PVP:Yes | Distribution:Download,Retail | Retail Price:$19.99 | Pay Type:Subscription
Desktop Client | System Req:
| ESRB:T
EverQuest II General Article: CES 2007: Beyond Echoes of Faydwer
Carolyn Koh sits down at EverQuest II Senior Producer Scott Hartsman about their new "Estate of Unrest" zone.
By Carolyn Koh on January 11, 2007
Beyond Echoes of Faydwer
Carolyn Koh catches up with Scott Hartsman, the Senior Producer for EQII. The pair discuss the Estate of Unrest zone.
The Sony contingent was once again CES in Las Vegas – I think it has to be because it’s in Las Vegas – and I caught up with Scott Hartsman, Senior Producer of EverQuestII who was there to do the show and tell on Echoes of Faydwer.
;)
Now, Scott… I think our readers here at MMORPG are pretty familiar with the Echoes of Faydwer expansion by now… what’s new? What’s hot? What’s to come? After a little joking around with Scott doing some flexing and me doing a little poking, we settled down for the goods.
Fools must seldom differ as he and I segued from catching up with each other, right into the Estate of Unrest zone that did not make it into the Echoes of Faydwer launch. “Wasn’t me! Someone must have gotten hold of an old zone list!” Happily enough, the Estate of Unrest will be a zone provided free in the next update scheduled for February, so we settled right into what’s there from the old EverQuest.
“The biggest hurdle we have to overcome in defining the old zones is how to re-introduce the zone in EverQuestII without copying EverQuest.” Scott said, launching into a description of the new zone.
“We had the designer of the hedge maze in EverQuest ascertain that it is the exact same hedge maze, turn for turn, that is in EverQuestII. Beyond that, there are similarities. The basement for example, is a full fledged dungeon.”
;)
The mansion itself is also expanded – three floors worth. No longer maybe just one camp or two, it is a “big, big zone” capable of supporting many groups of players both inside, under and outside of the mansion.
The Estate of Unrest follows the theme of the first Adventure Pack in that it tells a story. The ghosts of the family that lived in the Estate tell their story and provide quests. Scott was very pleased with the integration of sound effects and music. “I love the sound effects in the abandoned nursery, the sound designers have managed to mingle hints of lullabies with stuff that really creates an eerie atmosphere.”
There are a number of mini-bosses in the Estate of Unrest and Scott promised trains, although not as epic in proportion as the old Unrest in EverQuest and also promised no more aggro through floors.
The Estate of Unrest is “not a zone for the faint of heart” according to Scott. It is an addition to the Echoes of Faydwer and with the amount of low and mid-level content already available, this will be a playground for levels 65 to 70.
;)
How has the launch of Echoes of Faydwer and the progress gone so far? Scott expressed surprise at the rate which players got into the end raid content. “We threw everything at our beta testers and were pretty confident that the difficulty level would provide a good challenge.”
However, he was still satisfied that at one and a half months after launch, that some but not all raid content has been conquered. Oh… about a month ahead of schedule.
“What were some of the challenges of the expansion?” I asked. “Any boats scuttled and sunk?”
Scott laughed and was happy to report that boats are working fine, then detailed the challenges the team faced. With the capability of instanced zones, sometimes a single boat could be headed to two instanced land areas, and vice-versa, two boats carrying players from two instances could be headed toward a single land area. Happily enough, that was resolved and boats included in launch without major glitches.
I then went on to ask him if the game’s crafters are happy.
“Are crafters ever happy?” Scott asked with an attempt at a frown, but he broke into laughter at the last word. The state of the tradeskills at this time are as well as they could be. When asked what the team was working on, I was told about desired improvement in the progression of some skills as well as a greater diversity of harvests.
I asked what was in store for players this year, as surely… the Live team wouldn’t be resting on the laurels of EoF.
;)
“There will be lots more Live work.” I was assured. The in-game holiday schedule will be doubled and the Live team plans for something big every month to keep things lively (pun intended) for players. A new zone, a holiday event… and this is an initiative driven by the Live team themselves with the blessing of Smed.
What, I asked were plans for more Adventure Packs and Game Expansions? No Adventure Packs in the near term, although he affirmed that something related to the Gods will be forthcoming soon in a game update. “Yes, we also have plans for Expansion four in the works.” Development will last a year or longer. “There’s no second chance.” Quoted Scott. “Taking enough time to properly develop and polish an expansion just makes a much, much better product. We’ve learned that much at least, over the years.”
“So, you are happy with the progress of EverQuestII?” I asked Scott.
“Yes! We got out a polished product before the holidays so we all could enjoy the holidays, subscriptions are growing, rabid SoE haters are actually grudgingly admitting that EoF is a well done expansion and…” at this point, Scott laughed and pointed at me. “You can’t twit me on anything! That’s a first!”
Well… there’s the matter of a really buff, manly-man drool-worthy Fae male… but when Scott puffs out his chest and tells me how buff his Fae is, how can I gainsay him?
The aggroing through the floors was one of those things that made the original Unrest such an interesting zone.
Recant you obviously are a WoW supporter. You don't know what the classes can do, do you? There aren't 4 classes and the rest feel generic. Try playing and raiding and noticing a difference between a Troubador bard, and a dirge...or a Guardian, or Zerker? You don't know, do you? Please don't comment on what you don't know. WoW only has what, 8 classes?
I would like to see more true tank classes and offensive tanks...as well as 2 more cloth casters.
Every time some Dimwit bandies about the 8 mil WOW subscribers I point out that’s also the average Jerry Springer show demographic, both are about as equally educated and usually live in the same Trailer park.
SOE has done many things right with EoF, and it has paid off in increased subscribers, but its beyond that SOE is giving EQ II something WoW lacks and that’s depth and a soul. Numbers mean jack in my book. EQII gets better almost daily, can't say that about raidordiecraft.
And everytime someone makes a comment like this you can pretty much guarantee they have never played WoW EVER. I play both games and I really hate to say, so many things in EoF were taken from WoW (which i'm not even going to start listing here). EQ II is at the point where they are starting to lose creative people in the name of budget constraints and creative differences (Blackguard and Morguard as examples despite what they were paid to say by SoE). Some of the things the community really want, ie: More character slots and a way to make your armor look different then everyone elses armor (ie tints) keeps getting pushed under the rug. I think if they implemented those two things, they would gain many more players from WoW, but instead, they just don't get it and keep chugging on their own course like ole' G.W. Bush and his War on Iraq (and yes i'm drawing a parallel between the thinking between him and the powers that be at SoE, because they both are stuck in the "STAY THE COURSE" mentality no matter how different they try to paint it"
Oh come on, who hasn't played WoW at this stage?
I've played WoW and I've played EQ2 (as well as about a dozen other MMORPG's) and EQ2 is much better. WoW has no depth, no feeling, and the storyline is lackluster at best. Not so with EQ2. EQ2 is the best game out there right now.
I've played many games including WoW. Even though I'm not a fan of SOE or Smed (Grumble) EQ2 is just a better game, hands down.
- edit I'm pretty sure I'm one of the SOE haters he was talking about in that article.
I guess they do read my posts.
I have played E&B, Eve, SWG, LII, Neocron 2, EQ II, and WoW- Every game gets my kudos of sorts/ But EQ II has done some really cool things that have been handled well by their teams :)
Since then? I remember what they said about the ground up newly developed engine and the particle system. Well not that they could've tricked me (and everyone else)... I give you that
Anyhooo, back on topic (I REFUSE to get dragged into the endless EQ2 vs WoW debate)...
Well I'm excited about The Estate of Unrest. I'm not an EQ vet, but I've heard EoU mentioned loads of times ingame, and people always say it was one of the best zones in EQ. If it's as good as Scott says it is, I can understand why they held it back from the EoF release. Here's hoping anyway
I wish SOE would publish the numbers. They know exactly how many subscribers they have, so why not just say that its 125,000 or whatever. It will not ever be the 8 million + that WoW has, but I don't think it needs to, it just needs to be fun.
Oh and I have played both. they are different experiences, so no reason to bad on one over the other.
As for the expansion itself and some of the more relevant criticisms, though: Even though all the subscribers would love things like armor tinting, more characters, and more developed class identities, those aren't going to get new subscribers. Let's be a little cynical here--that doesn't mean the game isn't doing well in some areas, but we just have to accept that the driving forces are going to be the ones that have the potential to increase new subscriptions--not just encourage current ones. As long as no one's quitting over those issues, they'll go on the bottom of the priority list.
The Fae got numbers up, coupled with the return of GFay. I have to admit, even for myself, those were big selling points, coupled with the combat changes and, frankly, the absence of Moorgard and friends. The best thing the franchise can do for itself right now is distance itself from the name SOE has made for it. That can be accomplished in large part by tending to those elements which would have preferred a different game in the first place. That is--bringing back EQdead.
Next expansion, my prediction is Odus. I'd say we'll see Paineel, the Hole, and Erudin. If it's not the next expansion, then it'll be one soon after that. Kunark should be making its way back soon as well. In any case, the other thing I can count on is a new race or two. About the time the new is wearing off the Fae, there'll be a new race, probably an evil one, to take up the novelty and hope to emulate EOF's success.
Statistically, expansions don't cause subscriptions to rise. --not really; marginally sure, but no game on a downslope has ever been able to turn itself around by an expansion. I'd like to hope that EOF marks the beginning of an end to this trend though. I know SOE isn't talking, but if they could get me to play again, they could probably get anyone. To that end, this game might end up being competitive yet. Whether or not it can stand up to the likes of Warhammer, however, has yet to be seen.
While I don't entirely agree with your statement about him not playing wow I will agree with EQ2 taking some WoW ideas. It's not a bad thing if they are good ideas. The opposite can't be said about WoW.
I play both games and enjoy them a lot... my really frustrating irritation with WoW is their complete retarded take on a LFG system. At first they didnt even have one, then added a chat channel. Now they got a almost useless LFG system and no chat channels anymore. If they'd just steal EQ1 or EQ2's LFG system it'd be great but they insist on this retarded feature of "you can only LFG for here, here and here" crap. You can't just LFG for anything nor can people just list everyone LFG and list them by class and level.
This is probably entirely off topic but oh well.