EverQuest 2 new expansion and adventure pack. True comeback?

[Falconeer]

Recently at SOE Fan Faire EQ2 devs announced the end of the "an expansion pack every 6 months, no matter if it's finished or not" era.

Today websites for the new Expansion Pack (Echoes of Faydwer, out for Christmas holiday, I guess) and the new Adventure Pack (Fallen Dynasty, out soon...).

The Adventure pack sounds promising, especially at the usual low price of 7.99, but the Expansion features really shine if you ask me.
A new playable race (the Fae), a new starting city (the treetop city of Kelethin), new upgrade system for crafted weapons making them customized and unique, player cloaks, armour sets (Diablo and WoW style), expanded achievements trees (Talents) for all classes, new PvP features (?), a brand new belief system based (I guess) on the origianl eq1 one with deity influencing your conning and questing capabilities, new mounts, cloaks, and a grand total of 20 new zones WITHOUT raising the level cap (stuck at 70).

Personally, I really like EQ2 so I am looking forward to these 2 expansions to my favourite diku mmo. It took them almost 2 years, but I think now they are on the right track.
Most of these are not ground breaking and already seen in lots of MMO before, but to me they are the finishing touches to the most complete old style level based mmorpg out there, and I wonder if this would be able to complete the EQ2 comeback some of us talked about in the "comeback" topic.

Links: 

Echoes of Faydwer - Expansion pack out in December 2006.

Fallen Dynasty - Adventure Pack out in june 2006


--
the Falconeer

[Trippy]

best comeback ≠ most improved

/em Bashes head into keyboard

[Falconeer]

Stop! Save the keyboard!  :-D
I used "comeback" for a reason.
Could it be able to really buy people back?

Most where driven away by a "heavy graphic engine" performing sub par.
In January 2007 the game will be back on store shelves, reviews could be good and the average PCs will be faster than now (not to mention launch date back in november 2004), so people trying the trial will get a totally different first impression from the game (and a new starting city!).

I am really wondering if EQ2 could score an economic comeback in the near future.
No doubt it is one of the most improved, if not the best.

--
the Falconeer

[HRose]

but the Expansion features really shine if you ask me.

I have a bridge to sell you.

[Falconeer]

I have a bridge to sell you.

Not sure. Do you think it would look nice close to the Colosseo I bought last month? :)
As I said, I think diku-wise EQ2 is the best and I am happy about the new proposed features, while I wasn't back in the days when I read the Desert of Flames and Kingdom of Sky ones.

--
the Falconeer

[schild]

You two know eachother, don't you?

[Falconeer]

You two know eachother, don't you?

Nope.
Although I read his thing sometimes.

--
the Falconeer

[Mesozoic]

Best to wait a few months after the expansion comes out.  You'll be able to see how well it was implemented, it'll be cheaper on the shelf, bundled with the rest of the game, and some of the bugs will have been crushed.

Basically the standard MMOG disincentives to buy early, with an extra dose of SOE caution. 

[Falconeer]

Right.
By the way, a dev just stated the expansion will be out mid-november.
What about the Burning Crusade?

--
the Falconeer

[Falconeer]

Double darning post.

/em Bashes head into keyboard

[El Gallo]

For whatever reason, it appears to very, very hard to overcome initial impressions in the genre.  I said this during EQ2's beta, and I'll say it again now (because there is nothing I enjoy listening to more than my own voice): EQ2 should have released about 6-12 months after WoW.  By racing to beat WoW and putting out a shit game they left a bad taste in many mouths and got a lot of negative PR.  Basically, EQ2 was a joke.  Even when a lot of people began getting burned out on WoW and running low on content near the end of its first year, there was no mass movement to EQ2, because EQ2 was still seen as a joke game compared to WoW.  Despite the fact that EQ2 is now a pretty decent game (by accounts here and elsewhere) it just can't shake the fact that it sucked on release day and during open beta.

If they had waited until some people were starting to run out of things to do in WoW and EQ2 was in decent shape, I think they would have done a lot better than they are doing right now.  They certainly wouldn't be anywhere near WoW's numbers, but maybe they could have pulled off 10% or so of that figure.

[Mesozoic]

The removal of the tiered class structure tempted me.  I reinstalled the Trial and gave it another shot.  It was nice to log on and be an assassin or a shadowknight right up front, but in the end the graphics were still enough to kill it for me. 

[Soukyan]

The Faydwer expansion looks pretty damn nice. Hopefully I'll have some MMOG time again in the fall and I can resub and check it out. The web site for the expansion, however, is garbage.

[Arthur_Parker]

Right.
By the way, a dev just stated the expansion will be out mid-november.
What about the Burning Crusade?

I'm predicting 10 million.

[Venkman]

They need to launch this expansion way before Burning Crusade. Not a few weeks before like EQ2 was to WoW, but a few months. If they don't, they'll run the risk they did last time, with probably the same result. Even with losing many an account, WoW still grows. Can you imagine the giant sucking sound coming from California when Burning Crusade compels people to re-up? I agree with Arthuer_Parker's prediction of 10mil.

For whatever reason, it appears to very, very hard to overcome initial impressions in the genre

Most games have continued to grow after launch though, with CoH being a glaring exception. The probem with EQ2 is one of triple jeopardy:

• The game itself wasn't as fun at launch as it is now.
• As if that weren't bad enough, WoW (and later: GW), highlighted and put to almost exact definition everything that was wrong with EQ2 for the casual player.
• SOE is not a beloved company among gamers. It's not even that Blizzard is. It's that SOE has at one point or another pissed off the most vocal members of this genre for as long as this genre had its catchy acronym. And it still happens. While it's wrong and silly to blame an EQ2 member for the antics of SWG or MxO members, it happens anyway.

Getting over that image problem is much harder than making EQ2 a better game. But it's absolutely critical they do so. Posting in FoH forums isn't going to do that. They need to make all of their games actually better, rather than the string of promises we keep seeing for some of them. And they need to do so in clear ways that others have defined for them (ie, without WoW defining what's good for casuals, this genre would not have grown in the U.S. as it had).

Maybe it's too late. Maybe they just need to shed the "SOE" name and treat their divisions as different entities. Like, nobody blames NC Soft for nerfs in CoH. Empower the indentities of the individual divisions and just use "SOE" when talking to the non-interested money folks.

[HRose]

By the way, a dev just stated the expansion will be out mid-november.

It's written on the press release.

November 14.

[HaemishM]

For whatever reason, it appears to very, very hard to overcome initial impressions in the genre.  I said this during EQ2's beta, and I'll say it again now (because there is nothing I enjoy listening to more than my own voice): EQ2 should have released about 6-12 months after WoW.  By racing to beat WoW and putting out a shit game they left a bad taste in many mouths and got a lot of negative PR.  Basically, EQ2 was a joke.  Even when a lot of people began getting burned out on WoW and running low on content near the end of its first year, there was no mass movement to EQ2, because EQ2 was still seen as a joke game compared to WoW.  Despite the fact that EQ2 is now a pretty decent game (by accounts here and elsewhere) it just can't shake the fact that it sucked on release day and during open beta.

Actually, even now, I think the biggest thing holding EQ2 back isn't the bad impression from release (though that certainly hurts), it's that it has the Everquest name. EQ has gotten a brand reputation as a grindy, addicting game that takes forever to get anything done, that requires a bazillion people, has terrible CS, etc. Bascially, people who wouldn't play EQ because of word-of-mouth won't play EQ2 because to them, it'll just be the same game, only with shinier shiney.

It's paying for the sins of the father as much as for its own sins.

[Toast]

I was one of a bunch of people here who resubbed to Everquest 2 based on all the talk about improvement. I didn't last long, nor did most of the other folks.

It's not much different than it was at launch. There is no comeback. This game may maintain sub levels in a comfortable niche, but that's about it.

[WindupAtheist]

Right.
By the way, a dev just stated the expansion will be out mid-november.
What about the Burning Crusade?

--
the Falconeer

It doesn't matter.  EQ2 will put out this expansion in November and maybe gain some subs, while WoW will wait until half-past forever to release theirs, then blow past ten million subscriptions and walk over to SOE HQ to piss in Smedley's face.

[schild]

WUA is right. Sitting around waiting to see what Blizzard is gonna do is just stupid. SOE and everyone else needs to just go on with their day and pretend Blizzard doesn't exist.

This works better when you picture Adam West (the family guy version) sitting at his desk as CEO of SOE with his hands over his ears going "I can't hear youuuuuuuuuu."

[kaid]

Eq2 just needs to do their own thing and not worry about blizzard. Hell if this comes out in november it will be 3 full expansions out probably before blizzard can even get one to limp to market.

The change to how characters are done made the low end game SO much more interesting. I started playing again and holy god my dirge who used to be pretty squishy in battle is a hard hitting lil  mofo now.

kaid

[WindupAtheist]

Anyone seen that movie The Great White Hype?  As far as expansions go, EQ2 is Conklin while WoW is Roper.  EQ2 might look good and train really hard, while WoW sits around smoking cigarettes and getting fat, but in the end EQ2 is still going to get knocked the fuck out as soon as WoW gets off it's fat ass and decides to throw a punch.

[Morat20]

Eq2 just needs to do their own thing and not worry about blizzard. Hell if this comes out in november it will be 3 full expansions out probably before blizzard can even get one to limp to market.

The change to how characters are done made the low end game SO much more interesting. I started playing again and holy god my dirge who used to be pretty squishy in battle is a hard hitting lil  mofo now.

kaid

I bet Smedly there would do anything to be able to limp to a market of 6+ million. Well, except turn out quality product. He fucking has his pride, okay?

[Mesozoic]

Eq2 just needs to do their own thing and not worry about blizzard. Hell if this comes out in november it will be 3 full expansions out probably before blizzard can even get one to limp to market.

Limp?  Are you suggesting that the SOE method is analagous to some kind of track star?  I could push a blind retard in a wheelchair down a steep hill into a bus and it would be fast, but I wouldn't want to see the results.

[Soln]

SOE and everyone else needs to just go on with their day and pretend Blizzard doesn't exist.

Thank you.  And I bet you didn't need an MBA for that.

[Threash]

Anyone seen that movie The Great White Hype?  As far as expansions go, EQ2 is Conklin while WoW is Roper.  EQ2 might look good and train really hard, while WoW sits around smoking cigarettes and getting fat, but in the end EQ2 is still going to get knocked the fuck out as soon as WoW gets off it's fat ass and decides to throw a punch.

Lol thats the only good analogy ive read anywhere in a very long time.

[Falconeer]

Anyone seen that movie The Great White Hype?  As far as expansions go, EQ2 is Conklin while WoW is Roper.  EQ2 might look good and train really hard, while WoW sits around smoking cigarettes and getting fat, but in the end EQ2 is still going to get knocked the fuck out as soon as WoW gets off it's fat ass and decides to throw a punch.

Lol thats the only good analogy ive read anywhere in a very long time.

Totally agree :)
Right on target. My bad to bring in the WoW name in a topic where "comeback" would just mean get some subscribers (and a bit of reputation) back.
The analogy is simply perfect, and again EQ2's comeback shouldn't in any way measured using WoW figures.
"Ain't the same ballpark, ain't the same league, ain't even the same fuckin' sport."

--
the Falconeer

[Arthur_Parker]

It's an EQ2 thread, WoW has to be mentioned on the first page, it's a rule.

[Nija]

It's an EQ2 thread, WoW has to be mentioned on the first page, it's a rule.

Because WoW does everything Everquest has EVER done, better. Without an expansion.

[schild]

WRONG. It does not patch better. It does not have better guild support. Last but not least, the classes in WoW sound 10x more fruity than the classes in EQ2.

[Threash]

WRONG. It does not patch better. It does not have better guild support. Last but not least, the classes in WoW sound 10x more fruity than the classes in EQ2.

Eh i dont know about fruity.  At least WoW doesn't have any kind of bard, the fruity staple of fantasy games.  Edit: ok i looked it up, its actually "troubador", which is much much worse.

[stray]

My bard would kick your ass in SB.

[eldaec]

The dynasty thing threatens to have fricking ninjas, and is limited to levels 55+.

Yes. Ninjas. 

[Engels]

These guys are cool; and by cool, I mean totally sweet.

[UD_Delt]

WRONG. It does not patch better. It does not have better guild support. Last but not least, the classes in WoW sound 10x more fruity than the classes in EQ2.

Eh i dont know about fruity.  At least WoW doesn't have any kind of bard, the fruity staple of fantasy games.  Edit: ok i looked it up, its actually "troubador", which is much much worse.

Aren't "the Fae" acutally a fairy race? So to make it even worse you could be a fairy troubador.