Exclusive: Pantheon Development Team Q&A

We talk to several members of the Visionary Realms team to get the skinny on Pantheon

If you've spent any time at all carousing in MMO circles, you’ve no doubt heard Brad McQuaid’s name mentioned at some point.

His original company, Verant Interactive, was best known for creating the original EverQuest, the first MMORPG of its kind, which went on to help define the genre. Verant was also where Star Wars Galaxies began life before Sony bought the company. Later, McQuaid formed Sigil Games to build the ambitious Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. As the development process went through a publisher change it eventually released under the Sony label, but was not met with the commercial success the publisher and developers had hoped — for a number of reasons.

That was way back in 2007. Fast forward to 2014, and McQuad is at it again. This time with his team at Visionary Realms — which is stocked full of industry veterans, including those who worked on Vanguard as well as the original EverQuest and EverQuest II and more. 

Brad and Visionary Realms are promising an MMO for players that want a challenge. Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen will offer a challenge that harkens back to the early days of the genre, where grouping mattered. But they also want to bring modern features to the game. To do this, as so many other game developers have done, they’ve turned to Kickstarter to give folks who like what they’re making a chance to help make it possible.

Recently, we had a chance to ask the team some questions about the design, lore, engineering and art direction for the game. What follows is a long read, but if you’re a fan of what Brad and his team are trying to build, you’ll find some tantalizing nuggets of information woven throughout!

Brad McQuaid, Chief Creative Officer


How long have you or your team been actively developing the idea of for Pantheon?

Since September of last year. (Editor’s Note: September 2013.)

 

Your team has been very clear that Pantheon is targeted at a very specific kind of player, and that it might not be for everyone. How would a player who might be reading this know if the game is intended for them?

I would summarize the game like this: “Pantheon will be a challenging MMO with a focus on grouping and player cooperation, returning to undiluted roots that made MMOs so popular to begin with.”  If that sounds interesting to the reader, I would then suggest they check out the Kickstarter page

 

Would you classify the game more as a theme park or sandbox? And how would this classification compare to how you might label the original EverQuest or Vanguard: Saga of Heroes?

Ultimately Pantheon will not be following a linear path in terms of player progression. You can go where you want, when you want, and we’re not going to push you in the direction we want you to go. In many ways we’re looking at more EverQuest with some Vanguard.

 

The Kickstarter page mentions "not have everyone with the same quality of character, despite the amount of effort put in". Can you talk about what that might mean? Does that indicate a skill-based progression system?

There will be skills that need to be leveled up. But progression is primarily level-based.

What we were getting at on the Kickstarter is that a player’s character will reflect the amount and quality of effort they put into it. To put it another way: no welfare epics. The iconic class-specific items will require much effort and dedication. There should be no expectation that everyone will be able to attain these items.

 

The social and team aspects of MMOs are well documented as design goals for Pantheon. Does this leave the solo player out in the cold entirely, or will there be gameplay for them?

A well equipped character could conceivably solo a bit outdoors, but beyond that Pantheon is a group-focused game.

 

For players who were weened on newer MMO mechanics - how would you explain to them that the design goals of Pantheon might satisfy them compared to what they're used to?

I would ask them if they want a more challenging massively multiplayer experience.  I’d ask them if they enjoy games like Dark Souls.  I’d ask them if they enjoyed working as a group to overcome challenges and if they liked coming up with group oriented tactics. If any of their answers were yes, I’d recommend Pantheon to them.

 

Continued on page two...

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Comments

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Follow-up
# Feb 02 2014 at 8:02 AM Rating: Decent
Brad,

Being one of your older players and believers. I feel almost betrayed. You still have not answered this post.

I have now invested in EQ Landmark and Elder Scrolls Online.

I'm not sure what I have done to deserve your silence. I feel I asked you a very fair question. I did see your interview about Vanguard and how you felt so horrible about the cut to your staff. I understand laying or firing people is a horrible experience. However, I want you to feel responsible to the 10,000 subscribers more than to your local staff.

I want to see your next game be perfect but myself and my friends will not invest in you until you answer this simple question.

ADMIN...I want to delete this post it is a duplicate. Please delete do not see an option to do myself.

Edited, Feb 2nd 2014 9:53am by countesscrow
Pantheon and other.
# Jan 25 2014 at 3:08 PM Rating: Decent
Will Pantheon and Everquest Next be released on PS4?! if so, will it be this year or on 2015?

Edited, Jan 25th 2014 4:15pm by Sabinsnake
This game has to be made...
# Jan 24 2014 at 8:50 PM Rating: Decent
I gotta say, I'm with Cramit845 on this lol.

Really trying to contain my enthusiasm and not get myself too hyped, but man it's difficult lol.

It's like Brad and Co. have been reading my mind and are making a MMO that hits every point I find important. Group-focused. It was mentioned that they're bringing back the concept of "pullers", the importance of crowd control and such. I can only assume that means that (among other things) the old-school pastime of finding a group of people and going off to some location to kill mobs for a few hours will be viable again. If that's so, then that is awesome, because while many newer gamers find the idea woefully boring, I always found it to be a great time. I did it for hours in FFXI. I did it for hours in Lineage 2. I would do it, though in a more mobile fashion, in EQ2.

The thing is, it's not just about killing mobs and getting xp. Those sessions were as much an exercise in learning, or refining group tactics, learning to work better with other players/classes. But more than that, perhaps, it was also about socializing, joking around, talking shop, talking movies, books... whatever. At times the killing and xp'ing almost became secondary to the social aspect. I made friends out of those hours-long xp sessions that I still talk to, and game with, to this very day. It excites me to think that might again become a viable and relevant option in Pantheon, 'cause I've missed that, more than I'd have thought.

Anyway, there's so much that excites me about this game, and the more I read the more psyched I'm getting. I wish pay day would get here so I could make my darn pledge already!

All the best to Brad and the team on a successful Kickstarter, and on their development of this game.

There's a giant hole in the genre right now, and a lot of MMO gamers longing for an experience that's been all but squashed in the name of "convenience" and "accessibility" where "everyone's a winner". Pantheon is the MMO this genre needs to fill that hole.

Fingers are crossed.



Edited, Jan 24th 2014 9:53pm by Wolfsong73
Thanks for the great article and the comments thus far!
# Jan 24 2014 at 6:54 PM Rating: Decent
Let me know if I can answer any questions!

-Brad
Absoultely Extatic
# Jan 24 2014 at 3:05 PM Rating: Decent
Well my subject says it all. I can't wait for this game. Since I have discovered it I must admit I am already hopping on the hype train a bit but trying to contain myself. We all know what they say at the beginning and what actually is released is changed many times between the two, but if they can nail the core game play like they seem to be focusing on, then I can't wait at all!

This really feels like this is the game that the genre has been missing since the days of DAoC and EQ, which I am/was a huge supporter of both. The group based gameplay or social gameplay needs to come back in more of a niche game and I think this game has the potential to be that trailblazer.

I would also bet that the success of this game may open up some of the younger crowd, that started with Wow and wow clones to actually play and appreciate this style of MMO.

Keep up the good work devs and thanks for answering the questions, I think a lot of us from the beginning are watching this game very closely and hoping for immense success.
Delivery
# Jan 24 2014 at 2:43 PM Rating: Decent
Hopefully they can deliver on everything they have said.
Delivery
# Jan 24 2014 at 6:55 PM Rating: Decent
thanks for the great article and comments -- keep them coming and let me know if I can answer any questions.

-Brad "Aradune" McQuaid
The Real Question
# Jan 27 2014 at 9:39 AM Rating: Decent
Brad.

I started playing your first game in 1998 or 99. I started playing Everquest back in Beta 1.5 or 2. I still remember the original night vision for elfs. Many great memories of that game. I am and have always been a huge supporter of "your vision".

You created and were the vision for Everquest. Absolutely the best mmorpg of that generation. But you sold it to Sony....Then after many years off you came back with Vanguard. Following and Trusting your "Vision" I and others followed you to this game. Another breathtaking one of a kind MMORPG. However, after less than a year you abandoned it and sold it to SONY. With your last patch destroying a lot of the game play for myself and my friends. Oddly enough the Dungeon that was affected the most and broken for more than 4 months was "Pantheon".

Now. I would REALLY like to have faith in this game. I would REALLY like to believe yet again that you will make a Landmark one of a kind game again. What guarantee are you going to give the public that you will not abandon this game as you have for the last 2? You are now asking US to fund it. So you can develop it. How do we know you will not sale it to Sony again in a year?



Edited, Jan 27th 2014 11:20am by countesscrow
The Real Question
# Feb 02 2014 at 8:09 AM Rating: Decent
Brad,

Being one of your older players and believers. I feel almost betrayed. You still have not answered this post.

I have now invested in EQ Landmark and Elder Scrolls Online.

I'm not sure what I have done to deserve your silence. I feel I asked you a very fair question. I did see your interview about Vanguard and how you felt so horrible about the cut to your staff. I understand laying or firing people is a horrible experience. However, I want you to feel responsible to the 10,000 subscribers more than to your local staff.

I want to see your next game be perfect but myself and my friends will not invest in you until you answer this simple question.
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