Legacy of Ykesha Developers Diary

This was sent to us by Sony. EverQuest®: The Legacy of Ykesha™ Developer's Diary: Innoruuk's Idol Over the weeks until we launch The Legacy of Ykesha (LoY), we will be presenting these diaries to try to give some insight into what happens during the creation of an EverQuest expansion or extension. One of the most interesting things about any EverQuest zone is the way it feels, the atmosphere of the place. Travel through Neriak, especially if you’re not very welcome there, and you get a sense of the evil that lives there. The Plane of Innovation feels very… oily, rusty and mechanical. Each zone has a very distinct feel to it. There are several tools that designers and artists use to give zones their feel. Lighting, textures, buildings, and obviously the NPCs. But it’s not uncommon for us to forget how important the artifacts and objects in a zone are, everything from the huge statue of Firiona Vie in Kunark to the hangman’s noose in the Plane of Justice. Artists and designers work together to determine what a zone will look like, how it should feel and what sort of objects it should contain. The Legacy of Ykesha called for trolls that live a sea-faring, nomadic life influenced heavily by the power of Innoruuk, god of Hate. These trolls have been isolated for a long time, and they have certainly formed their own ways of thinking about their worship of Innoruuk. The team decided that having an idol of sorts, a representation of the melding of Hate and the life of ocean-bound trolls, would help to show just how different these creatures were. We asked Ronnie Ashlock, the artist that built the idol, to talk about how he built it.
As the art team began working on the city of Dulak, I had discussions with Shawn Lord, Lead Designer for LoY. He saw the idols in the city as very dark and other-worldly, like something from a Lovecraft story. This was a great visual cue, and I began to envision the idols as some massive construct of tentacles and chitin. This is one of the concept drawings that came out of our discussions. Innoruuk’s Idol Concept Art The sketch was a great starting point, but I suspected it would be unworkable as a 3D concept. This hunch proved true as I took my first pass at constructing it for the final game. I made the outer shell of the model resemble the outer shell of the sketch as close as possible. But that was indeed unworkable. So taking great liberty with the sketch, I fashioned a proper nautilus shell by lofting a spiral. I then created the tentacles out of other lofted splines, taking careful considerations of the polygon count limits needed to make the model usable in-game. Wireframe Mesh of the Idol After the mesh was done to my satisfaction, I began to texture it. I wanted to suggest an amphibian and evil look to the idol. Shawn said he wanted people to feel that something just wasn't right about the place; something sinister and disturbing. So I took ordinary family photos of babies crying and manipulated them into the screaming faces seen on the pedestal. I daresay I think I was pretty successful in making people uncomfortable. Texture for the base of the Idol Final version Click here to see an avi movie of the Idol

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lil india
# Jun 08 2003 at 6:14 PM Rating: Default
Whats the true meaning of voodo. because I always hear people saying they know how to do voodo. and how do you do it and the first place please write back
Whiners
# Jun 08 2003 at 4:43 PM Rating: Default
Quit.

That's all I have to say.

If you don't like it...don't play
can I play
# Apr 18 2003 at 11:48 AM Rating: Default
can I play game right now on my computer on the internet
Zones Look Good
# Mar 03 2003 at 10:52 AM Rating: Default
Since this article is about ARTWORK and ZONE DESIGN, I will only mention ARTWORK and ZONE DESIGN. The constant whining about what you don't like in game is why the devs killed the direct forums on the EQLive site (with exception to the newbie and rp room).

To Sony,
Y'all put alot of work into making the new LoY zones look nice, and it shows! The ammount of creativity that went into those zones is amazing!

Likewise, the zones are designed fairly well. Pathing seems to be the only real prob, but it's not that big of one. There are many things to see, and many different routes to take, in order to see them. A huge plus is the fact that, with the exceptions of the trip through Stonebrunt, the zones seem to be designed in a branching manner, rather than linear. Keep that up! People get tired of the dungeon crawl over and over... Plus, if the zones start to get old to people, they can travel a different path, and it'll be like new again.

All in all, as far as artwork goes, y'all rocked! 8)

To The PLayers,

Lay off a bit. I don't care if this post is rated 0 and bumped off the boards, I have to say this.

After being in the Kazam's forums for a minute, I notice EVERYONE has an opinion about what needs fixed in game. It would be much more constructive to discuss issues on the pages in this site which directly involve the issues. IE: You don't like the Sword of Slaying Noobs, don't post it here, post it on the page for that sword. Maybe then the devs will go to the pages and actually READ our suggestions.

Offer constructive criticism, not just the same old bizatching. I know I'm guilty of that too, but I'm learning that it accomplishes nothing.

The people of Kazam's don't want to read your bizatching at the devs, and guess what? NEITHER DO THE DEVS. You accomplish nothing except taking up space on Kazam's server when you do that.

When Sony is nice enough to give us something like this article, don't bizatch at them! You will make them regret they posted it for us to begin with, and they won't do it again. Matter of fact, the bizatching at them is what killed Sony/ Customer relations, not Sony's actions. They are offering the olive branch. Take it, and be nice so that relationship may be strong again.

If they wanted your overall opinion on LoY on this page, they would have asked for it. If you have an issue with something, post it to the page regarding that zone/ mob/ item, because IF devs check here for opinions, they will look on the page for the subject they want opinions about.

Lastly, if all the EQ players know of even one issue that needs looked at in EQ, the devs know about it. To be able to make EQ, and keep it running, the devs must be extremely intelligent. If you disagree with that, YOU try to make your own version of EQ. When you succeed, I will listen to whatever you have to say about the EQ devs. Everybody who works hard needs a pat on the back once in awhile. The devs work VERY hard. Trust me, just LoY alone must be BILLIONS of lines of code, and that's not even counting the artwork! Let them know what they have done right! Give them some positive feedback! Nobody will pay attention to a community that constantly puts them down, so if you are always telling what the devs are doing wrong, why would they even come here? That would be like walking around a mall with a shirt that says "I Love Richard Simmons". Nobody on Earth will purposefully subject themself to insult. Be nice and polite, and they MAY start listening to us again 8)

Baron Galiem Vaelant
Tunare's Wanderer of The 52nd Season
<Honor Elite> Officer
The Seventh Hammer

Edited, Mon Mar 3 10:31:36 2003
RE: Zones Look Good
# Mar 13 2003 at 3:34 AM Rating: Decent
k thx....

/flame

Edited, Thu Mar 13 03:05:25 2003
LoY Spells: Wizard
# Mar 02 2003 at 5:45 AM Rating: Default
the wizard spells released with LoY are insulting, you can have them back, thanks =)
Re:Balancing
# Feb 28 2003 at 8:56 AM Rating: Good
First i would like to appologize to all the people who may have been offended by some of my language in my last post, and to state that it was 3am when i posted that last one, just thought id clairify that if it was a hard post to follow, and more on subject about this thread, yeah this is cool artwork, I could never imagine being a graphics person at SOE, the stuff they come up with is incredible, an example is in lake rathe, cmon everyone loves the dead cut in half dwarf hanging by the ogre's /grin so i would like to say good job SOE, keep up the awsome work on graphics, the game may not look like alot of counsle games, the smoothness of it all, but this game has better graphics by far because of the scale of it all, the detail, and the movement is fairly fluid, well... as long as you dont use a 4 1/2 year old comp, and a voodo 3 like i do /sigh oh well, good job SOE! and sorry for the complaining, i was out of place to post on this board :(

Japafroak, froglock mule of Japy, froaker of the 1st froak
Rodcet Knife
blah blah
# Feb 27 2003 at 6:38 PM Rating: Default

blah is all you ever here on these boards
why dont we just stop complaning and play the damn game?
Craleu 51 warrior
Guardians of Shadow
Trov
Artwork
# Feb 27 2003 at 10:32 AM Rating: Excellent
All the flames and criticisms aside, cool artwork. I like this idea aready because I'm the sort that'd watch a good movie that involved high-tech effects or creative settings and personalities and THEN sit through another hour and a half of the "Making of 'x-movie'" just to see how it was done and where the idea(s) came from. =P

As a parent of two (both not quite out of their "terribles"), I can justify that the use of the morphed images DOES inspire a "somethings not quite right here / dread" aire. *LOL*

Keep this thing going... Um, I'm speaking to the authors, not the b!tchers. =D

Edited, Thu Feb 27 10:28:27 2003
Balancing
# Feb 26 2003 at 9:52 AM Rating: Default
ok, i know im going to get alot of people giving me bull and flaming me for this, but d@mnit hear me out. In my opinion of all this, i believe that EQ used to have a PERFECT balance of classes, back when i started playing, right around after velious, and stuff was fun, i consider myself old school even tho im not really, well back then, my warrior didnt have a hell of a time getting aggrro, casters didnt overpower melee, paladins and sk's didnt get aggro like nobodies business... I know that alot of things have helped improve this great great game, but SOE (verant no longer exists people, ask a GM) needs to change some stuff around, i know everyone prolly thinks casters are cool, but in reality i have watched all the pure casters like wizards be so overpowering its not cool at all, my 56 warrior main on rodcet knife is no longer very usefull because of sk's and paladins, he has a heck of a time getting aggro, i know all of you people who think you are the bad @$$ of the game are gonna say to me, "hey go get more haste, or get better weapons" well #$%@ off people, i cannot get into a "uber" guild, and i will NOT spend my RL cash on some game, i play this game for fun, and yes i have played every class in the game, personaly i think that SOE just needs to change some stuff around, like i have no idea on casters being to strong, honestly, but i think that soe should make the "taunt" skill get more aggrro, and they need to lower SK and Paladin's spell's aggro, BIG TIME, its totally pointless when a paladin the same level as you, with decent gear, outtaunts you without trying, when he has a **** load less HP/(maybe)AC then you, the warrior, sk's and paladins are both great classes and i see their role in the group, but the role of a hybrid is NOT to get aggrro if there is a warrior, warriors need something in terms of skills that will get more aggrro, not gear, some people like me that like warriors more cant afford to get the stuff and its frankly starting to tick me off, i constently think about quiting because of the balancing issues now with regards to pure melee, basicly all im asking is that SOE, please do SOMETHING to help correct the issues with aggro! i am also asking that people who wanna give me crap, save it, stop posting totally irrelevant crap on boards, and god damnit stop flaming people for how they feel, and yes i know im ******** alot but i will keep playing the game because i love it, but sometimes a person has gotta speak out....

just my 2cp..

Baron Japy, Warrior of the 56th season, Rodcet Knife server
RE: Balancing
# Mar 02 2003 at 5:53 AM Rating: Default
Ask a GM? you mean they answer you? Wow, can my server have one of dem? =)
RE: Balancing
# Feb 26 2003 at 5:49 PM Rating: Default
This comment can be expanded to balancing of all non-caster classes. What does KEI do for a rogue, monk, or warrior? It literally gives the game away for casters there is no equivalent way to increase damage output for non-casters. Every addition adds 2 new spells for casters what about non-casters? I think wariors need new skills like and improved taunt and improved bandage which DO NOT NEED AA POINTS the problem is also a lower levels not just at 60. A lot of AA balancing is done but little for non-level maxed characters.

I think there should be a warrior only taunt I'll call it "war cry" which is a super taunt and also a short term group attack buff. Why can't a non-caster motivate a group with enthusiasm rather than magic?

How about "battle dressing" which can be applied during combat to allow a quick bandaging during a battle with out having to sit for seconds? Also not using bandages but destroying cloth chothing and armor for battle dressings.

How about an adder for groups of warriors a "battle formation" buff where 2 or more experienced warriors -in group- instinctively provide mutual protection in battle. AC's of warriors would add (some how) for each warrior in battle formation. And damage would increase by coordinated attacks.
Make 6 warrior group as fearful a sight as a 6 necromancer group.

Berzerk mode skill has not be updated in a while and should add capabilites as warriors progress like adding the effect of intimidation and short term regen at high levels when berzerk. Automatic removal of negative spells during berzerk. Charm immunity during berzerk.

Monks should get the skill of "self cleansing" to cure desease on themselves.

Monks should be able to gate themselves at high levels through mind body control.

Rogues should get the ranger skill of tracking in towns only rangers should lose tracking skills in towns. Who knows the innards of a seedy decayed city better than a rogue? A druid? A Ranger bah!

One last idea, add spell backfire probabiity to KEI to reverse the positive effects 10% of the time and make it non-removable for the same duration that KEI would have lasted.

Last plea - throw non-casters a bone once in a while the last decent thing added for non-casters were the POK books to get around even if it kind of sc#%@&d the druids and wizards.

Phelador, main on Terris Thule. Many others on Drinal, Xev, Prexus, Karana, Firona Vie.
RE: Balancing
# Mar 20 2003 at 3:03 PM Rating: Default
"What does KEI do for a rogue, monk, or warrior? It literally gives the game away for casters there is no equivalent way to increase damage output for non-casters."

Fungi Tunic, Fungi Staff, better than ratio 2 weapons, do I need to go on? KEI actually balances the "twink scene" somewhat.

I have a habit of not taking ppl who cry "nerf them so we get good" very seriously. Why should KEI get nerfed so warriors can feel smug?
Why so high?
# Feb 26 2003 at 8:26 AM Rating: Good
***
1,059 posts
One thing I want to know is why, everytime a new expansion comes out or a new optional zone is added, it is almost always for levels 35+?? Why can't they throw something in for players with lower level characters? Like many, I can't sit in front of my comp 24/7 playing EQ and I like to do other things in game besides level so it takes me a while to build up characters. Why can't there be new zones added that I can visit with a reasonable expectation of survival?

Another thing is, why are they going out of their way to unbalance this game in terms of light vs dark races? They gave the dark races a bit of balance when the Iksar were added,(although I disagree with making them hated by the other dark races) but since then have really tipped the scales back the other way. I know , Vah Shirs are technically considered neutral in their attitudes towards the other races, but now they make the frogloks good and even throw the trolls out of their home city.

Why can't we see more dark races added to the game to balance things out?
____________________________
If you were me and I were you, would we still be friends?
My 2 coppers.
# Feb 25 2003 at 4:05 PM Rating: Default
I agree entirely with the criticisms. Higher level individual goals in the game are impossible to attain without the aid of a large number of high level players dedicated to your success. One can, of course, argue about the nature of the game (especially if you have achieved its heights), but this degree of difficulty quashes the average player's desire to achieve Epic. Mine, for example. I will play my characters as high as I can, have a ball, and make a lot of plat and user crafted items. But I will not aspire to the blatantly impossible.
People
# Feb 25 2003 at 2:51 PM Rating: Decent
My 2 coppers.

1: This is a game people. It will likely not feed you, whipe your butt, or pay your bills.

2: I work on computers, I have done a little bit of everything. Sony overall you do a great job.

3: I pay for a service monthly, basically this is MY account, and all the stuff on my characters is MINE until the day that I sell it, or delete my account all together. I should be able to give it to, pass it down to, or do whatever the hell it is that I want to do with the items be it twink my toons, someone elses toons, or destroy it I payed my fee, earned that item it is MINE.. MINE MINE MINE NOT Sonys.

4: Some of you people take this game way too seriously. You get freaked out about twinks, Noobs, and people just generally not knowing everything about the game. Here is a question: Do those of you that know everything about this game running around screaming noob all the time know anything at all about real life, or are you a RL (computer nerds who have no life, no friends, and have likely never been laid.)newb???

5: There are alot of things that can be done to make this GREAT game even better. The only way that is ever gonna happen is when Sony gets GMs in there that care about the customer, and aren't just GMs so they can play the game for free. Bet some of the biggest twinks in the games are GMs, and their friends. Bet there has even been quite a few GMs running around screaming nOOb to some of the lower level players.

6: My only couple of complaints.

a: I don't have 16 hours a day to play EQ, I am not a member of a 300 person guild with over 100 of them 55+. I can start my epic weapon quest. Why can't I be able to finish this quest. In order to finish this quest I'll require the help of a VERY large number of people, and will have to have been lucky enough to be in the right places at the right time with the right people. I don't think being a member of a HUGE guild, or alliance should be a requirement for the Epic, but in reality it is. I got to the level to begin my epic, and even if I get to lvl 65 there is still a chance I may never see my epic. There should be alternate routes one can take to obtain their epic that don't require the use of some Huge force that that person may really never have access too.

b: Super sweet items? For people that can't muster the force to obtain these items this game kinda sux because #1 I'll never be able to gather the force necassary to obtain certain items that would make my character much more effective without having to spend many many many boring hours farming greens for plat, or spending my own RL bill money for it. Does this mean that Just because I am not a member of some massive high level guild that my ability to kill isn't equally if not significantly more important than theirs??

c: Yes yes sony. Some of the old school stuff that some of us still use could use some major overhauls. Take the oldschool weapons and give them facelifts much like alot of the newer weapons. Some people even refuse to use some of those nice older items because they look no different than the weapons you start the game with. Make the nice weapons from the old school eq, and make the harder ones to obtain a little more appealing for the challenge that it takes to get them. For example the Sword of Morin quest. CRAP man by the time you are able to do this quest you have likely already got smart, and saved enough plat to buy a Centi short, and a Sarnac Skullsplitter. to the oldschoolers who'll flame this, shut up I don't care. The quest isn't worth doing now, I don't even care if it once was. If you choose to do it, great. But to 98% of the players out there it would be a major waste of time. Along with about a million other old school quests and items out there. In the time you could do it, you could scrimp save, and scrounge the plat to get much better, and likely not had serious times of delirious boredom waiting for the one mob to pop that you need to finish. I'll likely never finish my Eyepatch of plunder because Stormfeather is a rare random pop that I don't have the time to sit around and wait on. Is it fair that I have every other part done but will never be able to finish likely unless I get REALLY REALLY lucky, because I don't have 48 hours straight that I can sit at his spawn point to make sure that I can get him? No it isn't. Some of this game is ridiculous, and very unfair to those of us who can't sink 19 hours a day into it. I have started 4 different quests that I'll likely never finish #1 because I don't have 100 people on that will help me finish off that lvl 70 super mob, #2 I can't sit around and waste 3 days of my life watching for that rare mob to spawn, and #3 I'm not a 14yr old computer nerd who doesn't go to school, doesn't have a job, and has no social life.

Lets get real, I play for fun, not for competition with others, for fun. If I get together with a group of people and play it is fun. I can likely muster a force of maybe 15 people ranging from lvl 40 to lvl 62 if I am lucky. Should more be required to play in any part of the EQ world that I want. I think not. this type of thing needs to be rethought out. Not all of us have the time or the force to accomplish these missions. But that shouldn't stop us from being able to accomplish them. And I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way. Likely about 80% or more of the players out there feel this way. The only ones who wont are the uber guilds full of people that have no lives, and nothing to do with their time but play EQ.

Make this game more fun, and more rewarding for the majority of your customers not the 20% that do nothing else. O.K.

ever wonder why some people quit. Likely alot may have to do with some of these reasons. I have done just about everything my toon is capable of with the amount of time I have to put into it why keep playing??


RE: People
# Feb 25 2003 at 4:08 PM Rating: Default
I agree entirely with the criticisms. Higher level individual goals in the game are impossible to attain without the aid of a large number of high level players dedicated to your success. One can, of course, argue about the nature of the game (especially if you have achieved its heights), but this degree of difficulty quashes the average player's desire to achieve Epic. Mine, for example. I will play my characters as high as I can, have a ball, and make a lot of plat and user crafted items. But I will not aspire to the blatantly impossible.
This is will fix sony
# Feb 25 2003 at 7:34 AM Rating: Default
The only way sony is going to get the point is if all you whiners stop playing if enough people quick the game they loose money we all know how they love there money this would kill them but hey sony already knows no one has the balls to quit just the balls to complain about every little thing that happens yes I got LD killing the elysian and loose what is an hours worth of exp and I have a cable connection so why I go LD is beyond me and why when I am on the phone with my friend both playing EQ at the same time we both go LD and the same time playing on the same server and with the same connection this though may be my local RoadRunner problem
LD
# Feb 25 2003 at 6:55 AM Rating: Default
this game is big, no HUGE and you guys are complaining about LD, jeez, get over it if there wasn't LD this game would be to good to be true think about it newbs, I go LD once every week or so if that you trying to tell me that sony just likes me and hates everybody else, ya right. If you go LD more than that, its not Sony, its your connection or computer, GET ETHERNET dopes. Sony you are the gods of on-line games don't let these currupt computer nerds that expect too much keep you down, k? It's deffinately worth 13 dollars a month or what ever it is.
Kill em all
# Feb 25 2003 at 4:14 AM Rating: Default
Well everybodys talking about going Ld so i guess i will too. It looks to like everybody is saying that they have a great PC so it cant be there fault that they go LD. I dont really agree with that. Only cause i have a totaly crapy PC and i dont have a problem with going LD, I mean yeah sure i go LD somtimes but its nothing thats going to make me end my life over. (i think a atari 2600 would run EQ better then my PC)But still it runs it good enough
I think the big problem with EQ is the amount of greed that veriant has. i mean come on theres no way in hell you can tell me that most of LoY wasnt ready to come out with PoP. They will wait a few months to give us the rest and charge us almost the same, and they even tryed to get away with mot making CDs so that would have been even mory money they would have made.
Now i know that somebody will probley write in saying that "if you dont like the game then dont play the game" And to that i say **** on you because their is nothing wrong with writing about what you feeel are problems with the game. Its not like theres been a string of disgruntled games shoting up game programers. ( all though i do wish that would happen to Veriant)
well now that my mindless babling has come to an end, i would just like to say that EQ is by far the best online game out there, but could be better if it wasnt for the greed.........

Danelan the Dark elf
#Anonymous, Posted: Feb 24 2003 at 3:15 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) Well lets make it short. Designers are great, the Gm's suck my ***.
RE: EQ GM's
# Feb 24 2003 at 4:59 PM Rating: Good
hell ya, designers do'n great
PURE NAGIC
# Feb 24 2003 at 2:24 PM Rating: Excellent
this game to me is the best thing i have ever played and daily is a true escape for me . a year and a half ago i was hurt at work and cant walk ever again and am in pain 24 hours a day. i discovered this game and it gave me something to do . i think everything is perfect. sure as a ranger i would like a few more powerful dds and dots(and i got them with loy) but i dont want to be to powerful and out do the other classes i think the balance is perfect. keep up the good work and thanks for my little escape each and every day.
Connectivity
# Feb 24 2003 at 2:19 PM Rating: Default
OK, I'm not sure how the topic got started on this thread, but since it has taken over, I'd like to put in my 2sp (inflation sucks). First, most of the time it is the user's hardware, setup, ISP, or something else that is causing the problem. I've had multiple issues over the last couple of years and it always seems to work out to be something on my end (my end also including the ISP). That being said, yes, I'm sure there are a lot of connectivity issues that should be laid at Sony's door. But the point was made earlier about the complexity of putting this game together.
If you consider nothing else, here are the issues that Sony tech support must look at. Your motherboard/processer, sound card, video card, connection method (dialup, cable, DSL), your actual network card/modem, your ISP and most complex, your setup. All of these things create a LOT of combinations for your hardware, etc. alone. Now figure that there are somewhere around 500,000 players. Of course some people are gonna have problems for one reason or another with running the game.
Anyway, the statement has been said over and over since the game began testing. "If you don't like the game (and the issues that go along with it), stop playing"

'nuff said

Kraxxi Stronghart
51 Warrior, Tragic Heroes, Saryrn server
LOVE and HATE
# Feb 24 2003 at 2:02 PM Rating: Default
Finally I see a positive post, people always crying aout cost, LD every once in a while, whats VI doing, why cant they help me, BLAH BLAH BLAH, VI brings us this huge , huge online game, which WEE the consumer pay for, ( meaning : you can stop paying and find a better game, GL on that) If i returned evrythiong I had a problem with Id have to sell the car, house , ssend tyhe kids away and move to a shack in the wood witth nothing that could break, btu then hey I might break an arm, so HELL ill just kill myself and have 0 worries.
so to all those that have a furious hatred of VI, QUIT please, noone need to hear you whining like a baby, you are the one "BREAKING" the game, I laugh when I LD, especially in the middle opf a raid , and its even mor funny when my wife and I go together, (me beingg a chanter and her a cleric ).
ok Im done ranting, averaging 20 bucks a month or so this year to play, hey you cant see amovir for that one time, ILL PAY IT !!!

Ihave died a good death
55th beguiler
MithMarr
LoY Goes Live
# Feb 24 2003 at 12:56 PM Rating: Default
Personally I'm expecting to take a break of a few days, possibly longer, while all the bugs get ironed out when LoY goes live. It always seems to happen every time there is an upgrade :P
RE: LoY Goes Live
# Feb 24 2003 at 3:26 PM Rating: Decent
This is mostly due to, not enough people playing on Test server. If there were more, they would have a more diverse testing group ;). /wave
____________________________
The Zolz of many faces.. Shadowhawk
#Anonymous, Posted: Feb 24 2003 at 10:23 AM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) I'm spending most of my real life in a world of make belive because I think the world I live in is worse than EQ, except in my real world I don't get kicked out to my desktop in the middle of doing something, mind you this mostly seems to happen while in the bazaar zone.
#aurei, Posted: Feb 24 2003 at 9:02 AM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) I see and hear all posts even tho we r off the original subject, which shows the concern by all sonies customers, on being constantly hit in pocket. I agrree LD is sonies prob read above is one post tells it all , I have done same had everything tested, have most recent compatable equipment as per sonies requirements.
My 2 cents
# Feb 24 2003 at 8:17 AM Rating: Default
I just needed to butt in with an experience from yesterday and last night. I have 2 accts, one for me, one for my wife. We each have the EXACT same computer, and share an internet connection. Now, while I was in and playing yesterday, all day long my wife tried and could not. Kept getting an Error 0009 Login Server not responding.

I go into the chat to ask a GM for help. After 20 minutes of repeatedly asking my question to try to be heard over all the LoY idiots asking why their orders werent being processed 4 hours before live time (Duh? Dont wait until last minute fools), The GM decides that I have become annoying and Moderates me and gives me a "warning".

He then continues to ignore me for another 15 minutes while continuing to say, repeatedly "The registration and billing servers are up". I say "OMFG help those of us who have REAL problems please" and am booted from the game. Come back in, and they tell me they cant help and to call the number scrolling in the banner. I call the LONG DISTANCE phone number, and after 5 minutes, am told to go to the online chat for assistance.

Now its monday, patch day, wifes login still doesnt work, still cant get an answer. But I guarentee when billing cycle rolls around they will be prompt in charging me for the acct. Now how is that for customer service?

Content Rich but seriously lacking.
# Feb 24 2003 at 2:58 AM Rating: Default
Well, here we go... Sony is Great... Sony Sucks...

Expansions... thats what this game is about.. and though some of them have had great content, I refuse to purchase LoY. The reason... ok... some new zones... new race... new spells(that they will prob make no drop again so people that don't get LoY get gimped out of some useful spells)... but the fact is... most of the LoY upgrade are things that should've already been added as free content... LFG tool(just like PoP raid tool)... Mapping tool(Quills, Ink and Parchments all purchased in a cster guild - AND NO ONE IN EQ CAN DRAW MAPS?!)... LoY to me is just a paid for free content upgrade. VI, Sony has said they will add things to the game for free... and yet... what have they given? Stonebrunt Mountains, Hole, Jaggedpine... Stonebrunt they give us new zone... and new way that loot works... which meant very few people ever went... Now everyone will go out and run to get LoY... why? I mean its not even on CD... why? They say they are getting such a demand for it, but really no CDs = lower cost = more profit. This mentallity of lets make a few new zones and give them something REALLY useful(like raid window/ LFG tool/ Map Tool/ and spells that can be bought but no drop) and they will buy it, has really upset me. Considering I pay for 2 accounts(got tired of looking for groups so now I dual box) another few pretty zones are just not worth the 36.00 dollars I have to pay to get 4 new spells(the two classes I play) and a LFG tool and a map tool(when I already have a note book of maps that sit beside my computer). My faith in the way EQ will end up has seriously declined. I always thought EQ would die eventually as the best MMORPG ever... now it will die as the most costly computer game you've ever played. (EQ(39.99) Kurnak(29.99) Velious(29.99) Luclin(19.99) Planes of Power(19.99) (cost when I bought them) Thats 140.00 dollars plus the almost 5 years I have been playing.
EQ, Expansions and Such...
# Feb 24 2003 at 2:05 AM Rating: Default
I personally feel EverQuest is a great game and while yes, like some I have had either a connection issue or something not working like it was supposed to, in the end, I was able to find a fix, or Sony/Verant eventually fixed the issue at hand. It doesn't need to be spelled out I suppose that considering the magnitude of the game, with expansions and content, tying that in with thousands of people all possibly with somewhat different configurations of software and equipment, including different ISP's, varying means of access, be it phoneline, cable, DSL, Satellite that to bring it all together and even concieve of it working is amazing.

There are times, when I log in I just look around at the zone I am in and it just amazes me the detail and content that is available. From the sky to the grass below my characters feet to watching someone ride by on a horse.

Look forward to the new release and hopefully there is more in the future.

Truda



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