SOE Live is winding down after a Saturday filled with panels, games, and prizes. I had the opportunity to ask a question that’s bothered me for years, to Holly Longdale, Producer for Everquest 2.
First, here’s the background and question from my e-mail to Holly:
First, thank you and the whole team for all your hard work on Everquest 2. It's by far my favorite game but I have one serious question.
I didn't start playing video games until my 40's and a good 4 years into the life cycle of EQ2. I've started and stopped playing several times for one reason. The game is punishing to new players who are so far behind the curve. I'm not asking to be insta-leveled with 280 AA's. Leveling isn't hard, heck I enjoy questing more than I care to admit. It's the 280 AA's that are daunting to acquire. Mentoring, while effective, just feels like power leveling which is something I despise.
So, despite my current All Access Pass for a year, and my deep love of EQ2, I find myself dreading logging on because of the AA climb to 90. Leveling is a joy, the 280 AA makes me want to punch something. Even with my experience tuned to 80-90% toward AA, the uphill climb is deflating.
Are the developers working on someway to ease the punishment factor for acquiring AA?
Here’s Holly’s response:
We are addressing this in our panel. In fact, we think we have a cure for you, including changes to mentoring that make it more balanced. AA exp is also going to tuned a second time.
We realize now how punishing it is...I myself am leveling naturally and getting beyond 90 is killing me too...ergo...the changes.
Please know that I and the team play and replay so we know if the game is still fun with everything we add and change!Thanks for writing!
Mentoring is getting a nerf or buff depending on your viewpoint. From my perspective, it’s being buffed. Now when grouped with a mentor, a player must appear on the hate list to receive experience from the kill. This happily means an end to rampant power leveling, assuming of course that developers stick to the design philosophy and don’t listen to the squeaky wheel syndrome. It should also see a reduction in high level characters wiping out low level zones to acquire AA experience.
If you pre-order Chains of Eternity expansion, you will receive two baubles which will allow you to raise the AA of two characters on your account to 280 AA points when they reach level 90. While I wish the baubles weren’t restricted, I can see the reasoning for the cap.
The convention was a huge success, at least from a non-attendees perspective. The coming weeks will be exciting and don’t forget the open beta for Chains of Eternity starts Monday and the Non-Disclosure Agreement has been lifted.
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