Gates of Discord
Encyclopedia
EverQuest: Gates of Discord (GoD, GOD, Gates, or simply the Gates expansion) is the seventh expansion
released for EverQuest
, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG
). The expansion focused on high-level content, providing a number of zones meant to be used by large groups of players and many extremely powerful monsters to fight.
The introduction of this expansion in early 2004 was beset by numerous serious quality issues. John Smedley
, President
of Sony Online Entertainment
(SOE) has described the release of this expansion as "SOE's worst mistake in five years".
of Taelosia and expands upon the storyline introduced in Lost Dungeons of Norrath
. In GoD, the Wayfarers Brotherhood discovers a new continent across the seas from Odus, and the known areas of Norrath. The wayfarers set up a base in the new lands of Taelosia, and provide the transportation system that allows players to teleport to the new continent quickly. As players explore the storyline, they find that the former inhabitants of Taelosia have practically disappeared, and evil creatures are roaming abroad. Players are challenged by the Wayfarer Brotherhood to find out who or what is behind this new evil that now inhabits Taelosia.
The expansion features 20 new NPC models, and 18 new zones. There are 10 single-group instanced trials, 8 uninstanced exp zones, and 9 raid zones/instances. All of the zones in GoD are designed for higher level (50+) characters, and many of the raid zones require level 65 before they can zone in.
In GoD, the Berserker
character class
is also introduced. Berserkers are a melee class that use 2-handed weapons along with special class abilities to double attack and intimidate their opponents, as well as going into attack frenzies. Berserkers can both take and dish out a good amount of damage. They start off with the Corroded Axe combat skill for creating throwing axes and a 2-handed Axe, so new players can get right into combat at level 1 without delay. They also have spell-like conventional combat abilities, such as striking a target's leg to slow him down (like a snare spell), striking his head to stun him, or cutting him to make him bleed (like a Damage over Time spell).
An In-Game "Casino" was introduced in GoD as a money sink
for the players. This was in response to a serious cash exploit in the game at that time that threatened the virtual economy of the game via economic mudflation
. At the "casino", tokens are purchased from a bar maid in the Shadow Haven zone and turned in for prizes. Prizes are typically meager stat foods or gems. However, lucky players could win a golden ticket, which can be turned in for extremely rare magic items that have previously been removed from the game.
Also included was an updated tradeskill interface with numerous new recipes. Tradeskill combine containers have been upgraded to include recipe lists (which can be searched, by resulting item name or tradeskill difficulty range). The new interface also allow players to combine items without opening up inventory bags to find the components. This allows players to easily make several tradeskill combines in a short amount of time. The new tradeskill containers are available to all players, but items for the new recipes can only be found in GoD zones.
GoD introduced the tribute system, an alternate money sink the developers created to take cash out of the game system. Scattered throughout the home cities of all character races are Tribute Masters who act as vendors. Players can donate items or coin to the Tribute Masters and earn "tribute points". Tribute points can then be used to increase stats, increase resists, increase HP / mana pools or regen, or gain spell-like focus effects (water breathing, increased damage foci, improved healing foci, etc.). The abilities gained through Tribute Points are all on a timer; once activated points get deducted at a certain rate depending on what tribute effects were selected. A later expansion introduced guild Tribute points, which stack with personal Tribute Points.
Leadership Alternate Abilities (LAA) are also a new feature introduced in GoD. Similar to normal AA, Leadership AA is an Opt-In system. Once opted in, 20% of the group leaders XP will go to Leadership abilities that will enhance play when they are the leader of a group or raid. Leadership abilities include neat features like increased mana, increased hit points, increased HP regen, increased ATK, special targeting circles to help the group target the correct mob, marking a path to lost players, etc.
. Gamers perceived Gates of Discord as an unfinished product and criticized Sony Online Entertainment
(SOE). The main issues were with the rushed release that had unbeatable content at critical points of the expansion, and problems with the graphics engine which was updated at the same period. Matters came to a head when Woody Hearn, a notable gamer and cartoonist of GU Comics
website called for the boycott
of the next planned expansion Omens of War
.
When released, some of the content was nearly unplayable for most of the player base. Numerous bugs
were discovered in the game with the release of the expansion, which also updated the graphics and geometry engine. Old content seemingly unrelated to the new expansion "broke", requiring the immediate attention of the new developers or online guides and GMs
. One explanation offered is that during expansion developments there was a "changing of the guard" in the staff at SOE, leading or contributing to these issues. It was also revealed that a management mistake had been made in which some of the content was meant for the next tier cap of player levels - level 70. A SOE game developer confirmed that SOE designed Gates of Discord with level 70 in mind, but SOE did not include the planned tier cap increase from 65. This management mistake ensured that several critical points of the expansion were unbeatable by most players at that time, both for single groups and raids. Whatever the cause, these issues were eventually addressed, but too late to prevent controversy.
Several "uberguilds" (highly powerful and influential groups of players), including Fires of Heaven, Afterlife, Ascent, and Keepers of the Faith, departed from EverQuest around this time. Many of these players acted as beta testers for World of Warcraft
, which was in development for release later in the year, although by spring of 2005 some returned. This possibly had something to do with EQ becoming a game with fairer competition due to instanced raids. For example, the Fires of Heaven guild failed to complete even the first tier of raids in Gates of Discord and losing elite status understandably helped to motivate their later departure.
In response to player criticism, SOE organized a summit
in the summer of 2004 to hear the main concerns of the playerbase towards Gates of Discord and EverQuest in general. The summit's guests included influential players and gamers from guild leaderships and fan websites, notably among them Hearn (of GU Comics). SOE also delayed the release the next expansion Omens of War by several months to give time for the GoD quality issues to be addressed.
Instanced zones
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
released for EverQuest
EverQuest
EverQuest, often shortened to EQ, is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that was released on the 16th of March, 1999. The original design is credited to Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover, and Bill Trost...
, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
). The expansion focused on high-level content, providing a number of zones meant to be used by large groups of players and many extremely powerful monsters to fight.
The introduction of this expansion in early 2004 was beset by numerous serious quality issues. John Smedley
John Smedley (developer)
John Smedley was a computer game programmer, Product Development Director and is now President of Sony Online Entertainment since 2002.Smedley was involved with the creation and development of the original EverQuest and was co-founder of Verant Interactive, Inc., which became Sony Online...
, President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment is a game development and game publishing division of Sony that is best known for creating massively multiplayer online games, including EverQuest, EverQuest II, The Matrix Online, PlanetSide, Star Wars Galaxies, Free Realms, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, DC Universe...
(SOE) has described the release of this expansion as "SOE's worst mistake in five years".
General information
The GoD expansion takes place on the continentContinent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
of Taelosia and expands upon the storyline introduced in Lost Dungeons of Norrath
Lost Dungeons of Norrath
EverQuest: Lost Dungeons of Norrath was the sixth expansion pack for the EverQuest MMORPG. It was made available as a digital download in September 2003...
. In GoD, the Wayfarers Brotherhood discovers a new continent across the seas from Odus, and the known areas of Norrath. The wayfarers set up a base in the new lands of Taelosia, and provide the transportation system that allows players to teleport to the new continent quickly. As players explore the storyline, they find that the former inhabitants of Taelosia have practically disappeared, and evil creatures are roaming abroad. Players are challenged by the Wayfarer Brotherhood to find out who or what is behind this new evil that now inhabits Taelosia.
The expansion features 20 new NPC models, and 18 new zones. There are 10 single-group instanced trials, 8 uninstanced exp zones, and 9 raid zones/instances. All of the zones in GoD are designed for higher level (50+) characters, and many of the raid zones require level 65 before they can zone in.
In GoD, the Berserker
Berserker
Berserkers were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested in numerous Old Norse sources...
character class
Character class
In role-playing games, a common method of arbitrating the capabilities of different game characters is to assign each one to a character class. A character class aggregates several abilities and aptitudes, and may also sometimes detail aspects of background and social standing or impose behaviour...
is also introduced. Berserkers are a melee class that use 2-handed weapons along with special class abilities to double attack and intimidate their opponents, as well as going into attack frenzies. Berserkers can both take and dish out a good amount of damage. They start off with the Corroded Axe combat skill for creating throwing axes and a 2-handed Axe, so new players can get right into combat at level 1 without delay. They also have spell-like conventional combat abilities, such as striking a target's leg to slow him down (like a snare spell), striking his head to stun him, or cutting him to make him bleed (like a Damage over Time spell).
An In-Game "Casino" was introduced in GoD as a money sink
Gold sink
Gold sink is an economic process by which a video game's ingame currency , or any item that can be valued against it, is removed. Most commonly the genres are role-playing game or massively multiplayer online game...
for the players. This was in response to a serious cash exploit in the game at that time that threatened the virtual economy of the game via economic mudflation
Mudflation
Mudflation, from MUD and inflation, is an economic issue that exists only in massively multiplayer online games. Mudflation occurs when future additions to a game causes previously acquired resources to decline in value...
. At the "casino", tokens are purchased from a bar maid in the Shadow Haven zone and turned in for prizes. Prizes are typically meager stat foods or gems. However, lucky players could win a golden ticket, which can be turned in for extremely rare magic items that have previously been removed from the game.
Also included was an updated tradeskill interface with numerous new recipes. Tradeskill combine containers have been upgraded to include recipe lists (which can be searched, by resulting item name or tradeskill difficulty range). The new interface also allow players to combine items without opening up inventory bags to find the components. This allows players to easily make several tradeskill combines in a short amount of time. The new tradeskill containers are available to all players, but items for the new recipes can only be found in GoD zones.
GoD introduced the tribute system, an alternate money sink the developers created to take cash out of the game system. Scattered throughout the home cities of all character races are Tribute Masters who act as vendors. Players can donate items or coin to the Tribute Masters and earn "tribute points". Tribute points can then be used to increase stats, increase resists, increase HP / mana pools or regen, or gain spell-like focus effects (water breathing, increased damage foci, improved healing foci, etc.). The abilities gained through Tribute Points are all on a timer; once activated points get deducted at a certain rate depending on what tribute effects were selected. A later expansion introduced guild Tribute points, which stack with personal Tribute Points.
Leadership Alternate Abilities (LAA) are also a new feature introduced in GoD. Similar to normal AA, Leadership AA is an Opt-In system. Once opted in, 20% of the group leaders XP will go to Leadership abilities that will enhance play when they are the leader of a group or raid. Leadership abilities include neat features like increased mana, increased hit points, increased HP regen, increased ATK, special targeting circles to help the group target the correct mob, marking a path to lost players, etc.
Controversy
Many players and reviewers were dissatisfied by the Gates of Discord expansion; some claimed it was thus far the worst EverQuest expansion, or at least the worst since The Shadows of LuclinThe Shadows of Luclin
EverQuest: The Shadows of Luclin is the third expansion released for EverQuest, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game...
. Gamers perceived Gates of Discord as an unfinished product and criticized Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment is a game development and game publishing division of Sony that is best known for creating massively multiplayer online games, including EverQuest, EverQuest II, The Matrix Online, PlanetSide, Star Wars Galaxies, Free Realms, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, DC Universe...
(SOE). The main issues were with the rushed release that had unbeatable content at critical points of the expansion, and problems with the graphics engine which was updated at the same period. Matters came to a head when Woody Hearn, a notable gamer and cartoonist of GU Comics
GU Comics
GU Comics is a single panel webcomic written, drawn, and colored by William "Woody" Hearn. Established July 10, 2000 and launched August 15, 2000, GU is published, free, five times a week on its own web site...
website called for the boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
of the next planned expansion Omens of War
Omens of War
EverQuest: Omens of War, often abbreviated as OOW or Omens, is the eighth expansion released for EverQuest, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game...
.
When released, some of the content was nearly unplayable for most of the player base. Numerous bugs
Software bug
A software bug is the common term used to describe an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways. Most bugs arise from mistakes and errors made by people in either a program's...
were discovered in the game with the release of the expansion, which also updated the graphics and geometry engine. Old content seemingly unrelated to the new expansion "broke", requiring the immediate attention of the new developers or online guides and GMs
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
. One explanation offered is that during expansion developments there was a "changing of the guard" in the staff at SOE, leading or contributing to these issues. It was also revealed that a management mistake had been made in which some of the content was meant for the next tier cap of player levels - level 70. A SOE game developer confirmed that SOE designed Gates of Discord with level 70 in mind, but SOE did not include the planned tier cap increase from 65. This management mistake ensured that several critical points of the expansion were unbeatable by most players at that time, both for single groups and raids. Whatever the cause, these issues were eventually addressed, but too late to prevent controversy.
Several "uberguilds" (highly powerful and influential groups of players), including Fires of Heaven, Afterlife, Ascent, and Keepers of the Faith, departed from EverQuest around this time. Many of these players acted as beta testers for World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, which was in development for release later in the year, although by spring of 2005 some returned. This possibly had something to do with EQ becoming a game with fairer competition due to instanced raids. For example, the Fires of Heaven guild failed to complete even the first tier of raids in Gates of Discord and losing elite status understandably helped to motivate their later departure.
In response to player criticism, SOE organized a summit
Summit (meeting)
A summit meeting is a meeting of heads of state or government, usually with considerable media exposure, tight security and a prearranged agenda.Notable summit meetings include those of Franklin D...
in the summer of 2004 to hear the main concerns of the playerbase towards Gates of Discord and EverQuest in general. The summit's guests included influential players and gamers from guild leaderships and fan websites, notably among them Hearn (of GU Comics). SOE also delayed the release the next expansion Omens of War by several months to give time for the GoD quality issues to be addressed.
Zones
- Abysmal Sea - location of The Queen of Thorns which serves as a city
- Barindu - The Hanging Gardens
- Ferubi - Forgotten Temple of Taelosia
- Kod'Taz - Broken Trial Grounds
- Natimbi - The Broken Shores
- Nedaria's Landing
- Qinimi - Court of Nihilia
- Qvic - Prayer Grounds of Calling
- Riwwi - Coliseum of Games
- Txevu - Lair of the Elites
- Yxtta - Pulpit of Exiles
Instanced zones
- Ikkinz - Antechamber of Destruction
- Inktu'ta, the Unmasked Chapel
- Sewers of Nihilia - Emanating Crematory
- Sewers of Nihilia - Lair of Trapped Ones
- Sewers of Nihilia - Pool of Sludge
- Sewers of Nihilia - Purifying Plant
- Tacvi, Seat of the Slaver
- Tipt - The Treacherous Crags
- Uqua - the Ocean God Chantry
- Vxed - The Crumbling Caverns