Starting Out Right

How well does EverQuest2 treat the true newbie?

by Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle

Being an editor of a gaming site definitely has its perks. For one, you have a ready excuse to play just about any MMO that comes along. While comparisons between games are always a dicey thing ("apples and oranges" comes to mind- despite the comments from FPS gamers that "every MMO is the same," which is probably the worst case of the pot calling the kettle an illicit substance I've ever heard) I'm going to do it anyway. Judiciously, I hope.

Anarchy Online probably did a better job with the newbie game than any MMO I've ever played, for one lonely reason. I'd just created an account, then badly fungled the character creation phase, probably, but decided to play anyway. I'm there on AO's version of "Isle of Refuge" when I realize I'm being followed around by a comical brown marshmellow man with a green and white "?" on his chest.

Matasuri says: "Hello there, I've been sent to welcome you to the world of Anarchy Online. Do you have any questions that I can help you with?"

(Ethec thinks this is (a) how experienced AO players grief youngins, or (b) a rather creepy bot. In any case, I use the same "/ignore and don't bend at the waist" tactic as I used in the high school locker room after gym class).

Matasuri says: "If you don't have any questions, please say so and I'll move along."

(Ethec decides to play "stump the bot" and confidently begins...)

Ethec crouches ... Ethec jumps ... Ethec makes a menacing gesture...

Ethec says: "ow do I chat? Oh!"

Matasuri says: "Press (Enter) to chat with me, sir."

Ethec says: "If you're for real, this is pretty nifty."

Matasuri says: "I'm for real, sir. Is there anything I can help you with, or should I move along?"

Ethec says: "Who won the Yankees game last night?"

Matasuri says: "Is that American baseball?"

Ethec says: "Good enough!"

I went on to quiz Matasuri on a number of things I found confusing about Anarchy Online, the vasty skill system being first and foremost (being measured in hundreds of skill points, with more categories than could dance at your wedding) , and Mata was guarded but helpful. The personal touch some developers put into their games is a beautiful thing, it hearkens back to tabletop games and basement RPGs when the GM was a true presence rather than a 4-hour petition away. True, Funcom games are known for their massive semi-volunteer GM staffs and, consequently, incredible customer service, but we've yet to see something like that in a mainstream MMO. It's probably way expensive, but I've got an idea I'll get to in a moment.

As the Devs and players sat talking about the "Isle of Refuge" and related beginner issues at the recent EverQuest 2 Community Summit, there was (in my opinion) one blaringly obvious consideration missing. We talked of removing the deeply stupid hotbuttons (like "Mining," "Timbercutting," etc.), of making the city-decision apparent in the newbie "trainers" around the island (i.e. no ratonga trainers for the Qeynos-aligned... ho hum), more /claim-able merchandise, making the "refugee" theme into a returning hero / escaped villain thing (again, depending on which city you choose), and perhaps introducing players to "heroic opportunities" in a more convincing way than plopping an icon in their spellbook. We didn't talk about community. One gamer went so far as to suggest that the boss instance (the orc that players have to duo or trio) should be nerfed and made soloable.

To me, though I get my arse kicked by rabid soloers every time I say this, MMO gaming is all about the community. Community at its best, with lots of fun interaction, and community at its worst, with griefing, guildie poaching, and whatnot. If you want solo or a glorified chat room, there are plenty of beautiful titles out there that are designed for one player. Some of them have a multiplayer mode that's optional. There's nothing optional about the multiplayer in MMOs, your only option is whether you want to join with other players. And to make any kind of steady progress in EverQuest 2, you'll have to (unless you have the patience of Job and don't mind outleveling quest mobs by 5 or 10 levels).

Back to how EQ2 treats newbies, to my mind it totally fails to introduce a player to the community at large. You're pretty much on your own, and that might be ok for you. However, it doesn't take much to provide new players with an information portal that they can take or leave. EVE Online does it via "newbie corporations"- a sort-of NPC run guild that serves mostly as a chat-channel and a springboard to grouping - and a "help channel," in which experienced players share advice with newbies. These chat channels are open as soon as you finish the tutorial (which, by the way, takes 3-hours- which leads me to believe that a designer was whistling the "Gilligan's Island" theme as they put the tutorial on the storyboard). I know what you're thinking: no one wants to listen to the Antonica /ooc in the help channel for very long, but that's why God invented the language filter (I keep hoping to see a 733t filter in a game- "r0xX0rz teh big one1111!!!!" becomes "well played, chap." or something). Help channels do exist in EQ2, by the way; I'm just asking them to be part of the chat window by default. I'm willing to bet that a lot of experienced, mature players would join in the chatter to help out the whippersnappers. People usually like playing the expert.

Another way to build a grassroots community, follow Dark Age of Camelot's lead and cluster low-level areas. Perhaps have newbies choose their server identities after they complete the isle, and have the isle be an amalgam of all the newbies entering the game. Add some more group challenges, maybe increase the hitpoint goals for the levels: instant community. And here, ladies and gentleman, is where you could keep a full-time GM to assist new players in learning the ropes. Put that GM off in their own cubicle somewhere so there's no way that they can handle non-Isle questions. An added benefit, players who play at roughly the same times and hit it off well could choose the same server and grow old together.

Just a few thoughts. Thanks for reading! Want to add your 2c about how EQ2 treats new players? Start a forum thread and let's discuss!


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our EverQuest II Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

About The Author

Jeff joined the Ten Ton Hammer team in 2004 covering EverQuest II, and he's had his hands on just about every PC online and multiplayer game he could since.

Comments