50 server type won the latest poll, we should hold out hope for other new types too -- maybe even a "Classic" server. We snuck in a few questions about Vanguard and PlanetSide as well. To get Thom's take on these things and more, click through and read the full interview.
Massively interview: Part 3 of Thom Terrazas in his new role as EverQuest's producer
Massively: What do the current players of EverQuest have to look forward to in the near future? "Working on those new ideas that are actually capable of being done is the key, and doing them in a timely manner." TT: Exactly, it is. Massively: How about the former players that take a look at the news now and then, or those that have become familiar with MMOs and are just hearing of EverQuest for the first time.
