Everquest 2: Continuation of GamerGod's interview with the Dev Team!

EQ2 GamerGod
has released a continuation of their interview with the EQ2 Dev Team!

GamerGod: What is the one single thing about EQ2 that excites you as a player, with the added knowledge as a developer of how it can be expanded in the future?

Dev Team: I'm really impressed by our concept of combat brains. Allowing computer-controlled opponents to respond in varied ways to the tactics of players is something that adds a lot to the way encounters function and feel, and I look forward to seeing how that will evolve in the future.

GamerGod: One of the complaints often heard in EQ was the unworkability of only six in a group. Is there any thought of expanding a group size to eight or more in EQ2?

Dev Team: No matter what group size we set, some players would ask for a different number. We've found that a group size of six works well for balance purposes and allows a lot of flexibility in group makeup, so we're sticking with that number.

GamerGod: Will there be any group quests in which all group members receive reward? If so, how large of a group at a time? What kinds of rewards, or will they vary, as in EQ, with the difficulty of the quest?

Dev Team: Quests are given out to individuals rather than groups. However, if all members of a group receive quests that are tied together, they can cooperate and complete them simultaneously. For instance, on the Isle of Refuge players will receive quests to defeat a certain type of goblin. Though each member is working on their own quest, each victory counts toward the goal of every member of the party.

Rewards definitely vary based on the difficulty of the quest. We also have the ability to allow a single quest to offer different rewards based on the class of the character that completes it.

GamerGod: Will epics be a part of EQ2? If so, will they be as difficult to achieve as when they were originally introduced in EQ?

Dev Team: There will be legendary items that can only be obtained after long, challenging quests. To make such items easily attainable would be to cheapen the satisfaction one receives for completing these difficult quests.

GamerGod: Guilds were the main focus of EQ. We have been told they have a place in EQ2, but how about the nomad soloer...is there any more of a place for soloers in this game than EQ, which was very limiting for those without a great guild?

Dev Team: We have solo content designed for all classes rather than just a select few. But grouping will always provide more experience and offer greater potential rewards.