Your Next: Where's the Game?

What will the EverQuest Next keynote reveal at SOE Live?

In my part of the world, we don't do summer very well. The buildings are made to keep the heat in and the rain off, and my people turn a frightening shade of pink in the sun. But I cannot complain, because when I feel the sun on my face or shift uncomfortably on my leather desk chair, I think of the Mojave Desert.

In less than a month, the lucky and privileged among us will be in the costume-jewel of the desert, the shrine to the arrogance and hubris of humankind they call Las Vegas. We are called to hear the word and spread it throughout the unholy land.

The word, of course, of EverQuest Next.

It's been almost a year since the big reveal, and despite the world of EverQuest Next being built before our eyes, with weekly updates and above-and-beyond levels of community interaction from the developers, we still don't know much more about how the game will play.

What will a day in the life of the EQN player be like? We have a good idea of what it will look like, we have a pretty solid grasp of how our characters move and react to our instruction, but what about the game?

So far in Landmark, we can build, we can play, and we can absolutely have a lot of fun – but in my opinion it's still not really a game. Let it be known I am not using the word 'play' in a derogatory way, I'm not saying playing a game is somehow 'better' than just playing.

In my own personal universe, playing a game is about accepting challenges and working to overcome them. It's the challenges and the specific goal that transform the activity from play to playing a game. Inventing and playing games comes as naturally to humans as telling jokes or adultery, so how could we not wonder when the 'game' would begin?

We've talked so much for so long, it's tough for those of us without experience in making games to put into perspective how much progress has been made, how close the rock is to the top of the hill; when are we going to tip over the edge and feel the exhilaration of the downhill stretch?

What do you want to see in Vegas? What are your hopes for the EverQuest Next keynote? Dave Georgeson on the iWalk will be a sight (get well soon!), but what of reveals, announcements and surprises?

Personally, I'd like to be shown how the world is dynamic; I'd like to see examples of the type of emergent behaviours we can expect from the game. This is one area that generates a lot of excitement in players, but also large doses of scepticism and regular misunderstandings. If they can show the world and the NPCs changing because of the actions of players, they will have the attention of a lot of jaded MMO veterans.

How about some siege weapons blowing up a castle? We know it's an intended mechanic, and with the voxel based world it could put other games with siege mechanics to shame. It would definitely make a good backdrop for any other combat they want to show us.

I think they may be eager to show off a new Kerran model after the mixed reviews it received last year, so perhaps some of the other races could share the spotlight? We've been looking at the humans for so long in Landmark it would be great to drive home the differences between the two games in this way.

You know what would be really great? All of those things at once. That would be great. No matter how staged or controlled, this kind of example would be a great showcase for what players can expect from EQN.

Maybe that's wishful thinking, maybe they're not there yet, but as far as things they could do to silence the critics and justify the faith of this early-adopter community it'd be a show stopper.

On the other hand, anyone that knows me will tell you I'll talk about this stuff until the sun comes up, so if we do just get more words at least I'll have some new stuff to throw in.


 

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