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"EverQuest II" to debut in 2003
Parsa writes "This story
at Cnet says; A new version of the popular computer game "EverQuest"
will make its debut late next year, Sony Online Entertainment said Thursday.
Sony Online Entertainment says the next version of the popular computer
game will feature a new 3D engine and a tradesman class for "nonconfrontational"
character advancement.
"
Reasons I don't like EQ2. /again/
No more global banks.
You need a carrier vehicle (mule, wagon, etc) to carry goods from one town to the next.
You don't start out with a class. Or stats.
You become a basic class at a low level, then 'graduate' to a specialized class at a higher level. (level 6 and 30, respectively, if I recall the article i read correctly.
100% level restricted weapons/armor/items.
Item decay.
Among other 'borrowed' conventions.
Granted, this may help the online economy, but I feel it'll help segregate the levels even more...
As it is now, there's Uber guilds in EQ, and I guess I should be thankful and jealous that I'm not a member of them. I like my family-oriented guild more, but I'm also relegated to mid-level quality items.
With the new item setup in EQ2, it'll be harder to 'twink' (that is, pass old items on to a lower level character when you've outgrown their use), thereby removing a large part of the existing EQ economy.
However, there's the argument that with the new item setup, similar to AO, there'll be more weapon options at every available weapon level.
Also, folks that have spent the last 3 years in EQ will not want to move over to the new servers/game for several reasons. (IMHO)
#1 - Need to upgrade computers
#2 - losing friends/guildmates because not everyone can plunk down $2grand to buy a new UberPC(TM)
#3 - People won't want to abandon their characters that they've worked on for many many hours, no matter the level.
Just some thoughts...
Personally, I will most likely NOT move over to EQ2. Granted, both of the machines I run now (Yes, I dual-box, or play two accounts from time to time) are EQ2 capable, but probably around 75% of my guildmates' computers are not. I also do not want to move away from my Bard (level 51), or any of my other alternate toons (characters) because of relationships and 'reputations' I've built via Roleplaying (*gasp OMG, yes, people actually still roleplay in EverQuake*).
I'm pretty sure that Meridian 59 came out before UO and it was a graphical MUD and it was 3D. It was crappy 3D, but it was 3D.
A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing -- Emo Phillips
MU*s still do all this for free. Servers and bandwidth are dirt cheap when the game is text-only, so the game's "owner" often pays for it out of his pocket, and all the additions are gladly contributed by the players themselves out of simple love for the game world.
Like the guy said, all Everquest and its ilk bring to the party is pretty graphics.