"An RTS game is a great way for new audiences to get a glimpse of the massive fantasy universe we've created with EverQuest"

The world of EverQuest is well known to online fans. For years, players have launched into the realms and enjoyed the experience of a rich massively multiplayer role-playing game.

Well, now there is something new on the horizon. Lords of Everquest takes the series in another direction.

The land of Tunaria has a rich background and what better way to explore it than through the realm of a real-time strategy game? Players will have the opportunity to control one of 15 Lords and manage armies in their quest for domination of the world

The game features three unique factions and a richly-textured game world. Players can command an army of humans, elves, dwarves, fiends and dragons against battalions and squadrons of kobolds, zombies and evil monsters. There is not extensive online support yet for this game, but Sony Online Entertainment is looking to change that and is currently working on a matchmaking multi-player online system.

Lords of EverQuest producer James Parker talked with GameZone about the project.

Question: Lords of EverQuest takes the realm of the entire EQ franchise away from the MMP/RPG genre and plants it firmly into the RTS realm. How much of the flavor of the EQ world is retained in this title?

James: We tried to retain as much as possible for Lore sake, because it is a phenomenal story and has so much to it, its almost like building a game based off of a huge movie. There is a great story to be told and we made great pains to try to shed some light on the past. Think of Lords as a prequel to a great story minus the long ears and bad accent. Pardon the Binks reference.

Q: What were the immediate challenges you faced when making an RTS out of such a familiar realm?

James: The immediate challenge is the one everyone faces when making a game within this genre. The RTS genre is not new it has been done so how do you make strides to be original, but not be so abstract that no one wants to try it out. It is a fine line to walk on and we are trying our best to provide classic RTS gameplay with an EverQuest feel.

Q: How will this game stand apart - outside of the EQ tie - with other RTS games that are part of long-running franchises?

James: The first piece of this puzzle is the ability that every unit levels and gains experience. They also all have their own abilities and if you manage them carefully you can end up with some pretty powerful units. Detachable mounts can be researched, and we've focused more on the action RTS aspects of the game rather than the gathering other than plat.

Q: Does this game have story-driven play and if so, can you give us a bit of a hint about what players might be in for when they launch this title?

James: The single player campaigns are very much story driven. You choose one of three factions to begin the campaign and the plot unfolds as you progress through the missions. In order to see the final ending you have to play through all three campaigns though.

Q: What sort of races can players control and are the technologies or abilities of each race markedly different or do they parallel each other?

James: All of the playable races from EverQuest are represented in Lords of EverQuest with humans, dark elves, dwarfs, gnomes, iksar, ogres, trolls, vah shir, frogloks, halflings, barbarians, wood elves, half elves, high elves, and erudites, as well as a few special new races like the Mogri.

Each race has its own special abilities depending on class, and much of the strategy comes in when you're building up your army for both offensive attacks, and defensive scenarios. For instance if I'm playing the Dawn Brotherhood, which lacks air-to-air units, I need to build casters with anti-air attacks if I'm fighting against the Elddar Alliance's Drake Riders, or Shadowrealm's Goblin Blitzers or T'Xol Mogri. For most abilities in the game, there is an equally cool ability for the unit performing the same job from the other factions.

Q: What kind of engine does this game use and what did that allow you to accomplish in the game?

James: Lords uses a full 3D engine developed from the ground up for this game. It's truly an accomplishment when you see the detail we've been able to achieve while keeping the frame rate at a strong level.

Q: With EverQuest being such a successful RPG series, why did you move in this direction with the franchise?

James: The time is just right to explore the EverQuest universe and since this game takes place 10,000 years before the current EQ Live game, we felt the best way to tell the story of the forgotten lost age in EQ lore was an RTS game. Plus, there are many people that have never tried EverQuest, but are into fantasy games from D&D to Lord of the Rings and an RTS game is a great way for new audiences to get a glimpse of the massive fantasy universe we've created with EverQuest.

Q: Is the musical score original, and if so, who is responsible for it?

James: The music is original, but it was definitely inspired by the excellent music we've had in our previous games. It really adds to the game, where in some games the music is a distraction. It just fits in Lords. Rob King from Greenstreet Studios in Los Angeles is the man responsible for the music.

Q: What kind of multiplayer game play does this title have?

James: Lords of EverQuest is going to be an amazing multiplayer experience and we're making sure we have a full suite of game types to please all of the fans. We already have Last Man Standing, Body Harvest (First person to reach set number of kills wins), Grim Reaper (Most kills in set period of time), Platinum Rush (Most money in set period of time), and Lord of Levels (Highest lord in set period of time). We also have a bunch of options that will give players even more choices for multiplayer including Free for All, Lock teams (no alliances after the game starts), and Fallen Empire (If you lose all buildings you are dead). Mix all of that with a ton of multiplayer maps and you've got some serious choices to get your game on.

Q: What elements do you think are essential for an evolving and rich RTS game experience, and how does Lords of EQ fit that bill?

James: Besides the obvious factors, like the game needs to be fun and graphically appealing, you have to be able to learn from the successes and failures of other games that have gone before you. There are a lot of things that other games have done right, and we've gone with some of those ideas, but where we improve on the genre most is in giving every unit importance. In some games, units are disposable and as long as you have money to keep cranking out fodder, you're still in the game. We've given each of the units the ability to become a great and powerful warrior with a unique identity, and that's more like an RPG game, but we keep strategy still as the focus.

We have a true 3D engine that allows you to move around the map and see different views of the terrain from 360 degrees. This is a huge strategic tool. I can't tell you how handy this is.

We've simplified the resource gathering component so there are only two resources to manage, platinum for building up your army, and the experience you receive from fighting. Our game is much more action-oriented than say a city building RTS game.

We've also done a lot with mounted units so the rider and the mount are treated as two separate entities. There's a lot more, but you'll have to try it and see for yourself.