https://www.daybreakgames.com/news/daybreak-president-community-letter-everquest-next-2016
I am heartbroken.
We will have to consider what this means for Saga in the coming days.
Wow, that sucks.
It means nothing for Saga except a huge round of "f**k Daybreak" drinks. We are far more than EQNext. We've got another Saga wedding coming up and we're having a blast in Black Desert. We are a family. Where we play is irrelevant.
Heartbreaking is a good word. Now, it's back to square zero when it comes to recapturing the spark of the EQ/FV days, and I'm not being Saga-centric here. I'm speaking of the community at large. This was certainly poised to be the best shot we've had at it.
Annoyance is another word. For having allowed myself to be strung along for years just to reach this exciting conclusion. For not having heard a peep up to this point from this Russell Shanks dude since EQN went dark and we were told development focus would shift from Landmark to EQN (which essentially makes for two games that saw progress reports in the few to none realm). For keeping the faith in spite of losing beloved cheerleaders Ohmeed and Dave "Smokejumper" Georgeson, in spite of losing Loremaster Steve "Moorgard" Danuser, in spite of SOE becoming Daybreak after its sale. The interview Shanks gave to MMORPG.com puts a slightly different tint on his President's letter, if you ask me.
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/952/feature/10656/Russell-Shanks-on-the-Cancellation-and-Future-of-the-EverQuest-Franchise.html
Relief is a different word. I feel more open to experimentation without risk of having something tickle my fancy so much that I wouldn't want to abandon it for EQN at some later, undisclosed time. Long term, Lyrima's discovery of Chronicles of Elyria has definitely piqued my interest. I may pay more attention to the development of Pantheon now. Short term, I have no clue. I've pondered Black Desert Online, but my past experiences with ArcheAge leave me somewhat hesitant to dabble in the Korean MMO genre again. Aside from that I mostly just ping pong between SWTOR and GW2 depending on my mood.
Concern is one more word that comes to mind. What becomes of the team that devoted their lives to the dream of EQN for all of these years? Does Landmark go down with the ship, or will it finally become a fully fleshed out title, giving the resources that overlapped development of both titles a single game to focus on at last?
So, yeah. Sucks is the word that sums it all up. Daybreak may accept the gift of my middle finger, and they may employ it with unimaginative, utilitarian fervor for the application of sun-starved anatomical itch relief for the low price of 5 JasynCash per scratch.
On the plus side, for those that liked Landmark, it's going to be it's own continuing thing now.
Quote
To Our Loyal Landmark Community,
You read the title right: Landmark is LAUNCHING this spring and I'm thrilled to be on this adventure with you!
For those of you who don't know me, I'm Holly "Windstalker" Longdale. I'm the executive producer of both EverQuest and EverQuest II. I care passionately about the EverQuest franchise and have been involved with it for much of my career now, starting out as a player and game designer. Why am I here? I'm now the executive producer for Landmark and have been working with the amazing team for a few months!
As the community has grown and designs have flourished, we no longer view Landmark as just a building tool. We've been toiling away making Landmark into a wonder unto itself. While the look of our world was inspired by what was intended to be the voxel world of EverQuest Next, Landmark has evolved into its own game with its own unique identity and purpose. If you missed the news on EverQuest Next there's a letter from Russell Shanks, Daybreak Games president, here.
The creativity of the Landmark community and the potential for telling stories in this digital world is beyond what we imagined. Our vision for Landmark is to provide a place where you can create ANYTHING, tell your own stories, and share your creativity with other players. We are wrapping up a HUGE game update for Landmark with LOTS of new additions and improvements, some of which you've already seen in sneak preview posts from Emily "Domino" Taylor on the forums. We are excited about what's to come for Landmark and we can't wait to see what you think.
The Landmark team has a lot to do before launch this spring and we'll continue to keep you informed! For starters, here's an FAQ if you have any questions after reading this letter.
We're grateful for your continued support and are looking forward to the coming weeks as we prepare to launch Landmark!
Holly Longdale
Executive Producer
To be honest, I wasn't overly surprised. I am saddened a bit by what could have been but ah well. Lots of other stuff to play and so on.
I'm looking forward to crowfall more now to some extent as well.
Edit: Also don't be discouraged. In a way, it seems the industry is growing out of the mmo glut phase. Whats left is catering to smaller crowds and more niche but its doing so with more focus and better games. I mean ff14 is an example of just how a company learned from its mistake and remade a game that is amazing. Elder scrolls online and swtor have changed for the better. Black Desert Online is a fun and such a complexly deep game its intimidating.
Hopefully Wildstar will learn and become better although they did lay off staff and aren't launching in China. Hopefully that hiccup will be minor and they can refocus~
I'm with Mixxi on what it means for Saga :) We ARE a family and we will find a way.
I also see what Pinkie means - what game will we all coalesce around now?
If I'd been excited for EQN, I would have better appreciated Jasyn's list of emotions - and I'm sorry for those of you who have lost money and/or are disappointed.
It's also a good reminder about Chronicles of Elyria - to whom I'm thinking of offering a bit of coin. The gaming industry is hard...from players to CEOs and everyone in between.
I so miss having a game in which to find friends. It just seems, from my personal experience, that the games I end up loving are not the same games everyone else loves.
I've wanted to go back to Elder Scrolls but I'm worried I'll be completely alone and with all the changes it will be like starting anew - alone.
I so loved Elder Scrolls.
Thanks for dropping that in here, Wayena.
That does seem to solidify that they should have gone that way in the beginning.
EQNext was such a departure, with its class-less characters, and console controls.
Landmark is a combination of what EQN was promised and what Landmark was developing into.
That's a good thing for those people that enjoy it.
It also frees up the name Everquest to proceed in a more EQ direction.
Hey all
Yeah, this sucks. Doesn't really need to be repeated a lot, does it? Just wanted to drop in and say ... I still do drop in. Life and work got very busy for the past few years. Mainly in good ways. I haven't had time for seriously immersive gaming in quite some time as a result, but somehow I always imagined I'd return to it, and EQNext was always my target for that. Now that it's not happening, I'll probably have to make some effort to do something else.
So, here's my vague but sincere promise. Within my very real limitations, and my equally real (though subjective) gaming preferences, I'll try to join Saga in someplace where Saga is in the near term future. Because really, it's been too long.
Cheers y'all. Or, rather, "Hail!"
:'(
QuoteSo, here's my vague but sincere promise. Within my very real limitations, and my equally real (though subjective) gaming preferences, I'll try to join Saga in someplace where Saga is in the near term future. Because really, it's been too long.
Yeah. What he said.
So many bad decisions, so little content... it was obvious that this would happen.
I've seen this kind of stuff with other not game related companies - it's always the same.
It's not that bad though, "voxel technology" is still young much like 3D during the nintendo/playstation era. the game would have focused too much on that new undeveloped technology instead of other mechanics resulting in a underwhelming game most likely. Either way it wouldn't have been a worthy EQ sequel.
Our next "EQ" will be a different franchise made by different fresh people with innovative ideas, it will probably also be a different genre...
Maybe Saga will have a Server of some kind instead of MassMultiplayer... which means more customization to make the game more nostalgic etc...
Only one thing is certain - at some point there will be a game that Saga can play. it will bi glorious! :viking2:
Pedekele, as someone who has never actually gotten to play with Saga, you make me so happy.
I'm so glad that what we have here, what Saga is, is so much more than a gaming group.
That goes for all of you.
All y'all are Saga, and I love Saga.
Quote from: Jasyn on March 11, 2016, 03:21:56 PM
Now, it's back to square zero when it comes to recapturing the spark of the EQ/FV days
*a forum cicada appears*
(http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/5/59/292Shedinja.png/250px-292Shedinja.png)
Speaking of going back to square one. I just re-made Syllestrae on Phinigel (the latest time locked progression server for Everquest 1. It's on Kunark now with Velious opening next week).
I was just curious if any of you were playing there so I can stick you on my friends list :)
OMG, Syll!!! No, I'm not there, but OMG, it's Syll!!! :wv
Heya Jas, how goes it? What are you playing these days?
Hey Syll! No Phinny server for me. I play Project 1999 pretty regularly. I find its more true to what we loved way back when.
Quote from: Syllestrae on May 17, 2016, 06:59:09 PM
Heya Jas, how goes it? What are you playing these days?
A little GW2 or SWTOR here and there when I have the time, which hasn't been much. Waiting on something shiny that includes gravity and glue. :cow
It's good to see you!
Quote from: Menemas on May 18, 2016, 09:07:32 AM
Hey Syll! No Phinny server for me. I play Project 1999 pretty regularly. I find its more true to what we loved way back when.
Heya :) I haven't seen anything about that shard. How's the activity level in the lower level areas (if someone were to start fresh, are there still lots of newbies running around, or is it mostly Velious crowd?)
Syll!
I've given the old EQ days a try again, but it just didn't work for me.
Several of us have been feeling the old spark for the first time since those days, though. Black Desert Online. People have a lot to say about it, but most of what I have read is so incredibly different from my own experience that it's hard to believe they play the same game. I absolutely love it. It's weird. It's definitely not intuitive. But it's as close to the feeling of my old EQ days as I've ever found.
If you decide to give it a try, we're on North American Orwen server, Calpheon 2 channel (that's the home of the RP community).
It's really good to see you're still alive and kicking. I just flew back last night from a visit with Tuppen. We had a blast, but then, how can two halflings not have fun when they get together?
Miss you a ton, Syll. Always have.
Mixxalot! :D
I'll check it out. I don't have a ton of playtime, been busy making more hobbits, but it'd be good to be able to chat with you guys again :).
This is the latest halfling running around (she smiles a ton, just not when I make her stop running around so I can snap pictures). Got another one due in December too :p
(http://i.imgur.com/faAAhuQ.jpg)
She is beautiful! And another on the way. So happy for you, Syll. :smitten:
My own halflings (actually, a dwarf and a gnome, if you want to go with what they played as kids in EQ) are both in college now, so the time goes quickly!
Heya :) I haven't seen anything about that shard. How's the activity level in the lower level areas (if someone were to start fresh, are there still lots of newbies running around, or is it mostly Velious crowd?)
[/quote]
Tons of lower level activity. There are some level rangers where people tend to concentrate into relatively few zones, but there's plenty of people around. There are good leveling guilds to find people if you wanted to go off the beaten path a little more.
The raiding scene is kind of awful, but it can be avoided and is no reason not to check out the server.
Been away for a while...life/work is...annoying. Plus EQN died...blah blah blah.
I need to get back in the saddle on a game at some point. Still putter on occasion in old EQ-2 with my kid.
But more importantly, Syl, what a cutie! Congrats on half-pint #2 in progress as well. Great stuff.
I am thinking of supporting Pantheon, or maybe backing Elyria...wish I had any insight into what might be the most likely place that might become a long-ish term "home". I have hesitated to commit yet in no small part due to backing Landmark as a way to support EQN development and feeling....a bit burned by that decision.
I'm close to backing Pantheon myself, but holding off, mostly because of your same reason Corsair.
HI CORSAIR!
HI SYLL!!
But I'll back it if I get good money for my house.
I'm in the process of moving to a house which has a first floor that can fit my current house, with a laundry room 3 times the size, and then it also has a basement with 7 additional rooms!
But Landmark really burned me (no offense Adeste), especially since I was really stretching to spend $100 for a game at that time.
I hope Pantheon shows some more actual game footage soon.
As far as I'm concerned, Black Desert is home. :)
I love to hear that Mixxi.
Not trying to steer anyone away.
Go get your BDO on!
I was just adding that in, since so many were talking about what they were playing. It has been loads of fun, though, to play a game again when I can do what I did yesterday, which is, at a moment's notice, group up with Tuppen, Vilidius, and Askari for monsters and quests. We get groups going with Auren and Talon, too. I haven't group with Saga people regularly in a game for long time, and it's nice to have that again. :D I don't know why you didn't like it, Pinkie, but I know for a fact that there's no way to know what this game has to offer in a few days of playing. I still discover new things -- and significant things! -- months in. Like yesterday's trip with Talon on my ship discovering more pirate islands. Or yesterday's surprise mining of "strange rocks" on the beach to discover giant oysters with pearls that I can take home and put in my house. (Ha! Re-reading this, I just realized that I did a helluva lot yesterday.)
I know you guys are waiting for future games that you're pretty dedicated to, but I wish, while you're waiting, you'd really give BDO a shot.
Congrats on the new house Pinkie! Where-abouts did you guys end up choosing? The place sounds wonderfully large for the growing kidlets. Give a shout if you back Pantheon, I am basically willing to throw in as a communal effort, but don't want to go in just on my own.
Askari teased me with a little BDO. I would actually sign up and dig into it this weekend....alas instead of a relaxing break I am summoned to Vietnam for work/meeting crap. Not what I was hoping for.
So while I may still try it out, it won't be this weekend.
A question on BDO though gang, do you think it has much to offer a more casual schedule player, who simply gets a bit time-hosed by kids and work more often than they wish? I have zero chance of heading in to BDO with a "I'll really push myself to catch up to others" strategy....I would be lying to myself. That simply will not happen.
Corsair, there's definitely zero need to push hard to catch up to others in BDO. I think your enjoyment of BDO will come down to whether you enjoy any of the "puttering about" that is a large part of the game (farming, fishing, worker-managment of resource nodes, crafting, gathering). There are all sorts of things to putter with besides simply whupping monsters.
The two things that I would warn people about BDO:
1. If you get into any kind of tradeskills... plan on spending a decent chunk of real life cash on warehouse space and carrying capacity. If you don't get into any kind of tradeskills, plan on grinding mobs for cash.
2. There are benefits to being logged in all the time (afk horse riding to raise horse skills, afk fishing, afk strength training, afk energy regeneration), so people who can't leave their computer on and their character in game while they are asleep or at work may feel disadvantaged compared to those who can.
I'm quite enjoying BDO, but then again I can stay logged in all the time, threw a lot of real life cash into the game for big warehouses and toys, and love all the strange puttering around "Farmville" style of gameplay.
Great game for a casual player.
Tariq and his future camel will keep an eye out for you.
(http://sagafamily.org/gallery/346_28_05_16_8_01_19.jpeg)