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Brad McQuaid, the man who left Verant (Everquest) to run his own company (Sigil games) was partner in an interview at IGN.PC. This is part of what he said why he thinks Everquest was and is so successful:
I think the three main reasons EQ was and is so successful are as follows: the emphasis on social interdependence, the immersive and detailed world, and the focus on character development and item acquisition.
While some people are frustrated by the encouraged grouping and forced interdependence based on character class, I think it's also created an environment where friendships and bonds have been forged. Not only that, but the chat interface, with /say, /groupsay, /guildsay, etc. really make communication painless. This all builds community, and without community and in-game relationships, an MMOG is empty, especially long-term.
Another very important aspect of the game and a goal from day one is how immersive and vast the world is. EQ has been criticized for being zone-based (as opposed to seamless), but look at what it allowed us to do. Whereas seamless worlds, at least with today's technology, require less detail, texture variation, and variety of objects and other points of interest, having a zone based engine allowed EQ's world builders to create well over a hundred unique and interesting places to explore. And then it's not just the detail in the world, but also the content in terms of NPC models, quests, items, etc. I think EQ really set the high bar there and also proved just how important depth and detail really is. |
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Brad McQuaid Interview at IGN.PC
