Emergent AI. Destructible environments. Permanent change. The features packed into upcoming free-to-play MMO Everquest Next reads off like a gamer's wishlist, full of whimsical, oft-promised ideas that the wizards at Sony Online Entertainment have reportedly made manifest.
I'll admit, it all sounds rather alluring—the trappings of World of Warcraft and (old) Everquest left by the wayside, we'll find ourselves in a world ready to be molded as we see fit. Driven by a team of experienced game designers working in concert with fans from day one, the latest entry in the classic Everquest franchise aims to turn the MMO-world on its head with lofty ideas—but will they pan out?
Clever little people
Consider the non-player character (NPC), mainstay of any narrative-driven video game. They're the quest-givers, and random baddies of your average MMO, doling out rewards or serving up a bit of flavor text so the world feels a little less empty. In Everquest Next NPCs will be given proper motives: in one example, a band of orc raiders roam their territory, judging trespassing players' relative strength before deciding whether or not to attack or give them a wide berth. They might also prey on wandering NPC merchants, who would in turn decide something must be done, and begin offering players rewards for dealing with the bandit menace.
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