It's interesting all the changes that have come about since the release of DAoC. Hear me out now, we saw the population data removed from the server list, we saw many new in-game (GM) events, we saw the release of Luclin and a new graphics engine, and for the most part we've been given more attention. IMO that was part of VI trying to keep their customers close to home.

Now I can't back anything up with data, but I'm sure that DAoC, among other games, has taken a good number of players away from the EQ monopoly. Could it be that this new service is being implemented to add to revenues for a reason other than greed? VI implemented server-moving at a fee and this is another revenue booster. I don't know about you guys but I know of many people who are waiting for FF Online to be released...

Which takes us ahead a few months. IF the recent implementations correctly indicate a sort of panic over the loss of the online gaming monopoly, what happens with FF Online is released? Hrm... Luclin was released but some zones were not finished. It could be that VI was in a rush - why? To compete with DAoC perhaps. Maybe VI wasn't in a rush; maybe they will release the new Bazaar and the new uber zones and zone revamps when another competitor enters the market.

If you take the time to think about it, the change from virtual monopoly to mere market leader is astronomical. Of course, it could simply be that VI is interested in serving the needs and desires of its customers. Well... why now and not two years ago? I smell a rat.

Greetings all,

Ok, first off I'd just like to say that $40 a month is BS, and they should be giving us all that is Promised in this "Legends Server" on Normal Servers!

I commend Verant them for Trying, all the same. They finally figured out, that without some HUGE help, The Vision (tm) would never truely be realized. This, sadly enough, is a last-ditch effort to save The Vision (tm), and I would whole-heartedly embrace it... If they weren't trying to line their pockets with gold at the same time! This server is what All EQ players having been dreaming for (IMHO)... Yet almost No-one will sign up, due to the Outrageous cost of $40-per-month, for a game that is truely past it's prime.

Now, I love EQ! I play it every day, have many characters, and many friends... But it's getting old. How many more continents and moons and "Phat Lewtz" will they add? All it is is a bunch of new "uber" items for you to obtain by:
A) Fighting a HUGE Monster, thus requiring to be in a great guild, thus requiring you to play for a loooong time to be high enough to join that guild, and that raid...
B) Camping a spawn for countless hours just to get ONE item, or one Component of ONE item (a.k.a. Epics) just to have to camp MORE creatures to get MORE components, and dragging your whole guild into it, which requires that MANY people put time into getting you this ONE item!

I liked the idea of Everquest... Just after it's release. Since then, it has become tainted and impure, and those Money Sucking Suits at Sony and Verant want nothing more than money. They have created all these new Expansions to give us more "Phat Lewt" and more things to discover, simply to keep our interest in their game, so we will Keep Paying them!!

Have you noticed the rapid decline in the quality of new content? With the Original game, and RoK, they put in new Icons for items! Most items had one icon that was unique and their own! Now, they're re-using icons left and right, and it pisses me off! I mean, I wouldn't care for the most part, but So Many items just don't LOOK like their icon, AT ALL!

Another thing, have you noticed that all those "Rare" and "Cool" looking weapons are now Everywhere?? That NEWBIE equipment looks like your prized Thulian Claws used to? I mean there's a RUSTY weapon that has claw GFX! Those things used to be UNIQUE! What about those awesome Moonblades? You know, the Dual Blades with the handle in the center? Wow those were cool!! No More! Now they're the Vah Shir Beastlord's starting weapons! They're NEWBIE weapons!
And, not to diss all your hard-earned Epic weapons... But they have little One-color 2D things floating out from them! THAT IS ALL. They may be awesome weapons for stats, that I won't deny, but they're just not that Cool Looking!

Also, have you noticed quality of Optional zones, lately? Oy! Let's look at this:
Plane of Fear - It's an alternate Plane, and it's awesome! Can you believe those Uber MOBs? It's many player's dream to get to ANY plane, and this is no Exception!
Temple of Sol Ro - MANY new quests added for MANY classes! New, interesting items, and lots more to DO in EQ!
Paineel - A cool city, but filled with Erudites? Oh well, it's got a great Newbie area, and you KNOW you've wanted to play an Evil Erudite, anyhow! ;)
The Warrens - Eww! Long, boring, twisting tunnels that all look the same, filled with MILLIONS of Kobolds that aggro you constantly, that all look the same, save a select few! On top of that, all the new items aren't worth Sh|t, even to Newbies! Bah! Then finally we have The Muglwump...... Ok, is it Just Me, or is a GIANT FROGLOK TAD kind of Retarded?????
Stonebrunt - Not too much I can say here, it's HUGE, and not filled by much, except a Sh|tload of creatures that will gang rape you every few seconds... And I have not yet heard of any interesting loot here, save the Wabishaki (sp?) the Frozen Skies, gotten by a really easy, yet long quest. /shrug

Now, one thing I WILL congratulate Verant on is Luclin! Beautiful work, guys! EQ really needed the Facelift, and the Moon is Awesome! Even though it's just a platform for more "Phat Lewt," At least it's cool, interesting, and for all Levels!

All right, this concludes my Rant session, I doubt anyone actually read this far, but OH WELL! =)

Dekun Oakun,
Loyal Druid of Karana,
Order of the Rivervale Stormreapers,
Member of the RAGE ACADEMY (Rage On, Cyllen!),
Saryrn Server!

If all they say about this new system is true and I play ALL the time,meaning like 10 hours a day,yeah,I would pay it but we never have and we never will be able to count on Sony/Verant to fix the many problems/bugs the game has.Untill they can prove to me some way that they actually care about their customers and not just the money these beeotch's arent getting more then 10 bones away from me each month

PS: I agree with the guy lower down, I would rather wipe my *** with that 30 bucks then see Verant/Sony get anymore of it

Well, when you figure that Verant and Sony make $48,000,000 dollars a year off their current cutomer base not including the straight sale of the game itself, they can do whatever they want. They know that with the fast approaching onslaught of MMORPGs that their customer base will dwindle. So as a last ditch effort to make money before their demise, they have come up with a way to make more money off the people that have it to spare and to keep the rest of us exactly where we are - in the best RPG out there at the moment albeit buggy with a total lack of cutomer service. They know they'll lose us eventually, might as well gouge us while they've got us.

Sounds to me like Verant is worried about the 800 pound gorilla of fantasy licenses entering the MMORPG arena in the near future along with a whole slew of slick new products. The suits at Sony know competition is coming and don't want to lose their considerable lead so they have to distinguish themselves. They have to innovate and build a "community" somehow. They know there will be attrition and they are actually just acting ahead of the curve.

I am sure that the price is a function of someone saying "we want to make X in net income". That is how most business plans work. From that you work backward into overhead and any other costs, and try to pick the point at which the units you sell generate enough revenue to produce the desired net income and make your plan. Maybe their models showed that too many people would switch to a different game if the price of the whole product went up so they decided on a premium service. Once they got there, they had to factor out even more people who would rather not pay more for the service and before you know it you have to charge 40,000 people $39.95 a month for the service to make plan. That is one computer game a month. I spent that before I found EQ. There is nothing wrong with this. Sony is a company. Its sole purpose is to make money and to do so it has to keep you just happy enough to keep paying.

However, this could backfire bigtime. If the Legends servers are dsyfunctional because of the increased concetration of those players we already love to hate and Sony & Verant neglect the other 390,000 customers we will all be playing something else (Neverwinter Nights if they find a new publisher?) faster than you can say "Lake Geneva"

And, while I can afford it, I won't be signing up.

Baboo Dansemacbre
Shadownight of the 42nd Season
Torvo

you dont like it? is verant going to just put you back on your old server? I doubt it, I bet you have to keep paying the $40 or they'll cancel your account

$40.00 A MONTH LOL, oh yeah Hope I get to be one of those lucky ppl...

Edited, Fri Feb 1 21:29:37 2002

A few thoughts:
1) how old is EQ. A year from now many will think it too old a game to play. The company needs to plan for the future(keep their source of income).
2) did you look at the new screens and setup? Could they be using these servers as a benchmark for a new game (i.e. EQ2). If so what is the best way to test it.
3)The games can be easily set up for level progression but it is harder to set up a game where you have uber groups and guilds that can level a normal zone. So if they set up a testing server and allow characters and their equipment to move you can test it out while they help pay for your research.
In ending I believe that they are doing testing for the next level of gaming, but are doing it using their customers money, from a Business standpoint it is a very sound idea, but from a customers standpoint it sucks.

Note: These are impressions that I get from the posting VI stated and the screenshots that they give. Please post any thoughts you might have on this. Please no flaming just an exchange of ideas.

Guild Halls
This new service includes a guild calendar, message board, member roster, and pages to post guild news, the guild history, and more! (Including logo)"
Im guessing this is a new guild website thing, which again you could make for free and almost every guild has one or at least a forum.


Heh. they said in-game guildhalls where going to be one of the first expansions 3 years ago.. even now they just offering a website? :) no chance in hell. they get me for my 9.89 a month. no more.