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Everquest: The Real Story Behind Sony's Addictive On-Line Game
Slashdot ^ | December 2002 | David Sanftenberg

Posted on 12/27/2002 3:17:38 PM PST by txzman

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To: txzman
I've been an EQ player for over two years. I cannot agree with most of this article. The fact that you can never beat this game is the reason people keep playing it. It's called infinite replayability. The author thinks this game is so simple that most of the problems can be solved with a wave of a wand (sorry about the pun). Anyone will tell you that everything about EQ is complex and in the end, the game is what you make it. And isn't a game supposed to get difficult the further you advance?

And that part about guilds killing monsters just so other can't is just plain wrong. As soon as another expansion comes out, the strongest guilds move on and us bottom feeders can move in.

Bottomline, this is cheap entertainment because you pay per month, not per hour.

21 posted on 12/27/2002 3:50:24 PM PST by rudypoot
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To: txzman
Who needs Everquest when there is FR.
22 posted on 12/27/2002 3:52:20 PM PST by Diana Rose
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To: txzman
I had never heard of this game until about a year ago. In a conversation with family, I found out that people will actually pay hard earned cash to buy everquest stuff you win in the game. You win it as you improve your skill. It's free was long as you earn it playing the game and there is a way to "give" the stuff away on line.

I later found out my middle son played on a regular basis. When he wanted so money to upgrade his PC he sold everqwest stuff for something like $400.00 to some moron with way to much time and disposable cash on hand. Please keep in mind there is no physical stuff. It's make believe trinkets you win in the game.

I don't know what is going on in the game but if people are willing to pay hard earned cash of stuff that is make believe there is either something wrong with the game or something dreadfully wrong with people.

Put me down for people.

23 posted on 12/27/2002 3:56:33 PM PST by Fzob
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To: SamAdams76
Woolley knows her son had problems beyond EverQuest...

Nuff said.

24 posted on 12/27/2002 4:00:48 PM PST by Lunatic Fringe
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To: txzman
EverCrack : It was nicknamed for a reason.
25 posted on 12/27/2002 4:01:37 PM PST by Centurion2000
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To: txzman
The author should try Crack Cocane. It is just as addictive and they have better customer service.
26 posted on 12/27/2002 4:02:23 PM PST by Jeff Gordon
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To: Centurion2000
Wait until Star Wars Galaxies come out- people will abandon EQ in droves.
27 posted on 12/27/2002 4:03:07 PM PST by Lunatic Fringe
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To: SamAdams76
sexually anorexic

.... now this has got to be the best example of doublespeak that I have EVER seen.

28 posted on 12/27/2002 4:04:31 PM PST by Centurion2000
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To: txzman
What a whiner.
29 posted on 12/27/2002 4:05:29 PM PST by DAnconia55
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To: craig_eddy
They’re in this to milk you for all you’re worth, and that’s the first thing you have to know. At $12.95 per month????

Yeah not much logic in this whiny rant is there?
Wouldn't a company want to take your $12.95/month and have you NEVER online? Less use of resources.

Or bill you hourly?

30 posted on 12/27/2002 4:09:05 PM PST by DAnconia55
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To: Diana Rose
Who needs Everquest when there is FR.
David Sanftenberg aka Dolalin Bonewielder 62 Necromancer of Lanys T`Vyl

On FR - one can't give oneself a high falootin' title like the one above.

Sincerely,
Senator Pardek

31 posted on 12/27/2002 4:09:19 PM PST by Senator Pardek
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To: txzman
You plod away at the keyboard, obsessed and consumed with getting that new item, or finishing that last quest, and while so consumed you begin to hate the game.

My precioussss....

32 posted on 12/27/2002 4:16:51 PM PST by Textide
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To: craig_eddy
I agree with you. In fact what will happen is some other game will come along that offers better features and online help and it will eventually sweep EQ away its how capitalism works.
33 posted on 12/27/2002 4:18:19 PM PST by Sentis
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To: Brett66
"I'm looking forward to playing the upcoming Master of Orion 3 - single player only."

Word.

Now there's some decent entertainment.
34 posted on 12/27/2002 4:18:41 PM PST by Jason Kauppinen
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To: txzman
Long before these graphic RPGs, there were MUDs, MUSHes and MOOs. ;)

Here's a link about MUD addiction from several years ago (I think).

35 posted on 12/27/2002 4:23:42 PM PST by Schnucki
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To: txzman
I've never played Everquest. I don't like the way the characters look or the fact that most servers prevent combat between players and are geared toward getting groups together. I played Ultima Online for about 6 months and enjoyed it until they limited player conflict due to whiners. I never initiated combat and was never too good at it. But it was fun trying to avoid the bad guys and escaping from ambushes. The whiners ruined it and made playing more like a Barney video game. They didn't like having to actually be careful with their character. They didn't like evil bad guys hiding in the woods waiting to kill them. Funny, one would think they would just stay away from fantasy genre games if they felt that way. That being said, here is my take on this.

The author is irritated because his game is too hard. The author should go play tiddly winks instead of wasting his time bytching. The player wants to play an online game with thousands of other people where no competition takes place. Sorry, there are no games like that. Most gamers are also...gasp....competitive.

Game companies that charge by the month will attempt to keep you coming back month after month. They would be FOOLS not to do this, not to mention unemployed. If you want a game that does not require you to keep coming back buy something like Diablo, go through it, kill Diablo, and then throw the CD away. Easy. If you do not like companies making money for providing monthly services, then drop out of the economy.

The author seems irritated that higher level quests in a game are....gasp.....hard. Imagine that.

Is the author advocating that the game have an "outcome based" philosophy where the game is "dumbed down" so that it is easy for the most inept player? Lowest common denominator? It would probably help the author's "self-esteem" if he were allowed to win easily. This is pretty much what happened to Ultima Online.

The author is irritated about "nerfing" of items. These items are "nerfed" specifically because they cause a game imbalance for other players. You know...the kind of game imbalances that the author is whining about, where one player has an easy time while he can't get that advantage. The author complains about imbalance and then complains about nerfing. What the author is really complaining about is that HIS items are nerfed in order to make the game balanced for other players.

The author complains about online harassment. Well, my advice is not to get on the internet and not play games with groups of anonymous people. Human nature is not likely to change because the author doesn't like how people behave when they are anonymous on the internet. If this bothers him he should avoid ALL online games like the plague.

Ultima Online people used to have all sorts of ideas for improving the game and adding features and enhancements. Unfortunately development costs money and unless the feature or enhancement is going to increase the bottom line of the company they are naturally unlikely to do it. Thats business. If the author doesn't like it he should start his own online game company and code every request someone sends him. He should have a really great game, at least until he goes broke in a couple of months.

And finally, if it ain't fun, don't play it. But don't start talking about warning labels and such. Next thing you know the author will want legislation requiring gaming companies to provide counselling for those who are harassed online or requiring monsters to be "distributed fairly".
36 posted on 12/27/2002 4:35:54 PM PST by Arkinsaw
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To: SamAdams76
Parker said people who are isolated, prone to boredom, lonely or sexually anorexic are much more susceptible to becoming addicted to ______________. Having low self-esteem or poor body image are also important factors, he said.

This could apply to many things besides online games.

I wonder what most people would say, if the phrase "online games" was left blank, to be filled in by the reader.

My entry would be "WANKER".

But then, I am not a gamer, so do not really understand. But to this outsider, it seems to have an Onanistic nature.

37 posted on 12/27/2002 4:41:44 PM PST by Gorzaloon
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To: SamAdams76
"It's like any other addiction," Elizabeth Woolley said last week. "Either you die, go insane or you quit. My son died."

She could shorten the list to "Either you die or you quit." That sounds pretty inclusive to me.
38 posted on 12/27/2002 5:13:52 PM PST by gitmo
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To: Fzob
I found out that people will actually pay hard earned cash to buy everquest stuff you win in the game.

Is this virtual stuff or physical stuff?
39 posted on 12/27/2002 5:17:17 PM PST by gitmo
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To: Textide
Precisely.
40 posted on 12/27/2002 5:19:10 PM PST by gitmo
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