Feldon Previous EQ2 Senior Producers Alan “Brenlo” Crosby and Bruce Ferguson rarely responded directly to player inquiries. Thus we featured their posts here on EQ2Wire in separate posts.
However Dave “SmokeJumper” Georgeson has been tearing up the EQ2 Forums in two threads:
Some highlights from the Senior Producer Suggestions thread:
EQ2 is not a “casual” game, and no attempt will be made to make it so. We like the game’s depth, its many features, and the general gameplay.
We won’t be dumbing down the game at all. However, if something is incredibly non-intuitive, hidden, or awkward, we might be making some changes to make it better.
Re: Appearance Mounts:
No ETA on this, but we very much want to do this.
Re: a request for “more concentration on lore and meaningful/epic story lines”
You’ll like the next expansion.
Re: Itemization and Tradeskills
We’re developing a system to keep items more balanced, we’re avidly discussing what we can do to make the middle of the game better (and what to do with Qeynos/Freeport so it’s a centerpiece again), and some interface improvements are extremely likely for tradeskills….possibly even some fun factor improvements.
Re: Server Hardware
Oasis was upgraded last week. Najena is getting upgraded in the first week of June
Re: Class Balance
Anyone that thinks class balance is *ever* going to be “done” is smoking crack.
Players always, and naturally, advocate balance shifts in favor of their favorite class, we release new content or abilities that change balance, player attitudes about what is important shift over time, and yes, (egad!) there are actually imbalances that need to be fixed.
It’s a huge, complicated game with a zillion widgets to adjust. Balance will always be on-going.
and:
I have no intention of commenting on class balance in this thread. I’m not well-versed enough in the deep mechanics of those elements to discuss them in detail.
It’s something we’re looking into constantly, and I’ll slowly learn more and more about them, but I’m currently not the right guy to challenge on that subject. Sorry.
and:
I’m going to tune out for now so that I can get my focus back on upcoming game stuff, but I’ll be back!
There are many more responses in the Senior Producer feedback thread. It’s worth a read. And as for the First Ever Mount on the Marketplace thread, here’s his feedback so far:
We meant to make these Mounts Heirloom items.
That *will* occur during Tuesday’s update. The fact that they are not currently Heirloom objects is an oversight.
In response to a post arguing that Georgeson was clearly hired for his ability to monetize the Marketplace:
Nope. Not true.
Think about what we’re offering you here with these mounts. How could you have gotten a comparable mount previously? Is this an improvement over that situation or not?
I think you’ll find that it *is* an improvement.
I generally have a lot of respect forRothgar so let’s check out his perspective on this:
You can buy stat mounts with plat too. You can also get mounts with this run-speed or faster in game without spending SC. There is nothing about this new mount that gives an advantage over existing mounts in the game that are free to earn. This is simply a new appearance, no one has to have it to play the game. So in that respect, it’s still a fluff feature. These items provide variety and a bit of uniqueness to players who want that.
I have to agree, these mounts are not game breaking. Saying that 5 to skills is a slippery slope towards allowing gear to be bought from this is crazy. Any mount that increases crit bonus, potency, or reuse is still going to be used more often and especially those with pool increases(mana and health).
It’s true the stats aren’t game breaking but considering the reply about appearance mounts “No ETA on this, but we very much want to do this.”. Either that will take very long or they could have waited with putting this mount on SC as a appearance only just like the armor.
So if i believe they dont plan on adding game breaking stuff then appearance mounts will take a long time … but if we get appearance mounts pretty soon … then i do find them starting on a slippery slope.
If 4 people buy one of those mounts, thats $100 USD. Eventually it will fund either profits or enough revenue to put back into the game and allow for time to work on appearance mounts.
the way i see things with the mount is like so.
1) no the +5 to the stats aren’t game breaking, I can get that from the 55% mounts off of Kotiz in Seb(moderately challenging to attain)
2) these mounts have featherfall on them…atm only 1 mount can claim that otherwise and thats the 45% cloud from TT(rather easily attained but unique)
3)This mount has a 65% runspeed very few mounts can beat that most being from Raid bosses, the only other 2 that can beat it are the carpet from KT/EA collections and the Rime rime horse.(all challenging to attain)
4)This mount is heirloom meaning you’ll never have to get another as you would with Kotiz mounts the cloud or the mounts that are faster than 65%.(only other mount that has the tag is the recruit a friend and that only has a 55% so the SC mount still beats it)
5)Marketplace is about fluff items not about items that can compete with in game items, and when i hold it up to the other items in game it shines pretty hard, i mean its a 65% speed mount with featherfall and is heirloom thats hard to beat.
if sony wanted this thing to be intended as fluff why not give you this wand that changed the look of your existing mount or as Ghouti mentioned, if SoE intends to create an appearance mount why not wait till then to release these things and make them appearance only. I realize this whole mount isn’t a massive deal itself but remember it only takes a pebble to start the rock slide.
Quote “You can also get mounts with this run-speed or faster in game without spending SC. There is nothing about this new mount that gives an advantage”
What is to prevent them from saying in the future “Sure we put the symbol and Shard armors on SC, but you don’t have to buy them with SC you can earn them in game too so it doesn’t give advantages”… ?
Just a parody that seems pretty close to the original.
The people that complain about this crap make me wonder how shallow are their lives? Seriously? So what if someone wants to buy a mount. How in god’s name does that affect your gameplay? Oh wait, it doesn’t you say? Who cares then? If its a revenue stream that they want to employ to bring more content to the game, then I’m all for it.
I disagree with the comment about response to the mount as opposed to fixes:
The fixes aren’t easy, no matter what people may think. There are consequences to any change to items, or character classes in the game. This is something that can’t be answered quickly or easily. Whereas the marketplace is easily answered and for the employees provides a definite benefit…more resources for them to develop the game.
Personally the store contains mostly fluff stuff and the items that do provide a benefit are limited in scope. I know it’s hard for people to watch their hobby be moneterized, but that’s the reality of these games. Shareholders have to be placated. WoW now isn’t growing like it did, so they turn to encouraging their users to spend money on other aspects of the game, well EQ2 has to do the same. There are starving shareholders to consider…I know sarcasm, but the purpose of SOE, and Blizzard, and BioWare is to make money for their parental units.