Letter From John Smedley

John Smedley offered these words to the EverQuest community, April 7, 2005: =========================================================== Hello Everyone, First off, I'd like to say thanks for all of the wonderful ideas we received from you after my last posting. Having this ongoing dialogue is something SOE is committed to in a major way, and it's one of the biggest things you all asked for. So you'll see an increase in our public presence, not just on our boards, but on a lot of the fansites, as well. And we've created a new position within our ranks, the Director of Community Relations, specifically to prioritize you, the community, within our service offerings. Alan Crosby, previously EQ Community Relations Manager, will be stepping into this role, and all of SOE's community managers and representatives will report to him, while still maintaining close ties to the game teams, of course. Under this new structure, we will become even more responsive, even more dedicated to customer focus! I'd like to give you a general update on our games this posting: Since my last post , we launched our first Adventure Pack for EverQuest II ? "The Bloodline Chronicles" ? and over half our player base is already playing it! We are committed to releasing new content between Expansion Packs that goes beyond our live updates, and so we'll continue to release these Adventure Packs on a regular basis -- a first for our industry. The EQII team is still hard at work on the existing game, and I think that all of the new content the team has added since launch is pretty amazing. In the past few weeks alone, we've added several new high level raids, an in-game mail system, Mentoring (something we're really excited about), two additional character slots for all subscribers , and we just added the new merchant system, which will allow players to sell items in game without having to leave their computer running. That's on top of the usual game additions -- dozens of new quests, spells, items, tradeskill recipes, etc. You can expect us to keep up this pace for a long time to come. Another part of the EQII team is hard at work on our first Expansion Pack, coming out later this year. We've taken a lot of your recent ideas and feedback into account, and we're working on some innovative ways characters can move and interact with the environment. Also, we're taking the first step towards introducing PvP competition with the introduction of a new type of combat! In Austin , our Star Wars Galaxies? team is focused on a big change to the game's combat system. The "Combat Revamp" is now live on the SWG test server, and it's getting very positive feedback from the SWG playerbase. The team is also putting the finishing touches on Star Wars Galaxies?: Episode III Rage of the Wookies?, which launches in less than a month. The SWG playerbase is very strong, and we're continuing to put a lot of effort into making Star Wars Galaxies? even better and adding new content all the time. The latest expansion pack adds Episode III content into the universe -- something our SWG players were asking for! There's also a lot of action on EverQuest . We're consolidating many of the servers to keep the game an exciting place to be, and we are investing a lot of time and effort in making this game an even better experience for its many fans. EverQuest just had its 6th anniversary on March 16th. It's very gratifying to see such a strong demand for this game, but when you look at how much of an impact EverQuest has had on so many people's lives ? not to mention the entire industry ? it's not very surprising. We continue to hear remarkable stories of how people are touched by the game. In fact, we just had a player name her daughter Firiona! One other subject I wanted to touch on is our Customer Service department. We've made some significant changes, and I'm proud to say our average telephone hold times are now 5 minutes or under. And our in-game response times are among the best in the business! We know how important this is to our players, and we will continue to focus on decreasing these response times even further. We're going to have a lot of new things to talk about in the upcoming months . Our games continue to thrive, and we have a bunch of exciting developments coming out of our San Diego , Austin and Seattle studios. We're enjoying the present and looking toward a very bright future for SOE and the online games industry , and I wanted you to know that we truly appreciate your support and feedback, and we're listening ! We're here to entertain you. Thanks, John Smedley ===========================================================

Comments

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More graphics!
# Apr 21 2005 at 7:45 AM Rating: Default
We need more graphics! defintaly! more helm styles, more armor styles, ablity to turn your hood on or ability to show no helm. Being able to see your cloak would pwn to. i no this stuff might take a while to set up and what not but it would just down right own and im sure it would bring people back to this game. heck, it would bring me back, i went to WoW because no one realy looks alike, and in everquest Everyone looks alike cept for dying your armor, but no u just got black , and white it seems :).

do what u guys did to EQ2 and add more Armor styles/graphics. Having more than just 1 type of plate armor to wear would realy be nice :).
when times were good for the "Dev team and management"
# Apr 12 2005 at 10:21 AM Rating: Decent
The thing i think is funny is the fact when times where good Sony was callous to the needs of the core player, they were the number 1 online game and nobody could touch them, so you would petition and here back sometimes with in a week maybe never, they would ban folks for looking at them wrong, and would never take initiative to do truley good events (exept the famed Halloween event, that slipped by them, where everybody had fun). Now times are not as good for Sony , they are back peddling, trying to fix what should have been fixed for years. They can try to blame it on there chain of command in Sony or the fact they did not have the right feedback, but the fact is when you are on top, you dont have to listen as much as when you are falling to the bottom of the barrel. Seems that the key being this. When i started playing the game it made me want to stay up for days, sleepless nights of fun , then they got the ideoligy of we can NOT let a player get one to many copper from a mob. lets ban folks or nerf stuff. The reason is still beyond me why there is NO solo content in the game,, if they truley listened to there player base that is the biggest single request from every gathering and every event they have put together for feed back. Anybody who has played the game knows though , A blue con means death in todays standards it is a red that a group sometimes can take out, a green con is a mob that can kill you if you dont have the right gear and a red takes 50 of your best friends to kill. I can understand the experience issues of a blue being worth a LOT more experience and then they use to be, so they make a mob that should be a red con a blue con, and tell folks they are getting blue exp from it. blue con should read "you have no possible way of soloing this mob, you may as well put away yoru weapons and slowly move toward the door. I have friends who say lets try it is only blue to me,, of course that is what is written on there epitath. I think Sony should actually listen to the player base, and explain what a few solo content mobs would hurt.
RE: when times were good for the
# Apr 13 2005 at 12:25 AM Rating: Decent
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105 posts
Quote:
The reason is still beyond me why there is NO solo content in the game


Ok now I play a cleric. I am not elly/time/GoD/OoW flagged for anything. I can solo dark blues in DoN very, very easily and I usually don't have to med whatsoever, just steady, slow killing. I can get an AA every few hours; maybe 3 to 4 hours an AA. Now that's not great but considering what class I am, I'm not going to be expecting a lot. Granted there are classes who have it worse than I do, but please... if you want to solo, make a necro, certain classes are more apt for it.
RE: when times were good for the
# Apr 12 2005 at 11:13 AM Rating: Decent
This is an overly pessimistic expression of the game environment. You are falsely magnifying perceived shortcomings to support your arguments.

Quote:
when times where good Sony was callous to the needs of the core player ... Now times are not as good for Sony , they are back peddling, trying to fix what should have been fixed for years
- That may be a true statement, but it's just the way it is with large corporations. Things are only fixed when they are pretty much hopelessly broken. There's too much stuff going on every day for the powers-that-be to spend time thinking about improving areas with which their customers are already relatively satisfied.

Quote:
The reason is still beyond me why there is NO solo content in the game
- Simply a false statement based on your prejudices. I think you wouldn't be satisfied unless the whole game were entirely soloable, and that's just not ever going to happen. Between newbie quests, tasks, AAs, tribute, etc. there is a lot of soloability; you just have to do some research and exercise some caution.

Quote:
A blue con means death in todays standards
- Many dark blue mobs have always been a real challenge to a character who didn't have outstanding equipment or buffs. Back when Misty Thicket and Oasis popular zones in which to level, my ranger wore very modest gear (i.e. banded and ivy-etched armor, gnoll hide lariat/silvery war axe/FS 1H sword, etc), and the goblins, orcs, and gators were all very tough solo fights for me at the time.

There's little or no point in complaining about supposedly poor service that existed a year or two ago, except maybe that the act of complaining relieves your apparently considerable level of stress. I think Sony has done a very good job of becoming more proactive, and I've gotten some fantastic service in response to the few petitions I've had to send. I'm going to keep happily playing EQ until I just can't stand not to play SWG anymore :)
the old days
# Apr 12 2005 at 7:12 AM Rating: Decent
when i started playing eq, you had ot get ya body from lvl 1, had to open spell book to med, had to try and sort out the spamm in east comons to see if anyone was selling what you wanted. I think eq has made amazing leaps in the game and as for eq 2, i look at it if it aint broke dont fix it. Im a loyal eq fan dont even wanna play eq2. as for WOW looked like a super nintendo game ot me looked like a bigger lufia. Yesw hte game has a bunch of stuff that COULD be better but it has a lot of outstanding stuff already. The one suggestion i have for sony, if they actually look at these things is this. Slow down yu have enough expnasions on eq that most ppl who are not 24/7 eqnerds and in a zerg guild will take a fair amount of time to do all teh things and see all teh things that are avalible now. stop the expansions asnd work on content some. Just my 2 cents



Burlapaspal mage of 69 seasons
re:all the whining
# Apr 12 2005 at 6:46 AM Rating: Decent
same old stuff i hear in every game, every expansion, every move that any company running any game does.......whining. I play EQ1, and will continue too for 1 reason. I HAVE FUN PLAYING IT ! If u dont have fun playing a game play something else. very simple...
Eq
# Apr 11 2005 at 5:18 PM Rating: Decent
I have played eq since the beginning... some of the things I have liked some didn't like as much but to me the game is still worth every penny spent on it... There are alot of things I have not done in my race to lvl... so I enjoy creating different characters to fully enjoy every aspect of the game... My rl mate now plays EQ2 and loves it... btw we met ingame then met in rl and we couldn't be happier... anyway all I say is to each his own... that is what makes rl and game life so interesting... people being unique
Fatal Mistake
# Apr 11 2005 at 3:55 PM Rating: Decent
First let me preface this by saying that I don't play EQ any longer. I'm a huge fan of WoW now, but having invested 4 years into EQ before jumping to EQ2, only to be greatly disapointed, I will spend one last time writing a note here in the hope that someone at Sony will understand. There are and have always been 2 flaws with EQ. The first one is the thing that has always convinced my friends to quit within a month or two of my getting them to try it. The game is too stingy. Getting a +1 dagger at level 1 shouldn't be only possible when some high level player happens by and gives it away. It wouldn't destroy the balance of the game to improve the

you know what? It really doesn't matter. I don't think they'll ever be willing to invest the time and resources in EQ that it will take to make it the game it could have been. They'll only put the bare minimum amount of investment into EQ to get as much money out of the people that are left there as they can. It's a shame, because I really enjoyed the game. For everyone playing: enjoy the game while it lasts.
Smedley
# Apr 11 2005 at 10:59 AM Rating: Default
Pic of Mr. Smedley... if you, like me, were simply curious as to what he looked like...

http://sonyonline.com/corp/company_info/bios.jsp
RE: Smedley
# Apr 12 2005 at 11:17 AM Rating: Default
torrie dorrell and cindy armstrong - /whistle
eq 1 vs 2
# Apr 11 2005 at 8:14 AM Rating: Decent
i love eq 1, open a pvp server and maybe then 2 will hold a candle to it
BLEH
# Apr 10 2005 at 12:36 PM Rating: Excellent
35 posts
Sounds like another PR snow job to make EQ2 sound good... Because it isn't.
/chuckle
# Apr 10 2005 at 9:06 AM Rating: Decent
In fact, we just had a player name her daughter Firiona!



/chuckle


Poor kid in 17 years
Naming ...
# Apr 10 2005 at 7:36 AM Rating: Decent
To be quite honest, the fact that someone named their child Firiona is not half as bad as the socio/fascist/christian that judged the child a streetwalker. One could only hope that said person is not named "john"!

A name is a name ... and be it inspired by literature, music, painting or any other form of art it is still a valid name and that child has every right to have a chance at living. Inspiration, over the ages has always come from many sources, supposedly starting with the names meaning something or other, to names actually being the same as other things we know like flower names, and so on.

Please separate your interpersonal BS from this conversation. The sheer bigotry it implies is sad, disgusting, and NOT what the American forces, and way, and vision, has EVER stood for. One can only hope that one day you get into politics just so you know how ****** up it is when you meet up with someone that says things like you just did. Hey ... some people married the mates they met at work, some met their mates at school, some met their mates online, some met their mates in EQ, some met their mates in jail ... you name it ... who are you to judge what is right or wrong for them?
RE: Naming ...
# Apr 11 2005 at 3:10 PM Rating: Decent
Lol, yer retarded.
>?<
# Apr 09 2005 at 8:31 PM Rating: Decent
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222 posts
Is it just me or are there a whole lot of out-of place questionmarks in this letter? can we really trust a CEO of a multinational corporation who...doesn't know puncuation???
#REDACTED, Posted: Apr 09 2005 at 8:57 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) Ummm...Sony is a Japanese company so whoever translated this may have botched it a little...
RE: >?<
# Apr 11 2005 at 1:04 AM Rating: Decent
Is John Smedley even japanese?
go play your game...and stop complaining here
# Apr 09 2005 at 9:54 AM Rating: Excellent
Ok. I understand folks having complaints and sugestions that actualy PLAY the EQ/EQ II games. But its realy annoying to read flame posts of folks that DO NOT play and have no intent on playing!!!

So you are having a great time playing WoW or whatever ...Good for you...~Shrugs~

To what end do you think ******* on the EQ boards will get ya? Sad realy...Go play your game and let the folks who like EQ/EQII play their game..

The folks who go on about how bad EQ/EQII is would be the first to scream if someone did the reverse and complained on their games boards...

Whatever...Get a live...I play to play a game.

---------------------------
Sangin Ravenstorm
FV server
Mage of 58 seasons

RE: go play your game...and stop complaining here
# Apr 09 2005 at 10:07 AM Rating: Decent
Oh and as a side note...anyone ive read posts from that plays WoW seems to complain ALOT ya thats a game I want to play one full of whiney players full of there own eog....where do I sign!
#REDACTED, Posted: Apr 09 2005 at 9:34 AM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) I have to use this analogy: The difference between EQ and WoW is the following. (Prefaced with I have been playing EQ on-and-off for 6 years)
RE: Just cut it's head off...
# Apr 12 2005 at 1:23 PM Rating: Default
You're mixing your metaphor. What you meant to say is "EQ is to WoW like cardboard is to lobster". Nice try though. I'm sure your opinions can be trusted, seeing how you're so educated and all.
Haha
# Apr 09 2005 at 7:43 AM Rating: Default
Speaking in generalities like that is his job ... heck ... if he said something meaningful we would have to listen!

The only disappointing stuff is the talk ... while we see folks leave in dis-satisfaction with the high level game (These days most can't get past RZtW and the ****** doesn't know the difference and what this means to his game - thx to all those kiting nerfs!) because it is not win-able and there are massive things that need fixing and they simply won't.

One could list the sad state of affairs:

The EP's ... and the few that can make it there ... the progression has been hurt by too many "nerf's" in kiting, to Necromancers, Bards, Druids and others who did it ... something that was vital to the Arena in FoZ/Drunder (for example) in the earlier days ...

The continued lack of adjustment to folks doing "camps" when the population has diminished so dramatically that you had to close down servers. Before, you could rely on others around you to make things safer ... now you got the zone, but can't do it safely. Pops on the 5 named in ME could improve 10% and what would that hurt the game?

The new expansions are doing well for you ... I'm excited ... all it's done is fragmented the ability to do the high level game that you had originally created ... before we had to raid ... now no one wants to ... and those that want to go can't ... there are not enough folks to do so with and you need at least 10 Time dressed folks to take down RZtW ... and you think they will help?

So, my only comment is ... either kill the high level raids and content ... or whatever ... since you certainly are not interested in seeing people get over to the EP's any time soon, or the Plane of Time in the next year!

Thanks
/soapbox off
RE: Haha
# Apr 11 2005 at 3:15 PM Rating: Decent
If a guild cannot get past RZtW they have no need to raid in EP.
Latest customer service
# Apr 09 2005 at 12:35 AM Rating: Decent
Personally, I'm very impressed with some of the steps they've taken lately. Things like we can now leave a /petition overnight, and not have to worry about getting booted to the abck of the line because we were AFK for thirty seconds. Things like listening to us a lot more about what we want. Things like re-making a lot of the classes. Things like making themselves more in touch with the whole community.
Are any of these three I mentioned or others flawless? No...of course not. Have (will) they improve my game-play? You'd better believe it. Think about what all SoE's gotten RIGHT lately. They're obviously trying very hard, and doing a wonderful job as far as I'm concerned.
Gratz SoE! You've got atleast ONE raving fan. =)
RE: Latest customer service
# Apr 10 2005 at 10:45 AM Rating: Decent
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58 posts
I have to agree. There will always be things that can be improved, but considering the massive amount of content and players they are supporting in this game...it's pretty amazing how well they handle it. The new merchant (i.e. bartering and better bazaar layout) features are very nice, the expiditions, the in game 'email', etc. They are adding things that make things just a little bit better all the time.

Sure, I wish the drop rates were better in some places, I wish I could solo my way through PoTime too, but so what? The game is downright entertaining and I hope they keep doing what they're doing.
WooT
# Apr 09 2005 at 12:25 AM Rating: Decent
8 posts
i heard about the 700 accounts banned KEEP IT UP get rid of those dirty exploiters and EQ2 and EQ will be #1!!
____________________________
Argh
servers
# Apr 09 2005 at 12:22 AM Rating: Decent
Hell they cant even seem to keep the bb server up it is down once a week or more. CrashBane is more like the truth but O well love the game.
servers
# Apr 09 2005 at 12:21 AM Rating: Decent
Hell they cant even seem to keep the bb server up it is down once a week or more. CrashBane is more like the truth but O well love the game.
True Customer Service and the Raving Fan
# Apr 08 2005 at 11:55 PM Rating: Decent
"We've made some significant changes, and I'm proud to say our average telephone hold times are now 5 minutes or under."

Brevity of discussion does not indicate depth of service. As I've been part of those "five minutes or under" conversations, it's sometimes a fight to get the representative to listen and respond in detail. Their goal is to ship you off to a website with the question "already answered". Funny, as I'm not dumb, I already looked at the website and tried those suggestions. The long-distance telephone number indicates a last resort, when other resources have failed.

Sony is clearly not interested in developing "raving fans" that will stay with them through the long haul. Instead, they string players along with unfulfilled promises and empty vows.
RE: True Customer Service and the Raving Fan
# Apr 09 2005 at 4:10 PM Rating: Decent
i have actually called fer help 3 times in the 6 yrs i have been playin
they have always been very helpful...even when one machine was not supported
cant find one bad thing to say about telephone support werks very well and worth the toll charge
RE: True Customer Service and the Raving Fan
# Apr 09 2005 at 12:01 PM Rating: Decent
I think you misunderstood. The comment made by Smedly was merely reflecting hold time, the time you wait to talk to someone. The quality of the actual conversation wasnt mentioned.
Vendors.
# Apr 08 2005 at 8:39 PM Rating: Decent
Sure, they can make standalone merchants in EQ2 for you to put your stuff on, but not EQ1!

Way to go SoE! :oP
RE: Vendors.
# Apr 09 2005 at 4:13 PM Rating: Decent
i used to hear toons complain eq was being used to test fer eq2
maybe now its the other way around :o)
RE: Vendors.
# Apr 09 2005 at 3:46 AM Rating: Decent
Trying to steer us towards EQ2 perhaps??
Wont work ...folks I know are coming back and playing ..."its more fun"

Amkcarl 52 Druid AB server
RE: Vendors.
# Apr 10 2005 at 1:49 AM Rating: Decent
I for one have come back....EQ2 was amazing in the eye candy department, but I missed alot from EQ. I am indeed having more fun again in EQ.

Katareena Vail
67th Enchantress
Povar Server

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