This year we have a lot of new games coming out. A lot of early release access as well, more than I've seen in a long while, especially if you think of all the Kickstarters. Today the ALPHA starts for EverQuest Next: Landmark. So, if you picked up the founders pack, or if you grab it, you'll be able to play shortly. Though I do think if you purchase it today you might not get in until tomorrow. For me, I just can't see dropping down a ton of money for Alpha on a game I really don't have much to go on. I've watched videos and such, but it all still feels very vague, I still have a lot of questions and I still think the core game isn't being presented. Plus, there is a strict NDA on it, I can't share my thoughts here if I were to play it. All is well, I can hold off, if it is truly awesome, I'm sure I'll get it.
I'm not one for playing for the hell of it, I want to invest my time into a game I can come back to (a reason I will not play Vanguard in the last six months, other than to take shots and video). My time is valuable to me, I don't always have a lot of it to waste. Which comes down to matter of opinion on how time spent is considered pointless or not, that's just my personal vice. I don't want to pay to have my character wiped and test bugs. I'm not that bored. But many people are. You might claim that isn't the case, but it is, you have to be pretty bored with MMO games to go and pay to play an alpha game. But I don't blame those people, I was thinking of doing the same thing. Then I caught myself and SOE hit me hard with the closing of Vanguard, so I decided not to for many reasons. There are many great games out there currently that I could be playing, and I am doing just that. I'm not saying don't play, I'm just stating why I am holding off.
John Smedly has offered a full refund if anyone is unhappy with the game. On twitter or something, who knows where these days, I can't keep up. I think Massively has the details all in one place.That's a bold move, the refund. They must be pretty sure that it will impress. And I am sure it will be good. I wish them all the best on this endeavor! I'd like to hear more about EQN though. How progress is being made and so on, but I think Landmark will flood that away to some extent and that is a tad worrisome. If people are happy with Landmark, why rush anything with EQN? I don't mean literally rush, but say more focus goes into Landmark than we really had thought? Not a bad thing but two games split off of one title, one of them is bound to suffer. I'm speaking on track records here.
SOE is also adding weekly content to EQ and EQ2. This is interesting though, will it be high end focused or for all levels? I'd like to see it spread out, as I play many different level characters all through the brackets. Nice of them to finally pick up the ball and focus on their flagship again. I think they will continue to focus more on the EQ games as long as EQN and Landmark are doing well. If EQN bombs, I see these things fading away. I do hope to see this being a hit within both games, as both games could really benefit from new content. I have a soft spot for both EQ games. They hold a special place in my heart, I will always want them to do well and keep on chugging.
If you are in the Alpha, I do admit I am a little envious :) My first thought at the announcement was I MUST HAVE IT. Then the MMO hulk in me subsided and I thought how I really don't think I would play enough to justify it. Maybe when closed beta hits I will give it a try. I do have a lot to think on, right now I want to see how SOE continues, I'm still not quite over how Vanguard as a whole has been handled. As a customer I want to be your number one no matter what game I play, not because I play your newest shiniest game, because I've been around a lot longer than that...
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