wasn't exactly sure where to post this, but since it was about test and upcomming content, seemed like this is the spot
I've taken this server down time to read what people are posting about changes and upcomming changes. It really does seem that collectively EQ2 is undergoing a WoW-ization or dumbing down of sorts. As someone who has come from WoW I can tell you that's not really a good thing. Two examples of the simplifications I've observed (or wowifications) are the instant class picking and the absolute and total simplification of the current tradeskill system. I'd have to say I can understand why business minds and bean counters might leap on to these changes as good things. if we make the game simpler and easier we can appeal to a larger population of customers.
well, you are right about one thing, WoW is simple and it is popular. but the simplicity of WoW is not at the heart of what makes it popular. the environment is extremely alluring and very well made, it's a pleasing world to play in. more so than EQ2. it is simply a matter of polish. however, EQ2 wins out on the combat system and character models and expansiveness of the world and also you guessed it --- complexity. and that complexity makes for a depth of game which is a very good thing.
the simplicity of WoW is a good thing in terms of attracting people, but it comes at a huge huge cost. some new servers were recently started up. I joined in for the fun, let me tell you what happened. in less than a week the overseas sweatshop gold farmers were level 60, in less than two weeks many regular players were level 60, in less than three weeks to a month you had end game raids starting out. That's a full complement of 10 to 60 people of varying classes getting end game equipment --- and also having endgame crafting ability in about two to three weeks. the kicker is also this --- in my time on this server every single person I met had level 60s on another server. every single person. that's not one new customer. WoW is surviving by eating it's own tail.
servers are also destroyed very quickly by the numbers of sweatshop gold farmers and the huge numbers of people who are willing to pay for the gold. the economies are decimated by this. read about it here
http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3141815 the server lifecycle in wow is really quite short. why do people keep playing? as I said, the world is quite alluring and people roll and re-roll and then re-roll again. on different servers and the same server. also, once you do hit level 60 it's a raid game, one after another after another after another after another -- it takes a long time to get all of your endgame equipment. after that they have added a significant amount of pvp instances and games. but even that gets old. very old. when they add a new server now I would say 90% of the people there are migrants from another server.
it's extremely stale.
as for depth? there is very little. it means very little to have a level 60 or an endgame tradeskiller. it means nothing. I've played EQ2 for a short time but I can see it means a bit more here, and certainly so for an endgame tradeskiller. these games offer the striving of a reward and the eventual attainment of that reward --- but the value of the reward is measured in the time, energy, and effort to gain that reward and the ability of the game environment to provide enjoyment as you work your way up to the reward.
After attaining tradeskill level 18 I can see that reaching 60 is really quite a thing. certainly there are other games with more distant rewards, like AO's level 220 + alien levels --- that is quite difficult unless you are one of two or so always in demand classes. but the pace of EQ2 seems really quite ... well cool. especially the class system that went from levels 1 to 20. I've never seen anything like it. it really ment something when I picked my subtype and then leveled up to my final class at 19 and then actually attained my final designation at 20. it was cool, very cool. yes it's true, I was unable to try out each and every class from the start but that's ok.
why?
because if I wanted to know more about other classes I would watch them, read about them, ask other people about them, and look stuff up on the net --- there is a wealth of information about almost everything there. and also because since it took time and energy to get my final designation it had more value, esentially more pleasure when I got there. Greater reward. by making instant final designations you are essentially removing a reward from the game. and make no mistake, that is why we play, reward. the same thing goes for tradeskilling, changing it is removal of reward. endgame tradeskilling will mean much much less. I'd be furious if I had a couple or a few 60 tradeskillers.
if these two changes are the start of or part of a continuting pattern it really does seem like a WoWification of this game might be underway. and I can tell you that's not a good thing because you are taking away the things in this game that give it an edge over WoW. it's like a land based people choosing to fight a war with a sea based people on the water. one is giving up a prime advantage.
EQ2 is the early PC comptuer as WoW is to the apple macintosh. Quite plainly WoW is a better product in terms of polish, fit, and finish, and packaging much like the Macintosh was. But I think we all remember who won that fight in the end.