MMORPG / Sandbox

EQ Next Landmark Claims

EverQuest Next Landmark Claim Live Stream

SOE released a lot of great information about EverQuest Next Landmark yesterday via a live stream.  My favorite part though was watching Darrin.  I had fun captioning him throughout the video.  In the beginning: “God I need a beer.”  A few minutes in: “They are still talking.  Yep.  still talking.”  Fifteen minutes in: “Do you think I can just have one beer?”

Okay, all joking aside, I really am excited to play Landmark now.  The more I hear the more it sounds like it’s shaping up to be exactly the type of go-to game I can play on and off or all in one sitting for a very long time.  Gathering resources, avoiding dangers, claiming land, exploring a world, building whatever I want… that’s what I need right now!

A few of the things shown during the video have already started to create debate on the forums.  The biggest one is Claim Size.  The general consensus is that it’s going to be too small.  I disagree.  Landmark is going to be F2P which already means finding a spot to build is going to be somewhat of a challenge.  Make the plots too big and suddenly it becomes insane.  They are also going to want to make money on this somehow, and I think the cash shop is going to come into play.  I have a feeling the vertical height (100m) will be expanded by the end of alpha.

My biggest question for them was whether or not we would be able to make claims on behalf of a guild.  My group in particular likes to build together and we’re hoping we can somehow earn/buy/whatever a claim for all of us.  I think they avoided the question altogether since it was asked 3000 times in chat.

Around 16:52 is where you should start watching if you want to skip all of the chatter in the beginning about the community event and general tomfoolery.

[Update: Video removed.  Will add again when they post a new one.]

If you don’t want to watch the whole thing, I took notes on everything that matters.  Read on! (more…)

8 Comments
January 16, 2014
Game Design / MMORPG / Sandbox

MMO Death Mechanics

Let’s discuss everyone’s favorite topic: MMO Death Penalties and Mechanics.  I have my personal and passionate opinion.  I know that deep down I want the penalty to be bad enough that death is horrifying.  Death should be a penalty — yes, a PENALTY.  I’m not talking a slap on the wrist or a chance to show off the world in greyscale.  Now, let’s talk about what kind of penalty.

I watched the EverQuest Next Round Table video this morning.  Omeed Dariani and Michael Mann discuss SOE’s very, very vague idea of how the death penalty mechanics should be approached without actually saying anything specific.  Don’t be fooled, though.  They might have said more than you think.  Let’s look very closely at their comments.

  • Death is risk vs. reward, enforcing rules, and caution
  • Death should not weaken you
  • People shouldn’t get frustrated
  • EQ Next needs a viable solo option
  • Grouping should be encouraged
  • People can help you out if you die

Read on for my philosophies and ideas in response to what the EQ Next dev team has said thus far.  (more…)

21 Comments
November 13, 2013