I've Been Absolutely No Lifing a New MMORPG - Pantheon Rise of the Fallen

[@Reoh0z]

> "An entire guild sprung up on this server that's the postal service!" That old mmo world charm. Love that stuff.

[@Dwarfurious]

i wonder if this is the Pos'thal order

[@venumus1]

Hey that's me. Urps would like to thank you for your patronage.. I would like to clarify I am more of a post office/pobox and less of a courier I want people to have comfort in the fact I never leave the bank steps(unless depositing tips)

[@Electrify928]

Is it Urps?

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

now for the gambling hall or musicians or traveling merchants to barter with and hear stories from far away places and my personal fav the breakdancing dorf, spamming emote macro at just the right time to break the animations into a dance

[@maxerica69]

@@venumus1 how do you level up then? dont you get days off or something? work in shifts?

[@DraekosTV]

This game is dangerous. I login at 10pm after the kids are in bed, plan to play for 1-2 hours, then I look up and it's already 4am and work starts in 3 hours. 90 hours in and struggling to put this down and get my sleep schedule back in order.

[@killval849]

what class you enjoy the most? I had an absolute joy playing enchanter in group earlier.

[@udirt]

Haha, this

[@vforwombat9915]

"This game is dangerous. " ikr? i left it alone and it killed my cat.

[@DraekosTV]

@@vforwombat9915 RIP 🥺

[@DraekosTV]

@@killval849 I'm playing a DarkMyr Summoner which is way outside my comfort zone (I usually play a Wood Elf Druid or Ranger 99.9% of the time). But to answer your question, the Summoner is just so flippin fun to me right now 😁 love everything about them AND I just got my level 12 spell "summon corpse" so I'm going around from bind stone to bind stone offering to summon people's corpses so they don't have to do a corpse run. I love utility classes and this fits my play style perfectly just helping out random strangers.

[@trashmyego]

Welp, you sold me that I will likely absolutely love my time with Pantheon. I guess I'll be picking it up and spending the next couple days no lifing. The game is looking great.

[@jn2400]

I could get a college degree in the amount of time it would take me to skin an animal in this game.

[@anotheryoutubed]

and both would be equally as worthless.

[@CornBreadtm1]

@@anotheryoutubed This guy gets it. The important things in life are how you feel about the time spent. Not what you get out of the time spent. Getting a college degree has no benefit outside of manipulating others image of you. It does nothing to change your own self image. You're still the same person you were before you got that piece of paper. If you spend that same time skinning a load of wolves in a video game, people would have a very different opinion of you, and it would be equally as effective in changing your own self image. Getting the degree would feel good in that moment. But the time spend getting it would be a forgettable slough. But in the same vein you can hear the nostalgia in Splats voice for a game he played 20 years ago and it had a tangible and positive effect on him. Way more than just getting something from a university for giving them loads of your time and money would give you. I'm simply speaking as a 35 year old guy who played these kinds of games and got my degree a decade ago. I have fonder memories of returning to FFXI in college and the release of FF14 1.0 towards the end of my degree than actually being in school. I can barely remember being in class. But I do remember grind chains for hours while I fell asleep in group calls talking to my linkpearl guildies.

[@dustinvanwinkle5078]

Most old school mmos are this slow paced tbf. I kinda like it since it pushes me to try my typical no craft challenge an see if I can find gear for myself without having any battle prep.

[@kool9174]

@@CornBreadtm1You are very silly! The are countless things you can spend your time doing and they all would be more meaningful than playing video games or watching movies. The biggest waste of time in this life come in the form of entertainment. Especially movies and games but if you are happy then great but don’t go around making silly comments like it all about enjoying the time you spend on things. I could say the same for people who drink all day, or smoke all day. They are definitely having the time of their lives but is it productive? You silly wise guys on the net amuse me

[@jasonlucia6682]

@@kool9174 Viewing the value of a life through the lens of productivity is a recipe for misery. Your self worth is hinged on your position in the social hierarchy. "if you are happy then great but don’t go around making silly comments" You project condescension and perceived self-superiority. I suggest you heed your own advice.

[@Haunting1981]

Me and two friends (made in game over the past week) took it upon ourselves to run from Wilds End to Thronefast today. The road was perilous. We were nervous because of the consequences of death in a world without a map and mobs that could kill you without much effort. We took it slow; hiding from enemies, stopping at night time, over mountains and through forrests. The sense of relief and accomplishment when we finally hit the bind stone in AVP was too great for words. Best time ive had in a game in a long time. If you dont mind being social in games and like a challenge, this game is for you. I know i will be playing this for years to come.

[@Fenrisulfr72]

My wife did that run today with her lvl 4 elf, failed 7 times before she made it, the joy she felt when she finaly made it was just fantastic to see and hear, and now she can group with my human char :)

[@jlarosee]

My bro and I did the same run. We lost him to the pill wolves... RIP.

[@Haunting1981]

@jlarosee aww shit, the good n' plenty wolves? Lol no bueno

[@TheFitDragon]

How is that fun? Does everything agro and have no indicator of level compared to you?

[@DanMProductionsBois]

This sounds really fun. Having to stop at night... to ... "hide". Lol

[@_FirstLast_]

These IN-WORLD dungeons without instancing or zone lines remind me a hell of a lot of Vanguard. It was made by the creator of EQ and eventually also purchased by Sony but this time to defund and kill the project so it didn't compete with EQ. Vanguard had a 20s level giant ant hill in the ground dungeon that you could eventually kill the prince and queen etc. at the bottom. Extremely fun and easy to get lost in. No in game map, just your game knowledge and experience as a guide for the next party. Fighting down for an hour to reach a camp where you farm Named spawns for a few more hours was a blast ... just living in their dungeon for a few hours while you harvest them for resources.

[@brianlynchehaun7079]

Sounds like you're referring to Brad McQuaid, who made this game, and who Splat mentioned at the start of the video. ;)

[@CPcamaro]

Yes this appears to be the third time Brad has made EQ.

[@temijinkahn511]

Vanguard was a great game that needed more love. I hope someone buys it and revives it. I would much cheaper than building from scratch.

[@teroril]

You know what's insane? Pantheon has better kinaesthetics/gamefeel than Vanguard did. It doesn't feel sluggish, there isn't much if any input lag, it doesn't feel like you're wading through molasses while playing. There are some great animators on the team behind the game. Some of it is a little janky (like basic attack animations and walking/running animations), not as much as Project Gorgon, though! But button presses just feel good in the game.

[@birdo1180]

I remember Vanguard. Such a good game but unfortunately fell off hard because of all the performance issues.

[@chrism3562]

I'd forgotten about this title until TheLazyPeon did a Let's Play video this week, and now Splatty is playing. As an EQ player turned WoW player I am interested.

[@lazypeon9158]

If you like the old school EQ vibe and can handle a little bit of jank it's surprisingly fun! I've been no lifing it too since EA started a week ago.

[@j.d.6915]

East Commonland Tunnel forever! I actually played a bit of EQ a few weeks ago, lots of fun, still in noob area though.

[@reka10]

Honestly, it's kinda sus how many people suddenly covering this game. Seems like an undisclosed sponsorship on some of the creators specially ones that don't usually cover them.

[@Jgregoire108]

If you were an EQ player turned WoW player, then this is absolutely the game catered for you!

[@AaronQ64]

​@reka10 It just hit EA and a lot of youtubers job is to either cover early/indie games(like splat) or that cover mmos period like lazypeon

[@Baraz_Red]

My thought on realism : a person, in that world, could draw a map and sell it. A player could therefore become a renowned cartographer. So while I think no free map to start can be a good design, why not allow players to create curated maps in-game? (with moderation) Otherwise, folks revert to using an Internet browser of course.

[@gowankommando]

Where is Lum the Mad when we need him, lol

[@cps3119]

@@Baraz_Red STRONGLY agree. We need cartography bad in a game like this. Otherwise it all gets done by people outside the game world anyway.

[@slandshark]

I read that devs plan to implement cartography in the future.

[@Baraz_Red]

@@slandshark :O Oh, wow. I admit my surprise.

[@albyfrank9636]

this is how i feel. also i am directionally challenged. i won't pay for this until something like this happens. seems like a fun game for people who have their bearings. i do not, and rely on a map.

[@CHEFPKR]

The fact that there is a player made postal service makes this amazing. Let the players make the world

[@Colancio]

Dire Lord is a tank, it's basically a blood dk from wow, lots of shields and self healing through damage and they can't use shields

[@darkholyPL]

Btw, I love how Splat is just explaining the game, and at 15:25 theres a random guy called 'Deadlyfarts' running along xD

[@Elidrys]

and at 19:24 Doodoobutt

[@fatguyfrommy8421]

i have never purchased a game so quickly in my life. I miss this type of MMORPG

[@Trendle222]

how much is it??

[@JayRose777]

40 bucks US. No idea about how the subscription is gonna work, or if they’re even gonna have one.

[@mountainmover777]

@@JayRose777 There will be a subscription at it's formal release if it is to succeed, it's just a matter of how much. Also, there will be wipes before they release a subscription plan. The devs have already said as much. Unfortunately a lot of people now playing don't understand this, and thinking they are making permanent progress. A lot of these people are going to become embittered when this inevitably happens if the developers don't make this more known.

[@yooowhatupribs]

​@@mountainmover777 i can't find any source on anything you just said

[@FUGoogle-w5s]

@@yooowhatupribs steam trailer?

[@davefinfrock3324]

Ah, EQnext. I've been watching this one for years. It's tempting, but I also know what I'm getting into. Again. I'm not sure I have the time anymore for this sort of game, but I'm glad one is being made. The nostalgia is strong, but I recall all too well the time investment. You know, just you and 71 of your closest friends on a nice 8 hour tour of the local raid dungeon.

[@kael13]

Christ.. EQNext, I remember that. The game that taught me not to stride right into Early Access games.

[@davefinfrock3324]

@@kael13 There were...hopes. It's been tried repeatedly to recreate EQ--catch that lightning in a bottle again. This one might, maybe, just possibly might be around awhile. I'm still watching this.

[@niteshadepromises]

Yeah maybe too old for this shit at this point!

[@mauree1618]

I like MMOs that encourage people to be known and have a reputation.

[@MaitreMechant]

best type of mmos

[@ericwilliams6515]

New world did this and it failed, but I’m pretty sure it’s because it was pvp related

[@ClassNCool]

FYI this is an Early Access development build and not a soft launch. Once it launches it will be a proper full release.

[@asteldiancaliskan4544]

In its current state, I would say most old school players will find 50+ hours of fun to be had even as an unfinished game and is well worth playing. For those who are not familiar with the old school, this game may still end up being awesome, but you are probably better off waiting until the game is closer to actual release because without the nostalgia, all the unfinished and clunkiness would probably just be too annoying right now (things like clunky UI is on the list to be improved, char creation, lore etc.) but when the game is release ready it will hopefully be a smooth old fashioned game which can appeal to those who missed out on the golden age of MMOs

[@brianlynchehaun7079]

On the one hand, this seems interesting. On the other: as an original EQ1 player, the name "Brad McQuaid" raises the hair on the back of my neck (and not in a good way). In addition: "this is an old school game" is often cover for "we couldn't be arsed making a decent UI". This is currently the case (the UI is ass, eg the lack of level-sorting for spells at a vendor), so... we'll see. This is currently CA$52. EQ2 is free. Anyone wanting old school jank doesn't need to pay to get it.

[@mattstansbeary3068]

He Talking EverQuest 1 Not that No Named Sequel they Release in 2004 (Yes I'm talking about EverQuest 2) Remember the old Players are Calling Pantheon EverQuest 2 so you can guess How this is going to be how you can feel about it. EQ2, WOW or anything like that I say Either Wait or Head right into Ashes of Creation & Yes you have the same old feeling they talk about here but made a Tiny bit better (Corpse runs "Check" if you have stuff on you it left on an Ash pile where you Died, Besides that there more Bind points & A Map It even shows you "GOD FORBID" where you Died) Oh Sorry yeah Pantheon if you want or need a Map Google Pantheon Map because they don't have it in Game. As far as Grouping goes it's the Same in Both Games (Your Level, Class & LFG) Yes your going to Need to Do that a lot in Both. P.S. Sorry for the GOD Forbid part but We are Talking Pantheon Vs Ashes of Creation & EQ1 Players that go you want a Map get a piece of Paper and a Pen. This is why they Don't play EQ1 Now since there is a Map in Game.

[@HallyVee]

Remember that EQ 1 and 2 are as different as night and day, or as different as eq1 and world of warcraft. Eq2 and wow were specifically made to casualize the genre. This is a throwback specifically before that point. The significantly more hardcore RPG experience.

[@Varadiio]

I think the general public who weren't "in the know" claiming to be huge EQ fans don't know about McQuaid's drug addiction problems and many escapades to fund said problems.

[@HallyVee]

@@Varadiio to the contrary, I think that's pretty well-known, I think most people just don't care. It's not really my business. If a game comes out, I play it. If it doesn't, okay.

[@Varadiio]

@@HallyVee If a game is lead by someone who has no business being in charge of such a project (and you can see what former coworkers say about McQuaid's work), I am going to mention it. A game "coming out" is not any kind of praise, and shouldn't be. Is the game any good? If you're spending money on a game, just because it comes out, you are ruining the industry for other people who actually want to play something good.

[@vwlssnvwls3262]

I provided my support to this back in 2016, and it is nice to finally get in and play it. I like it, even though there are a few things I wish were different.

[@MypersonalURL]

This is pre alpha, provide feedback to your content creators and the lead dev/disc on what you wish was different/ may need qol. if enough people ask the devs will add it.

[@silentouch4371]

Yo, I too have lost my corpse on the bottom of the ocean between continents. This game looks sick.

[@David-x7g5v]

Bro, I found my body 3 days later on this game on a cliff

[@DraekosTV]

If any of you are on Black Moon and need me to summon your corpse, send me a tell in game "Fishy". At level 12 we summoners can summon corpses and I'm constantly offering free help to anyone in need. Hmu

[@illegal.anglo88]

@@DraekosTV Can summoners summon their own corpses out of curiosity?

[@DraekosTV]

@@illegal.anglo88 hey I just tested it and yes, Summoner can summon their own corpse. Life is good 😊

[@Yes-sw8gh]

@@DraekosTV That is the dumbest thing ever. "summoning" a corpse. This whole game is a fraud, 40$ and then you get to pay them monthly after you've beta tested the product for them.

[@msolomonii9825]

Didn't expect Splatty to touch on this game, didn't even know Splatty had been a old school EQ player, damn. Play Project Quarm myself these days. Have watched this project across the so very many years it's been in development. After alllll the many, many years this still has so-very-far to go.

[@pheralanpathfinder4897]

A key to enjoying a game like this is to join a good, or at least big, guild ASAP. The advice is a huge benefit, being able to schedule activities in advance saves time searching for the right party. But its the friendships that you form which will be remembered for decades!

[@shadowlooter156]

MO2 resmebles this game in the type of niche hardcore it wants to go for. Put 2k hours in MO2, so i tried this game, and it honestly just gave me a bit of a nostalgic feeling with the old school MMORPG genre. It's fun for a bit, but it's probably just going to get to 1k players and stay there for the dedicated players and supporters. If you do buy the game, you will get your money's worth if it is the type of game you enjoy, but I can't see it sustaining itself for long

[@JTPerp]

1k players? Works for me 😂

[@hanswurst2923]

​@@JTPerp1k players means there's no money to sustain the game's upkeep costs, let alone any kind of development.

[@JTPerp]

@hanswurst2923 It's okay. We made it this far so far, and 1k steady players on a server would be perfect 👌 Assuming of the 1k on at any given time consists of 10k subscribers @ 10 a month will be 1.2 mil a year for their small dev team.

[@DMT-ix9zj]

I used to love these types of games many years ago. But now old and retired sadly i just can't seem to get into them anymore. Took 20 sec. to mine that ore. thats brutal.

[@little0ff]

The fact that it takes a long time to mine that ore makes upgrading your mining pick valuable. That’s what is missing from modern MMOs: they have removed any inconveniences to the point that everything becomes quick and easy, which takes away the sense of progression and investment in a character. It may seem like a small, tedious thing, but having to spend time crafting a better pickaxe or doing the gathering quests to get a better pickaxe adds depth to the experience. Edit: it took me a little time to detox from the dopamine-fueled loot piñata experience of WoW, but after playing Pantheon for awhile I am enjoying the slower pace. You should give it a try.

[@Undertaker257]

So you retired and became a zoomer now?

[@alexmiesch4423]

Yep what little said, incentivise you to get better tools (which makes a huge difference) or pay someone else for their hard work and build the player economy. No matter which way you cut it you have to try a little bit, of course trying and not just automatically receiving is not for everyone.

[@Dethmeister]

10:37 That bridge looks straight out of Everquest 2. I have a screenshot of me standing there in EQ2 somewhere.

[@StarseedResistance]

Some of the same devs made this game dude

[@nickbowerman1197]

Qeynos Gates

[@JTPerp]

Dropping items on the ground to transfer to your alt, praying it's still there when you switch characters. This sprouted transfer services in Everquest. 😂

[@MadManDan-MMD]

devs, Please "Wild Buck" not "wild buck"

[@saltymcbutthurt-ym1ft]

100% not interested in MMOs, but it's a Splat video, so it gets a watch and a like all the same.

[@trashman1358]

Isn't it crazy? I've sunk so much of my spare time into MMO's. Started with DaoC. But now? Looking at this? It fills me with fear and dread. Why? It's just a job. When I think of all the time and effort - all I feel is fear and dread. Wow, I'm so surprised at my reaction to this video. 0:45 seconds in and NOPE! Guess my MMO days are over... But for all of you diving in? Have fun!

[@CosmicIceCream]

Yeah, as soon as I saw that (completely arbitrary) 20 second mining time, I was like "nope".

[@xLambadix]

Really? I always felt that the modern take with daily and weekly quests to farm and a big flashing arrow pointing you in the right direction is what makes a game feel like a job. Things like that kill the fun for me because your brain just shuts off and you just wait for the flashy guidance to click on a certain button at a certain time. And if you don't do it every day (like in a job) you feel like you are missing out. Which is exactly what these studios want. They want to bind you to the game with these psychological tricks. It doesn't feel good at all when doint it. You just feel bad if you don't do it. This game here sure takes a lot of time, but the immersion is huge. It doesn't matter that the pace is so slow, because everything feels more meaningful and you actually have to think about what you are doing. Also regarding the harvesting time, it is as Splatter said. You upgrade your tools to reduce that time. It isn't just long to waste your time, but it is meant to create a sense of achievement when you upgrade it.

[@darrenpellichino2923]

Ahh the corpse run. My wife got booted while on the Everquest boat between Quenos and Freeport, her body was at the bottom of the ocean. There was something really different with EQ.

[@ericwallhagen3146]

I remember this happening to me as well.

[@darrenpellichino2923]

@@ericwallhagen3146 hehe yes it's quite a memorable experience. Thanks for the reply, have a great new year =)

[@SebastianSkadisson]

Wow, somebody finally made the game that AAA devs always promise us when they talk about "player driven online RPGs".

[@Fat_Adam]

So glad to see this game getting some coverage, its bare bones atm. But its very solid bare bones, i've been having a blast with it.

[@danield-h1j]

If you decide to play this make sure you start in thronefast the same zone in this video. If you start in Wilds End the purple forest your going to find its really hard to get a grp above lvl 10 and making the walk to the other zone is near impossible. Also finding a class you like will be a big part of your enjoyment as they are very different. Typical group play is basically standing still in one location and someone pulling mobs to you and your generally fighting 6v1 against the mobs. Its very static. Having said that I got 4 mains :D

[@spatialdistortion223]

grp?

[@justcd89]

​@@spatialdistortion223lol age showing

[@danield-h1j]

@@spatialdistortion223 group :)

[@sidraket]

once you learn the way its not that hard, takes about a half hour. Running across the continent at a low level is one of the things i miss, that satisfaction when you make it. ive ran like 3 elves to thronefast. I actually prefer wilds end for low levels, their skeles and gekos are good grinding. forest was really confusing and easy to get lost in at first though

[@Haunting1981]

I just ran from WE to TF. Wasn't that bad. People are making it out to be worse than it is.

[@loveless131]

I am sorta in the middle ground. I was around for the old school, but some modern quality of life stuff is sorta non negotiable for me. I'll look again when it is in its final form though.

[@EB-bl6cc]

Same. Direction looks good, but it's soo raw and unfinished that I don't see any point in jumping in now when there's plenty of other games to play/things to do. Would rather wait until the game is actually finished or at least close to it

[@Thorcat001]

I’m an OG EQ player. I love this game

[@JakeRichards414]

glad youre enjoying it too!!

[@tunuh]

5:30 video starts

[@learninganimation2023]

This game looks better than Ashes of Creation.

[@mysteryblankdspace4342]

Great video Splatt! Fun to come back to our gaming roots. I'm excited for this game. And others that might follow. Your dwarf out there looking like his shirt too small tho....

[@christian_gamer_guy6447]

For what it's worth, I don't need you to ONLY cover indy games. Cover what you're interested in! Cover what seems good.

[@kevinreeves345]

Doraleous the dwarven Paladin Master blacksmith of the Ermos(0) server here... I love this I'm so glad this game type came back after EQ. Yes, extremely long wait time and development time but still I play with my entire family, (myself, my mother, father in-law, brother in-law, and my sister) a group of 5 ppl and we grind for hours and hours on end. We all have our own crafting and combat skills and rolls for the group and love it! Even the quirks and bugs are fun and challenging to traverse. I kit my whole group with the best armor and weapons my skills can produce while the others do the same with positions, provisions, fletching/carpentry, jewelry, leather and tailoring and more. It's really awesome how these mechanics take place and are essential in progressing to certain extents.

[@andrewhasissues]

I was SHOCKED that the player named "DOODOOBUTT" wasn't Splat! :D

[@myfavoriteviewer306]

I saw a "deadlyfart" running by and thought, "If Splat is running past, who's playing the game" 😂

[@Thennix]

Looks quite intresting for me that played Dark Age of Camelot alot back in the day, but have I understod it right in this EA there will be character wipes ? For if so I wont start until that phase is over.

[@crazedmonk8u]

This was a very good in depth video on the game, that said. I wouldn't play it since it has two conflicting design elements. to echo what you said in the 3-4 min mark which hit the nail on the head. "Successor to EQ" to me means. EQ but more solo friendly- similiar to what current EQ is now with mercs with some QOL attached. doesn't have to be major stuff, just small stuff like skill presets for easy swapping, It was re-inforced by 1. no overworld map and 2. crafting your own gear. but then you have elements of highly incentivized overworld grouping to clear spots for good resource nodes, various enemy camps etc. i can only imagine the headache later on if the best way to level- or really the only way- was to group up to kill mobs like in EQ. combine that with no overworld map , it will make it very difficult to sync up with people- especially if you are different races you might not even see each other naturally. I mean there is a reason why the #1 most popular addon for EQ is a better, heavily detailed, map! so while i think its a nice idea to not have a map- its just kinda ironic they mention EQ without realizing that vast majority of EQ players used map addons cause the ingame map was traaaash and they didnt want to deal with it. this introduces a more hardcore mindset of players. which contradicts "Successor to EQ" since that would mean its basically EQ with a different coat of paint. and the leave your stuff on death and have to find it again while also trying to not get stuck in a death cycle from mob with huge aggro ranges, can move faster then you, and have severe leash distances is a total trash mechanic. if they added some QOl to where you were idk immune/invisible to mobs until you get your stuff back then i would give it a try. the walk back and xp loss is fair enough.

[@hystorix9031]

There are auto play MMOs you might enjoy

[@chadwaldrop2378]

What’s it like to live life in constant fear of living your life?

[@hijikata530]

Sounds like this game isn't for you man.

[@crazedmonk8u]

@hystorix9031 your comment offered nothing of value, finding a personality and learning how to engage in constructive criticism should be what your doing.

[@crazedmonk8u]

@chadwaldrop2378 ?? your comment offered nothing of value, finding a personality and learning how to engage in constructive criticism should be what your doing.

[@KurganGrey]

Great video! ..Just want to mention for those that want to know, lore is a thing in Pantheon, and will get implemented with time - Perception, Discover clues, dialogues, and outcomes that change based on your adventures and the choices you’ve made along the way. Hone your intuition to see the world in ways others cannot and unravel the mystery with the Perception System. And also iirc map will be implemented as well, but it will not have a GPS, it will be fog of war and hopefully other interesting features to it.

[@krisnayosep7121]

"implemented in time" idk how long that will be...... this is scam game, where dev just milk ppls with hope and sweet talk

[@KurganGrey]

​@@krisnayosep7121 I don't know where you get that idea from, They patching regular and have pushing out new updates regular since January -24 ..But as it been said many times now, Pantheon rise of the Fallen isn't for everyone, and that is ok ..Just curious, how much content do they need to push out, for you to not call it a scam?

[@markalot]

It will be interesting to see if this game succeeds. Quality of life features were added as the core audience got older and had less time. XP loss will never be a good idea again, though I'm sure there's a thousand or so people out there who love it. :)

[@Yes-sw8gh]

40$ to beta test a game that is not even close to being finished, an MMO that relies on a playerbase, that is now being locked behind 40$ as an entry and then monthly fees afterwards, will NOT succeed. Its dead on arrival.

[@eric9822]

While the game looks interesting, I find it more interesting that "poop socking" is a phrase. Thanks for consistently having great videos. :)

[@loveless131]

I've been racking my brain trying to wrap my head around that phrase. I can't figure it out. Is it like, you like something so much you continue doing it till it runs down your leg and into your sock? Do other people say this phrase? Am I too east coast to understand? I am sure I could google it, but like this game, some things you just need to work out on your own or with others facing the same struggle.

[@FableV]

@@loveless131It’s an old EQ turn of phrase. There were mobs that had multiple hour (or day) respawn timers, and some of those even had placeholder mobs that could spawn instead. Even further, some had variable spawn windows, so you couldn’t just set a timer and come back. Because of all this, people would just stay in one place for days, not wanting to miss any possible chance of this rare monster spawning. The joke is that they’re pooping in socks because they can’t leave the keyboard to go to the bathroom and risk losing the camp.

[@loveless131]

@FableV Ah, I didn't play EQ. Thanks! That sounds awful haha.

[@Haz-Zzz]

Wait did splat mention poopsocking? idk if it was around back in 99-03 when Everquest shined the most, but it sure was around on p99 the first few years before kunark.

[@eblingus]

So it’s the Elite Dangerous of MMOs

[@HallyVee]

Sorry, in what way? I can see a few parallels certainly; an old legend creates a new throwback, something built for the significantly higher risk to reward ratio crowd, as well as significantly slower pace.

[@jstock2317]

some people are saying it's the Souls MMO. me im saying that.

[@HallyVee]

@jstock2317 now THAT could help combat the flood of trolls...

[@inkibusss]

I very briefly played early FFXI on dial up as a kid, so I only have a slight amount of nostalgia for the genre. I've been playing for 5 hours or so and I'm really enjoying making my own fun by jumping through hoops just to make my first shield

[@lpe943]

Good review, you have very good insight and knowledge of gaming !

[@luckyjinxer]

This has been in progress for like a decade and its original founder died in that period- the fact that they managed to produce a playable game is insane.

[@richardp2267]

I know I'd never get the old EC tunnel trading feel nostalgia I had back in the day, but I may give it a try.

[@junosynth]

Even the chat window look like the Everquest font. Lol. The game Looks good!

[@funasylumstudio]

First. This game has been in development for a LONG TIME. As far as I can remember it was meant to be a spiritual successor to Everquest?

[@aelix56]

It has been it's the main reason I won't purchase it tbh. Such a long development time and so little to show feels like a red flag to me.

[@jamesturner2410]

Yeah in a way, more of a EQ redo for modern times

[@Otazihs]

Yup, its been in development for a while now. And yes, they are trying to follow the coattails of the "classic MMOs of the olden days" which is a big no to me. Games evolved for a reason, and I ain't about to go back. Shit, while I have nostalgia for those old days I just don't want to relieve that pain and suffering, because that's exactly what it was. Everything took forever, everything was punishing, there was no respect for the player's time, everything had to be done in groups, looking back, it was just not good. The whole "social MMO" term, it was social because you literally had nothing else to do but BE social, you were constantly waiting on some bullshit so you talked to people while doing those things. Making and maintaining a group was a pain in the ass. I took those rose tinted glasses off a long time ago. I mean just look at vanilla WoW, that game had WAY more respect for your time than the likes of Everquest and FInal Fantasy XI, and I STILL won't go back to WoW Classic, been there done that, I was there at ground zero, I don't want to go back.

[@StarseedResistance]

​@@Otazihswill they cut off a lot of that originally I agree with you it was a bit too punishing but you're kind of wrong about the whole meeting people to group to be social because that is a real thing that does need exist in MMO and it does help MMO become what it is there's plenty of examples like City of heroes which you can now play for free. They managed to do it better without making it to punishing but a little bit on the shallow side.

[@GameTimeWhy]

I liked guild wars way more than wow. A lot of reasons but one being no monthly sub in addition to full price purchase. ​@Otazihs

[@Catryx39]

I never played anything older than wow (wow was my first) but I’ve been waiting for this game since it was first announced. I’m having a blast! I love the group grinding for xp as a healer but I’m also having fun running around solo questing and gathering.

[@totalitarianists]

Whoa! Lovely coincidence, I've also been playing this recently and have been roping in IRL friends to help fill out parties and make grouping easier. It's a very fun and dangerous world to explore. I've been very impressed with what's already there, and looking forward to what they are cooking up in the coming years.

[@chrishutchins9384]

I played old school WoW before quest markers as a kid. I've had my eye on this title for a while because it's more old school.

[@elevown]

I had nearly 4 yrs where i lived in Norrath :) I played from when it launched through the first 3 expansions - and popped back to play for a few month several times years later. Can you remember what server you were on splat?

[@Obsqurtx]

RALLOS ZEK 🔥🔥

[@mithanelan]

The level up sound hooked me in, such nostalgia that makes me happy

[@DrPluton]

I don't think this game is for me. All the quality of life that I can find in other MMORPGs is missing. No maps, no quest markers, no area looting, etc.

[@hystorix9031]

That’s the point of game except map part a cartography system will be added later but still not like handholding MMOs that lead you to every quest place etc … it’s a great of fresh air … there are auto play MMOs that you may like to check out as well

[@DrPluton]

@@hystorix9031 I don't need that sort of handholding. I don't need markers on the map. I just like having a map to orient myself and not having to guess which NPC has quests. I can do without those things if the quest descriptions are thorough, but Splattercat said they're pretty vague.

[@defixon]

Quests aren’t your main source of exp. You don’t even need to touch them if you don’t want to. Grouping and doing pve is the main focus in this game.

[@HallyVee]

Minor quibble, Maps wouldn't typically be considered a quality of life feature. They're a bit more of a design feature but I do agree they're kind of on the edge. And yes, fewer modern conveniences is absolutely the point here, but I find it unusual to make the decision entirely on quality of life. Surely the design would sway you more strongly?

[@joec3160]

Pantheon is so fun and knowing that there is more yet to come gets me so excited. I can’t put the game down. I haven’t enjoyed myself this much since EverQuest. So good. More please!

[@rachelwalker4100]

It always gets me how Splat pronounces "alt." It sounds more like how I would say "owl" plus a "t." You know "alt" is short for "alternate"? Does he say "owl-ternate"?

[@DanMProductionsBois]

I love that they removed all the bloat and "ease". There is a difference between QoL and hand holding. Hand holding breaks immersion so bad. I love that there is no map. No quest markers, etc. I wish they had some sort of close ranged voip though. I want to talk and ask questions but stopping to type is a little rough. Think ill force one of my offspring to play this with me this weekend.

[@eidolon7267]

Dude. This came out of nowhere for me. I played Daoc and EQ1 way back when and this seems right up my alley. Wasn't expecting something like this in my lifetime anymore tbh.

[@BlueDuck-vv3eu]

This looks very cool and I've been searching for a mmorpg to spend my time in, but considering that this game may follow a subscription model later on, I am not sure.

[@Drago5899]

I was seriously looking forward to this game for years, but in it's current state I can't recommend it. I like most of the hardcore elements, but *No Map* is a big deal breaker. Especially if I have to find my corpse after death. Feels like a QoL feature that should exist no matter what era we are in. Pantheon requires a lot from you. More than most people are willing to give and even less who have time to do so. I want this game to succeed, but I can only see the player base being a group of people with no kids and/or are already retired, which will alienate a large portion of the player base. Which would be fine (the game doesn't have to appeal to everyone), but the kiss of death in any "social MMO" in the last 20 years has always been lack of players. I hope this game finds it's mark, gets way more content, and (hopefully) the Lead designer will acquiesce on 1 or 2 of the QoL features needed to reduce mental load.

[@AaronQ64]

a niche game. I have kids and lack tons of free time and im still excited for this but I would agree the thing they have to do is draw the eq emulator crowd or they will end up dead in the water. That being said nothing else exists that is this style of game other than EQ so theres not much competition for those of us who want this style of game. Also my guess is folks will mod the game to add a map or find ways to hack in QoL things and with a team this small theres no way they will be able to completely kill that from happening.

[@Maelgrim35]

I love this game so much so far, id play so much more if it wasnt early access

[@Ty-bz7zx]

EQ and DAoC were staples.... =))

[@SebastianSkadisson]

I bought it. And... "Ah... I feel much better now."

[@miguelcoutinho3218]

"when you die you lose xp and drop everything on the ground except what you have equiped" *closes video*

[@ZykoMike]

Yeah, it's not made for lightweights. He went over that many times.

[@Tubalcain422]

It is made by the Nazis.

[@JS-xu1so]

@@ZykoMike He's free to not like the game lol.

[@miguelcoutinho3218]

thankfully i'm way past the age when i used terms like "lightweight" to define someone's prowess at a game or at anything in life at that matter

[@miguelcoutinho3218]

and to be fair it's not as much of liking or disliking, i would call it more of a "not for me anymore". I played games with that kind of rules many years ago, and i'm glad there are other options now. But to each, his own.

[@ray-ray_jackson2k5]

I can't tell if this video stirs nostalgia or excitement... either way I want to play it. Now to decide on a class. It looks like Druid is not yet in the game and that's my usual class. I'll try Shaman I guess.

[@richardrothkugel8131]

It's just 20 years too late and it shows.

[@Riggo525]

For not being your "wheelhouse" this was a great video to provide insight on what to expect in the game. Really appreciated it Cat!

[@TheMarrethiel]

As a past EQ cleric and necromancer, I'm looking forward to this. I don't normally get early access but might have to make an exception.

[@Blizofoz45]

If you forgot how much you died in the early days of EQ because you didn't know the world, Pantheon will remind you.

[@Corvid76]

Pantheon Cleric plays nothing like EQ Clerics though. Basically think of everything you enjoyed about them and then understand that it doesn't exist in Pantheon. Not that you can't try to find some good things in a sea of bad and very different things, but this game just isn't similar to EQ. It's much more like someone played WoW and then tried to remake WoW inside of Vanguard'.

[@TheLiddokun]

​@@Corvid76whats different about eq cleric? Thsts a shame

[@wiefdiwbofdbw]

game looks promising but let's be real here, it'S far from good right now. there's still way too much content missing. if they keep delivering from now on, game will be good in 1-2 years with actual content and character progression

[@neko77025]

So their are a few issues with this games Development 1) They hired A programmer , he said their code was unsustainable. He would not work for them inless they rewrote everything. So they scrapped years of work and started over years in. 2) they also changed how the art style was ... so again .. after years of going one way .. they changed cause they could not afford to put it what they promised and watered it down to what it is now. 3) Brad died .. and yes this did make things harder for the company 4) ..they wasted type tryn too make A Extraction mode/event / thing .. to sale because they were low on funds ... I wanted this game so bad for so long .. But i have zero faith in this team .. None ... They could not pay me to put time in this game !

[@AaronQ64]

Video games are hard to make especially when your leader dies and theres a power vacuum. The nice thing is now they seem to have a path and a focus. Is it identical to what we originally saw, no but many games go through this its just far less public. For me personally considering ill still hop on Project Quarm here and there this is exactly what I want in an MMO if they can carry it over the finish line. Nothing else like this on the market today.

[@GeryonM]

If you twitch steam this game other people will pay you play it.

[@GladioUmbra]

This game shares a certain pedigree with my first MMO: Everquest. We began to call it "evercrack" back in the day. You would log in when the kids shuffled off to dreamland and maybe you've satisfied your spouse, and then log off and get dressed for work. I am already starting that routine once again 24 years after evercrack. I have been following the news for this mmo for around 3 years now, it was worth the wait.

[@Tsolus]

So the immense (and obviously terribly utilized from this end product) dev time aside, a lot of the things he lists as 'positives' could easily come across as 'well, that would take effort to code, so let's list missing it as a feature'. Add on that a lot of it looks like asset flip junk, and I'm just not a fan, fam. Shame as Splat is inconsistent in his 'recommendations' between hidden gems and utter trash. This one falls more toward the latter than the former, unfortunately. Basically, its very basic, and I'm not basic enough to enjoy it, basically.

[@masonbronson3194]

i wish i had time for a game like this but idk if i can

[@solivagant9902]

you and me both brother. just happened to have 2 weeks off too, good days.

[@chrisvanderwielen1530]

I'm glad to see they brought back the most annoying aspect of EQ -- mobs wandering off when they get to ~10% health. Oh, how I miss that!

[@boogieboo5085]

My desire to play an MMO that punishes you for the sake of nostalgia, are long passed. I'll keep my EQ memories close to the vest and pass on this one.

[@yahootube90]

Same here. I'm all for tough and challenging gameplay, but I'm not interested in tedious things that went extinct for good reason. I loved EQ, but it had a lot of really, really bad mechanics and systems in it.

[@MarkDeSade100]

Can't believe Splat found another player who named their character "Doodoobutt", they must be his soulmate.

[@HeyItsWatson]

Having a nostalgia blast in the game, cant wait to see what they do to evolve the specs. Since i started on day one I saw many map features and spell effects get updated, mob and pet stats get adjusted so they are definatly listening to the steam discussions and evolving.....still a long ways off release though.

[@abbynormall207]

I played EQ for about 12 years starting it the month it came out. It was amazing. I wish I had a dollar for every time I read the phrase “Brad hates your class”. LoL

[@yahootube90]

Ironically, Brad always was a ranger, and ranger was the weakest class in the game for years.

[@abbynormall207]

@ yeah I started with a wood elf ranger. I failed at making that class bow 2 times before I got one. I made a Dark Elf Necro after I got my Ranger to about lvl 25ish. That necro was a beast. I really like that people would ask for changes in game that made it a lot easier/cheesier and Brad said “no”.

[@abbynormall207]

@ I still have the map that came with the original game. It’s framed and on my office wall.

[@Kross415]

I don't know...I already go back to old games I love kind of frequently like Ragnarok Online, what does this game offers so I drop my old MMO for this? Not much it seems.

[@zer00rdie]

The clicking every button really brings it all together.

[@solitudesf8111]

looks barebones and soulless.

[@Duallight-kw1nx]

God it makes me so happy we have a new old school social MMO its so good to feel apart of a world again

[@Hreimr]

Oooohhhh, this has reminiscence of the old school MUDs - the fact that you have to /consider the mob. I wrote some code for one MUD I was running with a friend.

[@CoatedIngoo]

not gonna read through all the comments, but um, necro's also summon corpses ^^ glad you are having fun! **Thanks for the heads up, Vazz, gonna go log in my summoner and see how I missed that.

[@Vazz]

Both can summon corpse in this game.

[@CoatedIngoo]

@@Vazz No shit? Weird. Guessed I missed the scroll on the list when I was playing summoner. Thanks for the heads up. It's weird though xD

[@Tattersail]

There's a reason for group finders, global chats/mails etc. Players have always found ways to work around the limitations of a game. They went on Teamspeak and Ventrilo, used ICQ, IRC, Jabber to organise. This creates sub-groups within the larger player base, whose communications is completely separate from the rest. On the one hand, this can make new players feel extremely isolated when nobody is going to talk to them ingame. On the other: when a friend group is not locked into the system of the game world, it's very easy to pick up and leave for a different game. So now we've got all bells and whistles included in the game world.

[@MDKRUVER]

YOOOOO SPLAT featuring a MMO!!? Man thank you so much for this feature. We needecd it!

[@katdoral5277]

lol, chest spawn! I know that place. Also, for early game, up to level 4 you don't drop your stuff when you die, so that's a prime time to do your exploring. That won't get you far in the higher level zones obviously, but like Thronefest you can get a good feel for the zone with little risk :)

[@ArktikusYoutube]

Also wanted to try this game, but I wait until 1.0 releases, because I don't want my characters to get wiped all the time. They already said there will be multiple wipes until then.

[@Varadiio]

OG EQ player here (pre-Velious, anyway). MMOs haven't just changed in the theme park direction. Software has also greatly advanced. If you know Path of Exile and the massive impact poe trade had on the vanilla experience, you can guess where this is going. The classic "shout LFG for party" can be circumvented by third-party solutions like Discord, with bots to handle finding matches and so on, if desired. We just have way better tools than mIRC / AOL Online. We also have higher expectations. The stiffness and jank on display is acceptable for an otherwise innovative solo developer title. This is a 10-year project headed by a (now deceased) legendary MMO developer. It shouldn't be as stiff as Everquest, because it was never intending to be what it was. Everquest's limitations included being a 3D game before GPUs were even commonplace. We can capture that aesthetic without sacrificing 25 years (a quarter-century!) of industry advancements. Likewise, this character creator is shameful. Advancements range from trailblazers of ugly faces like Bethesda's Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, to more mature systems as found in MMOs Black Desert Online or EVE Online. Perhaps the conservative approaches often seen in RPGs, from the Mass Effect Trilogy, Cyberpunk 2077, or Baldur's Gate 3 represent a more reasonable expectation for what we should expect from a new MMO. Character creation in Pantheon is essentially a rip-off of the EQ Luclin graphics update in 2001 (which finally required some graphics muscle with a whopping *_16MB VRAM_* ). Vanguard, McQuaid's previous MMO from 2007, had a more robust system than this. I have very rose-tinted glasses for the experiences I had in Everquest and do not fault anyone trying to bring that experience to the modern age. I do fault such a weak attempt. I'm sorry for anyone on the project this hurts. I wish I could find a reason to like this one, but I can't.

[@Serdoa]

I share your viewpoint. I did play DAoC back in the day but I can not see myself playing this game ever. There are ideas I can get behind, player-driven economy or not having mailboxes. But for example with the quests it is only a matter of time (and success) that someone will offer an overlay, showing every quest NPC and pointing to where you need to go, together with suggestions which minimum level one should have for them. I would like to see a different system than having quest markers all over the place and the player barely interacting with any NPC. But that is an issue to solve not by taking away tools but by adding reasons for why the player should interact with these NPCs. That said I'm pretty certain that I am simply not the target group for this project and I wish them all the best.

[@hystorix9031]

I don’t think you have played pantheon yet … just saying

[@Varadiio]

@@hystorix9031 Oh, I have to give them my money to tell anyone that I'm not giving them my money? How convenient.

[@CosmicIceCream]

Well said. Surprised to see some of my favorite creators (Lobos, Splattercat) playing this one as honestly it just looks terrible to me. EQ1 is still live and has tons of content and is far more polished in every way, not sure why the demographic that might want a game like this would ever play one that's so obviously bad over that or even P99. It's a niche of a niche game IMO, which means it's won't ever be successful and will stay pretty much as it is. No thanks.

[@SuperBdog1]

They should make a Player Store since the economy is so socially based. So hit “inventory” then “open shop” you choose 10 items and your player opens a mini shop on the spot

[@Jewnas123]

Is this a new game? It looks like its 20 years old

[@Galardomond]

Fist announced in 2014

[@lilmofo4607]

Indie

[@bikegeist]

1:45

[@yahootube90]

Plus they actually downgraded the graphics in the last couple years. So it actually progressed backwards from a visual perspective.

[@JaySityEnt]

im getting this game based on the on hearing the name Everquest. I played EQ for years in high school

[@stormling]

Splatter - wish you had mentioned the 14+ years of development/cash infusion, only to now have a $40 EA game (did you pay for it btw, or get a free key?), that is running on Infinity and has VERY dated everything. No problem with old-school concepts or memories (go Enchanter!) (and RIP Brad), but this feels like they are drawing on our heartstrings to ignore the Emperor and his clothing choices. Blah - I like to think I'm one of the more positive peeps out there, so wishing all the best and hope people enjoy :)

[@Tofflemire5]

What classes are needed in groups? I always pick the un-needed class and it sucks.