SOE announces Everquest III

The way things are going for the highly successful MMORPG Everquest II, they should think about renaming it to FOREverQuest. No, I’m not having a hangover from the April Fools mania; that’s just what came to my mind after hearing Sony Online Entertainment’s announcement, through vice president Robert Paulson Jr, that their company is currently developing a third installment to the game.

The new title’s expected to be introduced to the gaming market by Winter 2009. SOE’s promised innovations such as a completely new, cutting-edge 3D engine developed in-house with a host of technological features allowing the development team to generate an unparalleled visually stunning 3D world; a feature that enables the player to own a real estate, ride horses, and command ships; and of course, a wide array of new spells, quests and events. EverQuest III will be in the future of its predecessors in the culturally-diverse world of Norrath; the installment is definitely set to make gamers drool.  Paulson adds that “EverQuest III is the successful embodiment of better technology, player feedback and our desire to build an online global community.”

Another special feature is the real-time translation in English, French, German, Japanese and Korean, which is probably aimed at bridging different gaming markets (and increasing profits, perhaps). That should be easy; if they can make gorillas and birds talk nowadays, how hard would it be to make humans speak with each other? I suggest they hire Oprah and Martha Stewart, they’re the epitome of cultural bridging anyways (I guess maybe I do have that hangover after all).

Here’s a rundown of the announced key features and improvements:
• A brand-new 3D engine which takes full advantage of a wide variety of recent technological advances in 3D hardware/software such as per-pixel lighting, dynamic environment mapping, and a fully programmable surface shader system
• More intuitive gameplay features to appeal to both new and seasoned players
• New branching class structure that players define as they advance through the game
• The vast world of Norrath revisits familiar locations and introduces a variety of newly-discovered areas in the Age of Destiny, a time period in the future of the original EverQuest and EverQuest II.
• Increased character customization capabilities allow players to customize characters’ faces, hair, and body types to create truly unique avatars
• Deeper character development offering pacing options that cater to game players new to the role-playing genre as well as experienced role-players
• Non-confrontational means of character advancement that including a completely new tradesman character class
• Rideable mounts and vehicles to own and control, including horses and boats, make traversing the massive world of Norrath faster than before
• Norrathian real estate for players to call their own
• All-new tradeskill/crafting system
• Completely new and tactically rich combat, spell and skill systems
• A completely revised and enhanced quest system
• Dynamic world environment shaped by player events
The way things are going for the highly successful MMORPG Everquest II, they should think about renaming it to FOREverQuest. No, I’m not having a hangover from the April Fools mania; that’s just what came to my mind after hearing Sony Online Entertainment’s announcement, through vice president Robert Paulson Jr, that their company is currently developing a third installment to the game.

The new title’s expected to be introduced to the gaming market by Winter 2009. SOE’s promised innovations such as a completely new, cutting-edge 3D engine developed in-house with a host of technological features allowing the development team to generate an unparalleled visually stunning 3D world; a feature that enables the player to own a real estate, ride horses, and command ships; and of course, a wide array of new spells, quests and events. EverQuest III will be in the future of its predecessors in the culturally-diverse world of Norrath; the installment is definitely set to make gamers drool.  Paulson adds that “EverQuest III is the successful embodiment of better technology, player feedback and our desire to build an online global community.”

Another special feature is the real-time translation in English, French, German, Japanese and Korean, which is probably aimed at bridging different gaming markets (and increasing profits, perhaps). That should be easy; if they can make gorillas and birds talk nowadays, how hard would it be to make humans speak with each other? I suggest they hire Oprah and Martha Stewart, they’re the epitome of cultural bridging anyways (I guess maybe I do have that hangover after all).

Here’s a rundown of the announced key features and improvements:
• A brand-new 3D engine which takes full advantage of a wide variety of recent technological advances in 3D hardware/software such as per-pixel lighting, dynamic environment mapping, and a fully programmable surface shader system
• More intuitive gameplay features to appeal to both new and seasoned players
• New branching class structure that players define as they advance through the game
• The vast world of Norrath revisits familiar locations and introduces a variety of newly-discovered areas in the Age of Destiny, a time period in the future of the original EverQuest and EverQuest II.
• Increased character customization capabilities allow players to customize characters’ faces, hair, and body types to create truly unique avatars
• Deeper character development offering pacing options that cater to game players new to the role-playing genre as well as experienced role-players
• Non-confrontational means of character advancement that including a completely new tradesman character class
• Rideable mounts and vehicles to own and control, including horses and boats, make traversing the massive world of Norrath faster than before
• Norrathian real estate for players to call their own
• All-new tradeskill/crafting system
• Completely new and tactically rich combat, spell and skill systems
• A completely revised and enhanced quest system
• Dynamic world environment shaped by player events