First Look: Everquest Next | Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

For close to twenty years I’ve had a vision of the game I would make if I were to get into game development. It would be a high fantasy epic set in a persistent world that would continue to grow and develop even in the absence of any individual player. Quests would be completed and new quests would appear. There would likely be some standard fare to fill the idle time. But the overarching story would evolve base on in-game events and continue to develop in the absence of any individual players.

And players would be able to play the game the way they liked. FPS fans would have plenty of epic battles to join. RTS fans would be able to plot out the strategy of a battle (the same battle vein fought by the FPS player. Loners would find plenty of non-arena battles and quests to occupy them. Stealth fans would have plenty of houses to ransack and assassinations to perform.

I never had the time, money, drive, or skill (though I am loathe to admit it) to build that game. The current generation of MMOs look to be attempting to build just such worlds. I couldn’t be more excited. I hope they work and I hope I am able to make time o play them.

And even though talented developers are finally tackling the idea I still hope I can build my own game some day.