tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826986957606858027.post1434913526383957381..comments2023-06-19T10:45:56.724-04:00Comments on Player Versus Developer: The EQ2 Producer CataclysmGreen Armadillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15564045048380177626noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826986957606858027.post-67717163447552534682010-04-22T07:24:08.802-04:002010-04-22T07:24:08.802-04:00I had not seen the ZAM article. That is quite a bi...I had not seen the ZAM article. That is quite a bit more alarming than the Massively one. Asking why you need one raid per big patch in a raid-centric game... well I hope he gets the answers he needs.<br /><br />The two group content is most certainly lacking at the moment.<br /><br />I'm with you though. Attracting new players for the very short time while having long term ones cancel is not a bright business decision. We'll see where he goes with it though.Ferrelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02533610055473304965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826986957606858027.post-9449174261311487532010-04-21T22:58:26.741-04:002010-04-21T22:58:26.741-04:00@Yeebo: In case you didn't know (I didn't ...@Yeebo: In case you didn't know (I didn't make this very clear), new characters will supposedly no longer be allowed to start in Qeynos or Freeport. Revamping the rewards could have been done, but the actual quests and zones simply aren't up to par. On the plus side, the "storyteller system" is supposed to do exactly what you're asking for, in providing directions to players who are trying to figure out where to go next. <br /><br />@Lomax: I do have misgivings about open ended bills myself, but I can also see some advantages to the model. In fairness, the new guy did specifically say (I think in the Zam interview) that he was aware that EQ2 is a monthly fee game, and that its transactions should therefore be optional. Whether that's just because he didn't know better than to say anything so specific remains to be seen.Green Armadillohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15564045048380177626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826986957606858027.post-333947694835825232010-04-21T21:14:45.500-04:002010-04-21T21:14:45.500-04:00"a price. In the long run, 200K subscribers w..."a price. In the long run, 200K subscribers who stick with you through thick and thin might be more sustainable than entering a "<br /><br />I think you hit the nail on the head with this one, 200k subscribers is success. <br /><br />If they can refine and improve the game that the 200k subscribers enjoy which is different from any other MMO currently on the market then its a good idea.<br /><br />If they want to server up a different game though, then call it EQ3 and make it different, NGE was a failure precisely because it changed the game, not because the changes were necessarily bad.<br /><br />I'm not a fan of the microtransactions either myself, the problem is here how I view money. I know with a subscription that once I've paid then however much or little I play it will cost no more. <br /><br />With microtransactions its an open ended commitment, now the goal in the game might require me to spend more money then I'm prepared to, in that case I won't even start on the goal. <br /><br />Open ended commitments on money worry me, so I don't get involved when I have a choice. <br /><br />The other troubling comment he made was about wanting players to see all the content. WoW has that philosophy, the devs there guide the players by the hand through everything in a easy mode fashion.<br /><br />That's not what I want, I want to work hard and unlock content to progress through the game, just like in any real computer game, e.g. Double dragon, to get to level 2 you had to do level 1.Lomaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00218308323651929031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826986957606858027.post-91641236725460390242010-04-21T17:01:30.641-04:002010-04-21T17:01:30.641-04:00I think the Kunark and EoF starting zones are just...I think the Kunark and EoF starting zones are just fine in EQ II. In fact it's nice that there are five different starting areas that offer such different experiences. <br /><br />IMO, what EQ II needs a lot more than another new starting area is to update to the itemization on the existing ones so that they are all in line with Kunark in terms of quest rewards. They also need to do a much better job of funneling players between soloable content. I should not have to leave the game, hit a website to figure out where the next clump of solo quests in my level range are, and then spend another 20 mins doing research to figure out how to get to the zone I want to be in.<br /><br />Finally, I think you are dead on. Ignoring your existing customers to try and attract new ones is a risky proposition. Hopefully they will manage to pull a DDO rather than and NGE if that's they way they go.Yeebohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08028940396189544294noreply@blogger.com