A new expansion or is Japain coming to EQ?

[EnfinitiStarr8]

EverQuest Homepage

Looks like a Samuri Iksar. But who knows.

[KyrosKrane]

It's almost certainly a preview of an Everquest RTS (real-time strategy game -- think Warcraft or Command and Conquer).

Here's the overview pic that the Iksar image is taken from (link taken from the Paladins of Norrath message board):

http://everquest.station.sony.com/images/itjmfbc/groupzoom2.jpg

[Farnyr]

No way! Thats a picture of an Iksar sushi chef, its obvious that EQ is introducing. Everquest's Iron Chef!


*Dubbing over begins, mouths dont move, but sound come out*

"Todays special ingredient is once again, gnome..."

"Mr. Scalytail is a 212 Iksar baker. He will going to be preparing fried gnome in a bloodwind sauce with a side of thorny succulent."

"Mrs. Furryfeet is a 250 Halfling baker. Today she will be making gnome cookies with winter white chocolate chips, and will be using her GM baking spoon to mix up the batter. No tinkered mixing bowls for her, she sticks strictly with old fashioned techniques."

"Mr. errr...Mrs....Err....Grung is a 0 Ogre baker, and it looks like instead of preparing a dish using gnome, Grung is actually just eatting the gnome instead....yes, there it goes, and, the gnome is gone."

So who knows? EQ Iron Chef sounds about right.

[Morani]

Someone posted on the chat linked to Caster's Realm that he/she was pretty sure the pic was a rendered drawing do to the black lines that outline every shape. I tough that was the most interesting piece of info I've run into about this.

[Zyrtryx Conjureblade]

Lol @ Farnyr

"Fukui-San, I believe we have a possible disqualification. Iron Chef Iksar Venomfang Mottledscales is trying to shove the challenger into the ice cream maker!"




Zyrtryx Conjureblade, Iron Chef Bear Meat

[Farnyr]

If you check out www.everquest.com today, you see the Iksar, but its zoomed out now. Theres a Dark Elf on a Drogmor, an Orge, Troll, Dwarf and :?: , which i think might be a Erudite. Anywa, its pretty obvious that the pictures are for the new RTS.

[Delfontes]

The iron chef thing was hilarious... both when it first came out before my time, and more recently on these boards .

Might be why not many responded, they already had their laugh a month ago....

http://mboards.eqtraders.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5184

The link half way down that thread was spectacular, hehehe.

[Morani]

I've seen a lot of people taking the as red so I have to ask; has Sony ANNOUNCED a new RTS?

[Varlik]

Looks like there is a countdown clock to the time it will be released, but then I'm usually hear about these things a few months after they come out.

[KyrosKrane]

The EQ RTS game was announced July 18, 2002, the same time they announced EQ for the PlayStation 2 (now called EQOA).

Searching on Google...
http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/365/365172p1.html?fromint=1

(Be wary of the full-page ad that may come up at this link. If the page that comes up doesn't look like a press release, just look for the "Continue" link near the top.)

Here's the first couple of paragraphs from the press release:

SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS WITH LEADING GAME DEVELOPERS TO BRING PLAYERS THE BEST IN GAME ENTERTAINMENT

-Leader in Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming To Bring New Genres of Gaming to Consoles and PCs-

SAN DIEGO, CA - July 18, 2002 - Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online gaming, today announced deals with Snowblind Studios Inc. and Rapid Eye Entertainment Inc. to create original content for the PC and console markets under the SOE label. Rapid Eye Entertainment is currently developing a real-time strategy, PC-based EverQuest game while Snowblind Studios is developing an EverQuest-based product for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. Further product information will be announced at a later date.

[Morani]

Thanks KyrosKrane. Hmm... I LOVE RTS games so I'll definitely be looking forward to this one. <taps foot impatiently while waiting>

[Quinner Sparrowhawk]

RTS - There is no such beast. Strategy indicates longterm global planning. Not a single one of these so called "Real Time Strategy" games incorporates this. There is no time for strategizing during the game, only before playing. Sure, you can hit the pause button but then it's not real time anymore, is it?

What each game boils down to is a tactical exercise to be solved. Once a solution is discovered, it always works if implemented correctly. These games would be more accurately labelled RTT or Real Time Tactics.

I am a oldtime Grognard of Avalon Hill games and other REAL strategy games. The really cool things about these games were that REAL people sat across the table from you! And they even would bring soda and chips!
I have hated the RTS category ever since the first one came out.

[Morani]

Um, Quinner; it's called head-head or multi-player mode. And, by your own explanation, until you figure out just what "tactics" DO work all the time then it IS strategy. As for there not being enough time, speak for yourself please.

Regardless, it's a moot point since RTS is a label to let people know what one is talking about. If I referred to a particular type of music as the modern take-off of the more African rhythms of East Coast Jazz VERY few people would have a clue that I was talking about Hip-Hop. The label would be accurate but not very helpful to the reader.

[Delfontes]

Chess is an RTS.

That's all I have to say about that.

[Quinner Sparrowhawk]

OK, I will admit to the source of my discontent. I really like turn-based strategy games. I have always been a big fan of the Civ games and some of the old fashion board game conversions. The RTS rush almost killed the genre. Not all games translate into well RTS, just look at Star Wars Rebellion and you will know what I mean.

I find that most RTS games boil down to the same set of tactics and end up being the same game, different box. I have played C&C, Age of Empires, and Star Wars Battlegrounds and don't see much difference.