SOE Sold Off by Sony, Becomes Daybreak

[Jasyn]

I remember a corpse run in EQ that kept me awake until daybreak...

Here's some interesting news in case you haven't heard yet.

Polygon article

Official announcement

Dear Players, Partners and Friends,

Today, we are pleased to announce that we have been acquired by Columbus Nova, an investment management firm well known for its success with its existing portfolio of technology, media and entertainment focused companies. This means that effective immediately SOE will operate as an independent game development studio where we will continue to focus on creating exceptional online games for players around the world, and now as a multi-platform gaming company. Yes, that means PlayStation and Xbox, mobile and more!

As part of this transition, SOE will now become Daybreak Game Company. This name embodies who we are as an organization, and is a nod to the passion and dedication of our employees and players. It is also representative of our vision to approach each new day as an opportunity to move gaming forward.

So what exactly does this mean for you? It will be business as usual and all SOE games will continue on their current path of development and operation. In fact, we expect to have even more resources available to us as a result of this acquisition. It also means new exciting developments for our existing IP and games as we can now fully embrace the multi-platform world we are living in.

Our games and players are the heart and soul of our organization, and we are committed to maintaining our portfolio of online games and pushing the limits of where we can take online gaming together.

Thank you for your continued support. See you in game!

The Team at Daybreak

[Talon]

Does that mean we have to rename Qeynos?

[Askari]

Does that mean we have to rename Qeynos?

Kaerbyad has a decent ring to it...

[Pedekele]

Kaerbyad!
oh you guys make my day 

[Jasyn]

I'da preferred a nod to the Verant Interactive days.

*dreams of a sprawling frontier settlement called Interactive Tavern*     

[Talon]

Whenever I think of SOE, I think of SOEmote. That Fae character dislocating his face in EQ2 was just hilarious.

I wonder if that'll come across. I imagine so. But I guess they'll have to call it something else too.

As long as they keep EQN to using keyboards and a mouse, as I'm sure they will, I'll be happy. I've played many a game that was multi-platform and the PC version suffered horribly from needing to accommodate controls accessible by gamepad.

As for the "Interactive Tavern", you perhaps shall have to build that in Landmark, Jasyn.

[Jasyn]

They can call it DaybreakFace--very close to truth in advertising. *insert "live" studio audience laugh track here*

Hopefully, by the time EQN is ready to see daylight (or just let me give in to the urge to say daybreak again), the controls will be improved over those in Landmark because, honestly, if they aren't, I'd rather wear a Power Glove while shoving a Wii stick through my screen.

I have no intention of rebuilding Qeynos.  I just thought the city of Interactive Tavern was as a more fun anagram name than Evitcaretni Tnarev, which sounds vaguely dark elvish.  One name evokes the promise of a pleasurable beverage for the tongue.  The other evokes the promise of spraining the tongue... not that an old school dark elf couldn't find a way to make something of that...

*fade to black*

[Mixxi]

Hmmm. I'm not sure what all this means.

EQNext has to be one of the biggest titles on the MMORPG horizon. They'd be crazy to not cash in on all that hype.

But...all the press releases and articles smack of a platform gaming focus.

I'm not sure how it all shakes out.

[PinkRose]

This does have me concerned.
New management means new goals.
It won't be the same game. But we don't know exactly what game we were getting so it's not all bad news.
Like Mixxi and Talon say, hopefully it stays PC, but I thought from the beginning with the limited attacks it was made for a control pad.
And Jasyn kudos to you for the Power Glove reference. Laughed out Loud over here. Thanks.
Hang in there everyone. Someday we'll all be back in a game together.

[Rumze]

I always kind of expected it to go to consoles eventually like dc online and planetside 2. And ff14 and now eso on consoles it kinda made sense. Also ff14 on consoles is pretty much the same game to be honest.
Im not worries about consoles - they tend to keep servers separate to boot anyway for pc and consoles.

The big thing is that its still on track - who knows maybe they'll refocus the team and get them chugging along - we shall see.

[Askari]

The problem I have with consoles is the affect it has on game design.

By the nature of console controllers, you have to keep the number of ability options in-check. There are only so many buttons on a controller, and menus get very cumbersome very fast.

That design restriction usually leads to games that create difficulty by demanding manual dexterity and quick reactions:  circle-strafing while aiming and using a small set of abilities.

That's fine and good. I understand why people dig it. However, it's not my favorite gameplay style for two reasons:

First, my manual dexterity was limited when I was young. After decades of gaming on everything from an Atari 2600 and arcade games up until now... my gimpy, old mouse wrist gets tired fast when I am doing a lot of circle-strafing/aiming.

Second, what keeps me interested in combat is being forced to have a quick mind and make lots of tactical decisions. The epitome of that was probably EQ2, where I might have sixty abilities hotkeyed... some with long cooldowns (so picking your moment was crucial), some were conditional (great against some foe types, not against others), some were combo-specific (great to use with other abilities or with other group members' abilities), some were reactionary (dispells, cures, parries, wake-ups)... et cetera.

I really miss that level of tactical complexity in more recent MMOs that cater towards controller-driven consoles.

One last thing I've noticed is that games targeted at consoles tend to skimp on chat. Since consoles don't necessarily have keyboards and most console-aficionados use headsets, some recent MMOs have used really primitive keyboard chat systems. I consider good keyboard chat systems to be pretty crucial for roleplaying, so that bums me out.

[Mixxi]

I'm right with you there, Askari. I loved the huge number of skills/abilities I had hotkeyed in EQ2. Each fight could be truly unique.

I can put up with a VERY limited number of skills in a game like GW2 because of the movement requirements of combat. For someone who usually is not a PvP'er, I do love the more PvP-based active movement of GW2 PvE combat.

I'm hoping that the number of old-school types on the development team of EQNext will keep RP-friendly tools available in EQNext, even if they aren't part of the console versions of the games.

And I still have a hard time wrapping my head around why ANYONE would play an MMORPG on a console.

[PinkRose]

I'm guessing the number is fairly small. But Consoles are a big market so that's where companies are headed, I guess.

Also, I might just ask, did anyone play EverQuest Online Adventures on the PS2?
I did. It was not fun. Precisely because the chat system, it was at best a Single Person MMO.

[Mixxi]

I don't buy the lure of consoles.

WoW isn't on consoles. League of Legends is not on consoles. Plenty of rumors about them coming to consoles (have been for years), but they seem to be the industry leaders without being on consoles.

I would hope that companies are smart enough to see that they don't have to cripple their games to be successful. They'd have to be blind to think they can't be successful without console presence. All they have to do is look at the most successful games around.

[ElektroViking]

EQAdventures.
I alpha-ed, Beta-ed, and Launched.
Playstation2 and live for NINE Years.
It was EQ and it worked, well.
Just because its console doesn't 'automatically' mean that its going to require Twitch reflexes.
Personally, i prefer Twitch Combat on my Computer so i can turn up Mouse Sensitivity and 180 twist on a twitch.
My Only issue with Console EQ was the lack of control on the UI and mods were eventually released for that.
We also had fully Functional Chat. With programmable Macros for ease.
Consoles now have Keyboard attachments to your controller.

SOE was the first to put their Award Winning Game to Console.
(not the first Console MMO, but the first to transition their game TOO console. Phantasy Star and Final Fantasy XI were first)

I'll also point out that though game design may seem to be designed for Console. I believe the favor of using the Console Controller is the real consideration. Many folks plug a controller into their Box.  Also not one of my favorite progressions either.

Menu/SubMenu use has also come a long way to making Seemless combat. Witcher2 and Assassin Creeds as an example.

[PinkRose]

Not surprisingly, ElektroViking and I disagree.
I also alpha and beta'd and subbed for a month (do you still have the cool CDs they sent with the updated versions? Before DLCs.) but I found it very lacking.
I even bought a USB keyboard for my PS2 just to chat but I was unsatisfied with it on a console.
Maybe I am just biased to EQ on the PC, but that's where I think MMORPGs should be.

[ElektroViking]

with that horrible artwork? like someone stretched the Pic instead of increasing the whole pic.
And we don't 'disagree'. I thought it was crap compared to our PC experiences.

But what i can do is acknowledge its success and relevance in 'Today's' Online Gaming.
9 active years is enough time to fine tune the excellent mechanics they had/have.
Graphic Art was crap in EQA, but Today's console processors are better then the average Gaming Rig.

I've always been a Fan of Technology and Future potential for Development.  This isn't Game Lore.
EQ2 was better then EQ1, in almost every way mechanically.  I would expect to see the same on a Future Console Version. 
This is all based on 'normal' gaming and experiences. Not in regards to our RP and expectations of activity on a RP server.  I do type 70WPM and Console Keyboard about 15WPM

I'll admit my positive experience with EQA began with a negative Experience in EQ1.
When i got accepted into Testing, I was playing on Deity Alliance Server at the time and had just been Corpse Camped by an Opposing Guild. So i lost all my Higher level Monk Gear. I may of Rage Quit a bit to play EQA for a time.  I met Imeriel/Rhaethe & League of Shadows a little more then a year later.

[PinkRose]

Sorry I misunderstood.
But yes, 9 years of runtime does give some great data.
Great point.

[Jhared]

http://www.reddit.com/r/EQNext/comments/2vkcs6/david_georgeson_on_twitter_yeah_im_sorry_folks/

Maybe mildly related to this? Not sure what it's about, but people seem to think it's quite bad.

[Talon]

"As part of a strategic decision to rationalize the business, Daybreak Game Company announced today that it will eliminate positions in both its San Diego and Austin studios. This alignment of resources better positions the newly independent studio for future growth opportunities and developments, including delivering on its legacy of making top online games and establishing a solid foundation for future multi-platform success. These reductions will not affect the operation of current games and the company will continue on its mission to partner with its player community to drive the future and push the boundaries of online gaming."

It mentions only current games are safe from disruption. Nothing about games in development.

Polygon Article

So far, confirmed layoffs include:

David Georgeson
Linda Carlson
Steve Danuser (Moorgard)

Understandably, with the direction head and lore head (I presume from reading) laid off, people are giving up hope for EQN.

I think they need to scrap Landmark and concentrate on EQN. The "everything in Landmark will be a foundation for EQN" stuff has worn thin and it's just taking up time, keeping Landmark functional and balanced each time they progress is slowing it down. What is in Landmark right now would make a really crappy EQN. I, personally, find Landmark far from enjoyable. It was a noble idea but I don't think it's really worked out. They are two completely different games and need to be severed from one another rather than having one relying entirely on the other's production.