Ask SOE - EQII Q&A #8
With Steve "Moorgard" Danuser, Community Manager
Lepidus: Can you talk about about non-enemy (NPC) AI, such as townsfolk and their behaviors? How will you go about ensuring that it is natural and varied?
Steve "Moorgard" Danuser: Our NPCs have different brain types that help govern their behavior. Just as some NPCs have brains to give them certain strategies in combat, NPCs that are part of a city population can carry on behaviors that fit their role in society.
Additionally, NPCs can become aware of events in the world and discuss them. Players who enter a tavern might hear two NPCs talking about some powerful monster that was just taken down by a guild or family. We want NPCs to have a real function in the world beyond just being merchants or quest givers.
Lepidus: How will EverQuest II cater to the solo player?
Steve "Moorgard" Danuser: One of our main goals with EverQuest II was to make combat very strategic in nature, pitting the finite resources of a group of players against the resources of a group of NPCs. Because of the changes we made to our combat system, many of the techniques that players have used to solo mobs in EverQuest simply don't function the same way.
We definitely want soloing to be a viable style of play, so we are designing content specifically for soloers. NPCs will give out task assignments geared toward soloing, as well as quests that can be done by a single player. Additionally, some areas outside dungeons will provide mobs that can be soloed so that players aren't just sitting around looking for groups. Grouping will still provide the best loot and experience, but soloing will be a rewarding option for anyone choosing to play that way. Solo content will be available to all classes, not just a few who happen to have special abilities that make soloing possible.
Lepidus: Can you explain housing a bit more? Do players purchase them, and are there a set number of houses in the world?
Steve "Moorgard" Danuser: Housing is located in various areas in Qeynos and Freeport. Freestanding houses will be limited in number, and will vary in size and grandeur. The biggest will be costly to purchase and maintain, but the prestige factor for owning such a structure will certainly be worth it. The biggest house in each town will be reserved for the guild that is most prominent in terms of status within each city. Ownership of this structure will provide tangible advantages for the guild that has it, but status will be reevaluated on a regular basis so ownership is likely to change.
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