Lords of EverQuest Developer Interview

The producer of Lords of EverQuest tells us about the new game and hints at things to come in EverQuest II.

SOE's first strategy game may not ship to stores until next week, but GamePro.com recently had the chance to sit down with James Parker, the producer of Lords of Everquest, and grill him about the upcoming title.

GP: How did the idea for Lords of EverQuest come about?

JP: We knew we wanted to do something different with the EverQuest universe with this game, rather than another MMO or expansion. There is a lot of great lore in the history of Norrath and we decided upon the Lost Age. The War of the Gods on which Lords is based around was just the perfect backbone for a RTS game.

We also realized that there are a lot of RTS games out there and we didn't want to just do the same thing as everyone else, so we decided to add our own special blend to the mix. We added a few nice RPG elements that really do add a new layer to the strategy when you don't know what items an opponent has, or what level that group of troops is until they're close. We think the RTS gamers out there will really enjoy Lords.

GP: Was it odd for SOE to be developing a game that was NOT massively multiplayer?

JP: The people at SOE and our developer Rapid Eye are all pretty big fantasy RTS fans as well. I know I personally have really enjoyed working on Lords because it is something different.

GP: It is only natural to draw comparisons to Warcraft III. What makes Lords stand out on its own?

JP: This is getting to be a pretty stock answer, but here goes... We really feel we've melded some great new features into the RTS genre that will add another dimension to strategy games including:

  • The ability for all units to level up - This is pretty huge since all units you create (other than pets) are able to become more powerful, gain special abilities, and eventually become elite troops.

  • Knighting - you have the ability to have two knights at any given time. These act like lieutenants and they receive a command aura, although not as powerful, like the Lord unit.

  • New unit level positively affected by Lord level (New units are created at half the Lord's level, rounding up) For instance, a level 3 lord creates level 2 units and a level 12 lord creates level 6 units. It comes together to create another dimension to the strategy. When do you create the units? Do you wait until you level up your lord, or do you build units and level them up from the start? Experience then becomes another resource to manage as you play the game.

  • Detachable mounts - We've played a lot of RTS games and wondered how killing a horse always resulted in the rider dying and vice versa. It's because other RTS games treat mounted units as a single unit. We treat them as two adding a little more realism to the unit.

  • Random item drops by AI units in multiplayer - This is probably one of the biggest RPG elements of the game where you are actually rewarded with resources, and items off of AI characters in the multiplayer games. Best of all, it is random and you never know what you're going to get.

  • A full 3D camera that can be rotated 360 degrees - Now you can rotate the camera, zoom in and out and utilize the camera as a tool for planning your strategy in battle.

  • The interface - We all know that in RTS games, screen real estate is at a premium. The more you can see, the better prepared you can be, and the greater the advantage over your opponents. We've added a feature where you can fade the interface, and you can also resize, move the interface anywhere, and quickly pop up the various windows. It is very slick.

    GP: Where in the timeline is Lords of EverQuest set? Does it tie into either EQOA or EverQuest?

    JP: Lords is set 10,000 in the past from current EverQuest. EverQuest Online Adventures for PlayStation 2 is set 500 years in the past from EverQuest, and EverQuest II is 500 years in the future of EverQuest. As far as the overall lore of the game, Lords takes place in the fabled Lost Age, during the War of the Gods. There is a race to collect an ancient artifact that can turn a mortal into a god.

    GP: Can you tell us a little bit about the different Lords?

    JP: There are 15 different Lords in the single player game across the three factions:

    Shadowrealm:

  • Lady T'Lak - Dark Elf Rogue
  • Lord Vekk - Troll Shadow Knight
  • Lord Skass - Iksar Necromancer
  • Lord Urtt - Ogre Warrior
  • Lady Kreya - Gnome Wizard

    Dawn Brotherhood:

  • Lord Palasa - Kerran Beastlord
  • Lord Dungannon - Barbarian Warrior
  • Lord Huigar - Dwarf Paladin
  • Lady Sakti - Human Monk
  • Lady Leisen - Erudite Magician

    Elddar Alliance:

  • Lord Kadian - Wood Elf Ranger
  • Lady Aiendu - High Elf Enchanter
  • Lady Briana - Half Elf Bard
  • Lord Gult - Froglok Cleric
  • Lord Dulyan - Halfling Druid

    GP: How does the experience system in the game work?

    JP: You receive experience for killing mobs, destroying buildings, using special abilities in battle, etc. All of it leads to unit leveling and the creation of more powerful units.

    GP: Are the game levels story driven or scenario driven?

    JP: A little bit of both. The story moves the main plot along each of the three campaigns, but there are also scenarios and side quests that materialize depending on which of the Lords you've chosen to play. They all have their own neat little side quests, so the experience with each Lord is different.

    GP: Tell us a little bit about the new matching service. How is it going to work?

    JP: SOEGames.net is our proprietary online matching service, and Lords is the first game to use it. Champions of Norrath will also use it when it comes out next year. It matches players based on skill, or you can do an open game and anyone can jump in. You could get a straight newbie, or the best player in the world. The point of the service is to ensure games are fair, and people have fun playing Lords online.

    GP: Are there any plans for tournaments and ladder matches?

    JP: Ladder matches and tournaments are definitely things we're looking into and would love to do. SOEGames.net has the functionality built in; it's just a matter of implementing and execution of tournaments at this point.

    GP: Will you be shipping a level editor with the game?

    JP: Yes. We have a map editor in the game, so map makers can put together their own scenarios. There's even a camera tool in case you want to create your own cinematics. We want to make sure the community has all of the tools to have fun with the game; however they want to enjoy it.

    GP: How flexible is the editor? Is it limited in some way, or can you build full scenarios with it?

    JP: You can build maps, create cinematics, and set up battles, and even build mini campaigns. The editor is very flexible and we will hopefully be making some nifty updates to it as well in the near future.

    GP: You are currently offering a free EverQuest II beta invitation to everyone who buys Lords of EverQuest. Can you give us an idea of what to expect in the beta?

    JP: The EverQuest II beta should give them the ability to check out how the game is coming together before the game launches. There will definitely be the opportunity to check out character creation and move through some of the levels, but the best part is the ability to give the developers feedback and possibly help shape EverQuest II.

    GP: Thanks for your time James.

    Give Lords of EverQuest a test drive with the demo and check back soon for the full review!

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