SOE Podcast #143 — Dexella Interviews Kander, Omougi, and Terrogaunt about Game Update 65.5

On February 21st, SOE Podcast #143 was posted and it includes a brief interview between Colette “Dexella” Murphy, EQ2’s Community Manager, and Kyle “Kander” Vallee, EQ2 Lead Designer, Brian “Omougi” Ferguson, EQ2 Systems Design, and Kenneth “Terrogaunt” Roecks, EQ2 Programmer.

After the jump, we provide a transcript of the EQ2 part of the Podcast including:

• Wurmbone Crag: Nox Incessit [x2 Normal and Challenge Raids]
• Dreadcutter: The Pirate Kings [x4 Challenge Raid]
• Bag Sorting — one-click sort bags by Level or Name into 14 categories
• PvP Balance — continued tweaks
• PvP Blue Adornments — new slots
• PvP Guardian — buffed!
• confirmation of Cobalt Scar in Game Update 66 at the end of April

Download SOE Podcast #143 [15:31 mp3]

Dexella: We’re going to talk about changes and updates coming to PvP and new Raid content. They’re doing some really interesting stuff with the two zones where they’re putting in new raid content. There’s also a new feature coming out on how to sort your inventory.

(Game Update 65.5 interview starts at 6:30)

Two New Raids

Dexella: The guys are here with me today to talk about the update which is coming on February 26th. There are a lot of new features so we’re going to break them out into categories. I wanted to start with the new Raid content that’s coming. We know that there’s a two-group Wurmbone’s End.

Kander: It’s basically going to be a nighttime version. The Ashlock are basically nocturnal so they’re a lot nastier at night. This is a x2 or two-group zone. There’s a regular version and challenge version. The challenge version is not geared to the top challenge raid people, it’s actually geared to people who are clearing Easy mode content that want progression. The (loot) in there won’t be as good as Hard mode raid stuff or even as good as Plane of War stuff. But it will be upgrades for people who are currently doing Normal mode raids.

Kander: The Normal version is going to be a little on the easy side. Hopefully a pickup group x2 style raid can participate in it.

Dexella: You’re also adding a raid version of Dreadcutter.

Kander: We have a new x4 raid which… everyone’s like What? On a pirate ship? But it’s actually only 3 bosses. It’s designed to be on the ship. The geometry in the rooms and everything is part of the fight. It’s actually a Challenge mode fight so it’s going to be pretty difficult. The first 2 bosses are for anyone who knows the Ancient Sentinel-like difficulty and then the last boss is probably geared to be the hardest encounter in-game and will reward thusly.

Dexella: Can you give us any sort of sneak preview of items or rewards people can expect?

Kander: It’s stuff that’s basically geared towards… there’s a lot of slots that are locked in from Plane of War that people can’t find upgrades for because they’re not willing to break set bonuses. So there’s a lot of stuff that’s geared to force them to break their Set Bonuses. That’s how good it is.

Bag Sorting

Dexella: In addition to the Raid content that we have coming out, one that players on Test server have already gotten to see and experience is the ability to Sort Bags. Can you give us a quick description?

Terrogaunt: I incorporated some things into Bag Options so there’s different filters for what different bags want to take different items. There’s basically two different sorting methods which are by Level and by Name. Using the button, it’s always defaulted to by Name. Click on that and it takes every item that you have in your primary inventory and then sorts through it all into basically which bags want what and groups them together into their own little types inside of each bag.

Dexella: How many options do we have right now for types? Is it just Armor, Spells, Other?

Terrogaunt: No there’s actually 14 types right now. They vary all the way down from Armor to Quest Items. I plan on adding more as people request them. Currently I’m thinking of adding Spell Scrolls because that’s one of the things you pick up most when you’re going through zones. Someone asked for a NO-VALUE category. I’m not sure if I’ll add that one, but I could add an actual sorting method of Sort by Value which would always put the highest priced items first. I’m not sure how much use there is in that.

Dexella: Very cool. Well folks if you guys think there is use in that, please let us know either on the Forums or send us an e-mail which will be in the Podcast notes. More on February 26th… we also have PvP Updates.

PvP in Game Update 65.5

Dexella: I hear there’s a new type of adornment or more adornments… What’s going on with that?

Omougi: We’re adding new Blue adornment slots. We’re adding new slots to 8 piece of gear. Charms, Cloaks, Belts, Necklaces, and Weapons. In these new slots are going to be new adornments. I think 14 new adornments that add Procs or Passive Effects to your character. For example a regenerating ward or a lifetap proc. What’s cool about these adornments is you can stack multiple of them in different slots and the effect will grow.

Omougi: If you want a really powerful lifetap, you can stack all 8 lifetaps. If you want a really powerful Toughness buffs so you don’t get messed up as much in PvP, you can stack all of that and have a really powerful buff. Or find a mix and match — whatever works for your character or build.

Dexella: Very cool. Is there anything else going on? I think you guys were working on some balancing?

Omougi: Yeah, it’s not quite as exciting as new stuff but it’s definitely stuff that needed to happen. We’re constantly improving PvP balance. One of the things we did that’s a little bit different is we looked at the viability of the Guardian class and gave it quite a buff to make it more in line with the other tanks. We’re looking forward to that.

Terrogaunt: In PvP. You have to end all of your sentences in PvP so that people know we’re not talking about PvE Guardians. That could be scary.

What About After February 26th?

Dexella: Alright so can you guys give us a head’s up or a sneak peek on anything that’s coming out after the February 26th update?

Terrogaunt: Well I’m working on something pretty big and exciting with Player Studio. But that’s all I can say right now.

Kander: We’re working on new overland heroic and raid content for Cobalt Scar. There will be a rather large raid for Cobalt Scar with raid content for all raid levels.

Dexella: And that’s our Game Update 66?

Kander: Yeah. It’s at the end of April-ish.

What Are You Playing?

Kander: I’m playing a Beastlord.

Terrogaunt: I just betrayed my Paladin to a Shadowknight and I’m also playing a Mystic.

Omougi: I’ve actually been leveling a Shadowknight. In the time when I’m not playing that, I’m playing Dragon’s Dogma.

Download SOE Podcast #143 [15:31 mp3]