Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Interview
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Q: What MMOGs have you experienced as a player and what do you like most design-wise about your favorites?
A: I've played just about all the MMOs that are out on the market, at least in the western market. Obviously I haven't played all as extensively as I have played, for example, original EverQuest, which I have to deem my all time favorite (I'm not only saying that since Brad is my boss :) ). When EverQuest launched I was completely enthralled in the world they had created. AO is also one of my absolute favorites, and there is so much good stuff still in that game.
Regarding what I like most about my favorites I can use EQ and AO as my examples. In EverQuest I loved the immersion the world had on me. The stories that were told, and the fact that travel mattered and you always had risks was very important to me. I can still remember running trough Kitichor Forest at night delivering Lightstones to the gypsy camp in Karanas and being scared to death for running into an undead that would wipe the floor with me. I am absolutely an explorer type of player and that's something that also makes Vanguard such an exciting project for me, as it shares many of the key values original EverQuest had.
With AO I've always enjoyed the fresh perspective we were able to take on things. Making a sci-fi game you can take certain liberties that you can't in a fantasy game. AO had original solutions to many things, and AO could be super hardcore. You could sit for hours calculating how much extra strength you would get by switching and stepping implant sets for example. The social aspect of AO, in regards to the many nightclubs that existed in the game was also something I found interesting and enjoyable. AO was very much about numbers and socializing for me.
