The Power of Progression

by: Tony "RadarX" Jones

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For those of you unfamiliar with the EverQuest 1 progression servers, let me give you a quick synopsis. SOE decided it was going to open two new servers, looking more or less like they did when EverQuest launched in 1999. No expansions, no high level players, no twinks (someone who gives a low level alternate character a bunch of equipment), and no established economy. When I first read about this, I saw the utter brilliance in this move, but was wondering how it was going to work in practice. These servers have brought back a wave of nostalgic former players,who have mobbed like neighborhood kids around an ice cream truck. I'll admit, I've gone back and played a bit, and other than a significant amount of broken content SOE apparently didn't anticipate, it seems to be working successfully so far. What do the players think? To find out, I caught up with a few of my old guildmates from 5 years ago and asked them what they thought about Progression so many years later. They had some interesting answers.

RadarX: Azzule, Balerian Faitholder, and Katin, I appreciate you guys taking time out of your schedule to answer a few questions about the Progression servers, especially you Katin. I know there are a number of bars losing business right now. What drew you guys back to EQ for the Progression servers?

Katin: For me, it was old friends.

Azzule: The opportunity to start afresh, without twinks. To go back to the way things used to be.

Katin: This is true. I love the fact everyone is pretty equal and there are no twinks anywhere.

Balerian: Mine was a chance at something I had been wanting for the past 5 years. The ability to start fresh, on a brand new server, from the very beginning, without expansions and to reunite with friends in my guild once again known as the Guardians of Xev.

Azzule: Yep and reuniting with old friends.

RadarX: Yep, it's apparently been quite a while because you guys even let me back into the guild after that I streaked through a guildmeeting drunk. After so many years, it's not really fair to compare graphics or the UI, but what about the gameplay? How much fun is combat in EQ1?

Katin: Knowing the graphics are going to be the same, I'm ok with the gameplay because it's fun.

Balerian: Combat is great, as it always was. It's not entirely new and reinvigorated like some of the new MMO's, but it definetly has a good system in place that makes it fun and different from other MMO's.

RadarX: Different? You know I get called different frequently, so is that a good thing? The quests in EverQuest, do you feel there are enough and are they easily accesible? Do you find yourself using help site a lot?

Azzule: I use the sites a lot and have conern over quests that don't work

Katin: Quests are still there, and I use the sites all the time. I keep forgetting how to do them, and where certain zones are, but what else is new?

Balerian: Unfortunately, we are using help sites a lot because there are some quests that are broken and some that are not. Some you have to do a different way than you use to for them to work. I'm really concerned with a lot of quests they left in that give overpowering equipment.

RadarX: Broken quests? Lies I say! Everything in EverQuest works! The upcoming expansion, the Serpents Spine (Ultima reference?), is supposed to redesign Highkeep. Do you think this expansion will breathe new life into the game?

Balerian: I haven't even heard about a new expansions, so I have no comment.

Katin: Doesn't matter. I level so slow, I'm not worried but guess new zones will be cool.

Azzule: If it makes some of these dungeons less crowded, then it should help.

RadarX: Lol, seems SOE needs to market this expansion just a little more. The timing couldn't be conincedental, but with a new race the Drakkin, it should be interesting. There are numerous starting points in EverQuest, do you feel it segregates the players too much?

Katin: I like it. Breaks everyone up for a little while at least until you leave the newbie towns. It's different than WoW and EQ2 in if you try a new race, your game is a little different.

Balerian: Personally I like the pre-POK books (editors note: the portal of knowledge books allowed fast travel between cities). Having multiple starting cities spreads out the player base enough that you don't have everyone on top of each other. However, with the population that came back to the progression servers, you still have 30 people hunting in zones that would normally have 5-10.

Azzule: I like people spread out, and not hunting right on top of each other. Considering the population that came to these servers, they needed more instanced zones but it's starting to get better.

RadarX: I have to admit, starting in Nektulos Forest with hundreds of other players was a little too much. It was like a pack of pirranha, mobs in that zone lived mere moments. One of the older mechanics EverQuest was known for was it's faction system. How is this working out, and do you feel it still has place in the modern MMO?

Katin: I personally haven't gotten much into it, but I would consider myself a casual gamer (editors note: I'm not sure how many beers Katin had at this point).

Balerian: Might be difficult for a new person to the MMO society to understand. I think it adds more challenge to the game and should be commonplace. When you kill Lucan D'Lere in Freeport, you lose all faction with the Freeport militia and even some merchants. You can't just walk in the city anymore and do stuff like you used to.

Azzule: Faction is great. Modern MMO's don't know what a real game is. EQ was great back in it's hayday and that's what we were hoping the progression would bring back to an extent (that's why I have concern over those guilds that came in to rush on to the next thing).

Katin: Yeah it puts a new twist on the game itself, guess faction is really cool. (editors note: Beer number 6?)

RadarX: I agree completely, I've enjoyed the faction and having to think about where I go and what I do. One of the common things you see in modern MMO's is fast travel. EverQuest was notorious for ungodly travel times. Do you feel this is a hinderance to your gameplay?

Katin: I do miss the tunnel system in WoW. It was neat, then again I loved the original boat rides. It took forever, but was cool.

Azzule: I miss boats. It was a time for socialization. A lot of the newer MMO players are interested in hurry, hurry, rush, rush. I miss the social aspect, and the people who cared about their roles in society.

Balerian: Well, I like fast travel when you get to higher levels. At that point, you don't need to deal with every mob in every zone on the way to the 30th zone on the last continent. I don't think it should be available early on in the game. Makes it easy to travel and really takes away some of the old fun. I used to love ships in EverQuest, and sure it was 30 minutes one way, but it was great getting on them and talking to people. You got to know your fellow gamers a little more.

RadarX: I'm kind of upset they wouldn't let me bring a swoop bike over from SWG. So I'm guessing you aren't looking foward to the Portal of Knowledge expansion allowing fast travel?

Katin: I'm not. (He's admitted Beer 7).

Balerian: Personally I don't think EQ really needs another travel system other than druids/wizards. I think POK hurt them badly, although Luclin wasn't bad. Games like WoW where you don't have porters you need a fast travel system like that.

RadarX: I haven't made a long distance trip yet, but I think the corpse runs are going to hurt people personally. Ok last question! You've all seen the graphical revamp they've done of Freeport and a few others zones. Does it still feel like Norrath, or have the done what George Lucas did to ruin Star Wars?

Azzule: I don't mind the revamps. I do mind the leftover items and quests that shouldn't be around yet.

Katin: It's a little better actually. Not so crude but subtle. Orcs for instance, look much better.

Balerian: I think the graphical revamps are fine, and also better in many cases.

RadarX: I appreciate you guys taking time out of your schedule to chat with me. I especially appreciate Katin not driving up here to beat me down for poking at him. I think I only died 4 times conducting this interview, so that might be a new record!

As you can see, these players are more or less happy with the Progressions servers, but a little dissatisfied with a few uncorrected bugs. It appears for the most part, the community is excited about what is going on with the Progression servers. Want to check it out? Pick up a copy of EQ Titanium (it's only $20) and jump in to see all the fun.