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EverQuest: Progression Servers, Part One of Two
In this, the first of a two-part look at the EverQuest Progression Servers, Community Manager Laura Genender talks about the project and her experiences in-game.
EverQuest today consists of over 375 zones scattered over 13 expansions worth of area - multiple continents, a moon, alternate planes of existence, dreamscapes, and more. With eight years of evolution and change, the game is vastly different from the three-continent world which opened its doors to thousands of adventurers in 1999. Hunt spots where players once waited in line are deserted; raid targets that were once highly contested are soloed by bored clerics; and gear that was once coveted is now handed down to alts and sold to vendors.
As zones are introduced to EverQuest, they have to offer players new opportunities: new landscapes, encounters, and gear upgrades. This leads to each expansion inflating the standards of gear and experience. Those original +9 Intelligence/Wisdom Golden Efreeti Boots that were once a badge of honor can't hold a card to even mid-level Planes of Power (5th expansion) gear. And EverQuest's original 50 level cap has raised over the years as well, topping out now at level 75. Old-world zones that are made for level 50s - both in gear opportunities and experience - can't normally attract the modern player.
;)
This leaves the old-world zones deserted - or it would, if not for Sony Online Entertainment's clever tactics in attracting players to old zones. This can mean simply revamping dungeons like Splitpaw, or it can be as complex as the Hotzone system, in which different expansion's areas are designated every 6 months to give double experience and unique item drops. Some of the later expansions, such as Lost Dungeons of Norrath or Dragons of Norrath, send players to old zones for quests or instanced dungeons. And then there's the EverQuest anniversary event, which takes place once a year from March 16th to April 16th. During this event, 'old school' named creatures who dropped well known items from the first four expansions can appear as Fabled versions of themselves and drop Fabled versions of their loot, comparable to more modern items. Those Golden Efreeti Boots, in their Fabled form, offer wearers 50 extra hit points, 80 extra mana points as well as the original Wisdom/Intelligence.
Most recently, though, the EverQuest progression server has created quite a splash - and brought a good number of old EQ players back to the community. The concept of the progression server is that players would start from scratch - in old world EverQuest, with the original three continents of Antonica, Faydwer, and Odus to explore. To progress the server through the expansions, players and guilds would have to complete the high end content of that era - ie: to unlock Kunark, the second expansion, players had to kill Lord Nagafen, Lady Vox, Phinigel Autropos, Cazic Thule and Lord Innoruuk. To move out of Kunark and into Velious, the third expansion, players had to take down 6 raid targets and complete 14 epic quests; one for each of the released classes. Each task, once completed, opens progression for the whole server.
The progression server has attracted current EverQuest players as well as past players and new ones. For current players, it allows a fresh start - a new perspective on the world. While EQ offers biannual expansions, and large ones at that, the progression server has, in about 9 months, traveled through 8 expansions worth of content. Players control the pace for the first time, and it is an honor to be the first to complete one of the goals on the timeline). Past players are able to return and relive their memories of a favorite old zone, or of the game before its growth and change. New players are able to start on equal footing, and experience the history behind the game.
;)
The progression concept has been vastly successful; when it first opened, Sony had to split it into two servers to handle the influx of population and demand. This past month those two servers were recombined into a single server, the Combine, to help players conquer the more difficult content that they are currently stuck on.
Despite the server's success, I can't see another game adopting the progression model - yet. EverQuest has 13 major expansions under its belt. While some of the older games, such as Lineage: The Blood Pledge, have up to 15 or more, these expansions are often smaller: the addition of a city and the surrounding area, versus EverQuest's new continent, a Moon, or dozens of planes of alternate realities. Now, that's just new game areas, not utilities such as UI updates, additional levels, alternate advancement, raid interfaces, guild lobbies, etc. Any other game's progression server would, at this point in time, end in a couple of months.
Some players in EverQuest who are particularly passionate about the old world have asked about a vintage server, which never opens up the later expansions. In the online gaming industry, though, stagnation is equal to death. While players would enjoy the server for a few months, and a few die-hard fans may be happy with locked content indefinitely, eventually the population would dwindle to nothing.
;)
Since the merger, the Combine progression server holds a healthy population, with up to 40 players in some of the more popular hunting zones during peak hours. Around eight large raid guilds compete for raid targets, and a dozen smaller family guilds exist for more casual players. The flaw of the progression server model is that it encourages a very linear ranking of guilds: those who want to be at the head of progression join the top guild, furthering the gap between the leading guild and the followers. Almost all of the progression targets are hit first by the same group of people.
Still, this does not prevent other guilds from enjoying progression at their own pace. Some guilds have made a point to hit every target on the progression list, while others enjoy the luxury of picking and choosing their targets. Each new expansion that releases allows smaller guilds to tackle targets with less people. Phinigel Autropos, originally struck down by 38 of the Combine's toughest, can now be casually killed by a single Necromancer or Mage.
Similarly, some guilds have found advantages in the form of newer content left in the progression server by accident. For example, a raid guild sees the Furious Jailor encounter as a staple of their raiding diet. The Furious Jailor task was introduced during the 10th expansion and can be single-grouped by modern-day 75th level adventurers. This quest, on the progression server, offers rewards of 10th expansion gear to a world still existing in the 8th expansion - and while it takes a full raid force of c. 30 to 50 people to perform the task on the progression server, the rewards are well worth the effort. The progression server provides users an experience never before offered in an MMORPG. The unlockable content allows us, the players, to dictate the pace of the game for the fist time. It creates new forms of competition and new forms of server-wide progression, as well as guild and individual goals. When the progression server catches up to the normal servers, Sony has dropped some hints of another, similar server.
I think the progression servers would have been better if one of them had had a six+ month lock on the next expansion. Why does the progression server need to catch up with the regular servers?
I've only played EQ for short periods, because I came into it late and was totally overwhelmed by the amount of content. The Progression servers seemed like a good chance at a fresh start, a chance to see the world in manageable chunks.
But, of course, die hard players come in and complete everything as fast as possible. And in less that two months I felt left behind.
I agree that the unlocking occurred way too fast. By the time I was level 28 Luclin was already unlocked and moving forward fast. Perhaps a new progression server would have a different result because you may not seem the same effort to conquer the various encounters to progress.
I love the old world when it's filled with people. It just doesn't feel right logging into the game with noone but yourself in the old world, especially in a game as group orientated as EQ.
And while I do have higher level characters with access to the newer expansions, it's very difficult to get back into EQ once you've quit for a long time (for reasons such as, too much new content to get lost in, everyone has met the new level caps), I just prefer the old world a whole lot more.
But classic/progression ftw!
They should do an apocalypse server. Just old EQ, Kunark, Velious. After three months an apocalypse happens and the server is reset. That might satisfy old timers, though that may not attract numbers the second time the server is reset.
Overall it was a success I think though. It brought back many subscribers that had long left EQ because they couldnt catch up to the current game after an absense. And it brought back those that wanted to re-experience the game from the begining again.
The progression server was sound overall but encouraged zerg-raiding, which chilled (if not killed) the extraordinary EQ-feel within just a few short months. I agree with previous posters that there should not have even been a timeline, although the Guild I formed did make a number of small contributions (in addition to helping the top guild open up an expansion in exchange for items and spells we needed).
I think EQ with a locked, or time-set, progression server would be a great deal of fun; I think they should release this on the same day of the Anniversary edition.
Progression Servers = Director's cuts - muhahahha!
OMG look who is squeezing the utter of a 10-year-old cash cow with EQ1, SOE.
The only milk remaining is in the 3rd world countries that have not heard about Pentium 4 yet or the truly poor that the current administration has abandon. The bad news is that these are the same countries and fellow citizen that are now disenfranchised Americans that have not problem in enlisting suicide bombers and those shedding the light of stupidity of those upon them,
I love SOE, since they screwed thousands out of their game there is no reward in stepping backwards to EQ1 .The DC universe is their only hope. (John-boy Smedley knows that his is true because he – Loves that Jestor!)
Interesting commentary on a new idea.
This sounds like great fun but I'd need a PVP combine server and I doubt that'll happen anytime soon. I miss you Rallos/Sullon Zek.
About the unlocking and people playing:
Dont underestimate too some high hardcore guild who moved some hours of their timeplay to play on the progressions server. I have seen some .. and its normal servers were crafted for competition .. first who open is a hero .. but in fact , what happened ? Old players have come back to get another time the same sensations they got 8 years ago when as an elve level 10 you entered Lesser Fay and were cackling cause Equestrielle was around and you cant see her .... that was the fear !
Craft :
Also i have seen tradeskillers coming in number and work well in crafting and all .. noone have talk about them but they were really helpfull for all players playing in progression .. so another idea .. crafting progression server ?
As far as i have seen many people were happy for the job done by the guild who won the raid bosses and epics but were not when it was unlocked so soon .. for my part i prefer a server locked with a long timer witch let people level slowly and get fun with the old EQ.
Fun with the old EQ .. its why progression were created in first ... nope ?
Myrr
Some of us are not graphic whores and actually prefer depth over visuals. EQ is old? Sure. Ugly for today standards? Yes. But it's one of the few MMORPGs that really looks and feels like an actual RPG.
I would absolutely love to see another progression server.. when the first one came out it was during the summer and I just had WAY too much work and everything else going on.. as well as living with a friend that didn't play MMO's.. it never really gave me time to play. About the first week or so i got in quite a bit of time and it was rather fun.. but than i got so far behind and everything that i lost the joy of it. It would be great if they did another one.. but perhaps added limits to when the next expansion woudl open and maybe not 6 months, but atleast a few months between expansion.. it would allow the non hardcore to atleast get closer to max level and truly enjoy all the content before the new servers fly open. Either way if they just do it exactly the same or give more time, I really hope they do it again, because I would certainly make time to join in.. seeing the old world so ridiculously populated.. it was amazing.
Kalade
SOE lost money when they released two new servers for progession. Therefore, there probably won't be another progression server going on. Eventually, when the expansions catch up, they'll just remove it entirely and move players/guilds to other live servers....
the downfall just started after Brad McQuaid left soe years ago
so bottom line....if they open a brand new server pvp or pve count me and those shiploads of other ppl who left in
oldschool eq players hate instanced everraid..give us back everquest!
Alright, I like many others, came back after hearing they were finally going to do a server that only had normal EQ to start
I had feedbacked this idea for about 2 years straight, almost everyday, until about 9 months before they launched it
It had seemed my idea of a perfect rendition of old EQ would come back, and I would enjoy having that feeling of EQ again(if you played early years, you know what it is)
But they did not set the servers on timers, as I had suggested
I had fedback that they should just run it like EQ had been, and released expansions after the same amount of time they normally were released
But, they just made it a complete zerg-rush server and "accidently" released the line of events for progressing through everyhting
Before the server had started, everyone already was set up to rush
Then even worse, Sony didn't fully remake old-EQ and left stuff in that wasn't supposed to
So, everyone used it to their advantage by getting items that were not supposed to exist
which made me realise that all the "top" people didnh't care for the experience of old-EQ enough not to ruin it by going honor system and not using things that weren't supposed to exist, but farming it for lots of pp and ruining the server pre-kunark
I wasn't as mad on the players as I was for SoE's complete lack of care on the situations
They made it very obvious that they meant to do this only for the money of people like me returning for the hype of the server than for the actual experience we were trying to obtain by playing again
ever since SoE took over EQ, the game has pretty much been crap, I still play, because I love hanging out with people that I have known since the start, and they make my life alot more enjoyable
this past year was full of dissapointments, with Vanguard being a WoW-ripoff and prog servers being rushed to quick in EQ....
if they make a Old server, then I will jump on that faster than a barrel full of gold, but until that happens, I will try to get to 75 with my ranger
Omnivas-61 Ranger-Druzzil Ro(Xev) server
PS: To all those people from Sleeper, you know who you are, SULLON XEK IS NOT GOD OF WAR
So if there is going to be another ''Similiar Server'' will it be coming out after they reach all exspansions ?
Me myself i joined everquest again to give it a try, but was not worth it due to not joining early enough.
i didnt join till like LoY was out.
So if they come out with another IM COMING BACK AT THE START lol. . .
I started playing EQ when i was 10 or 11 (Pre-Kunark) and loved the game. But others came out i tried them and before i knew it there were hardly ANYONE in the old world zones.
It would be awsome to start on a new server from the start hehe. . .
But if they do i think they should put ALL items that were originaly in the game. I mean like the mana orb thing from the evil eye in lower guk. It would be awsome to go after item that were ''Originaly in the Game'' instead of the items that were added or in some cases not added right ?
EverQuest For The Win ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !