Holly "Windstalker" Longdale leaves Darkpaw Games

[galach]

https://www.everquest.com/news/producers-letter-holly-longdale-march-2020

I will be taking my leave from Darkpaw Games for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I owe to all the players and developers of EverQuest and EverQuest II.


I believe she is headed to Visionary Realms to help with Pantheon.


Thoughts?

[getlostgreg]

Visionary Realms jumped out at me as well. That seems like a step down from her current situation though.

Part of me is thinking she could possibly be moving over to Amazon Game Studios.

[Pretzelle]

This should probably sink what's left of Daybreak/Darkpaw

[Fawqueue]

Is her "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to be the mascot for Visionary Realms? Because that's essentially what she's been doing for EQ.

[galach]

Visionary Realms jumped out at me as well. That seems like a step down from her current situation though.

Part of me is thinking she could possibly be moving over to Amazon Game Studios.

Long drive from San Diego to Irvine. I considered that or Blizzard as well. Maybe for the new lord of the rings MMO though.

[BlackBellamy]

what's the tl;dr on who she is to this game?

[Pretzelle]

what's the tl;dr on who she is to this game?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollylongdale

[Gatorsmash]

Long drive from San Diego to Irvine. I considered that or Blizzard as well. Maybe for the new lord of the rings MMO though.

30 mins? It's been 20 years since I did that drive (worked in Irvine, lived in SD) lol I'm guessing traffic makes it significantly longer now.

I've always hated windstalker, lady is fucking cancer. She ushered in some of the shittiest features and expansions EQ had and always talked like a idiot who made me wonder who the fuck she was talking too

[Tethler]

I've always hated windstalker, lady is fucking cancer. She ushered in some of the shittiest features and expansions EQ had and always talked like a idiot who made me wonder who the fuck she was talking too

Does it trigger you when you see her in game (https://wiki.project1999.com/Holly_Windstalker)?

[Gatorsmash]

Does it trigger you when you see her in game (https://wiki.project1999.com/Holly_Windstalker)?

Does it trigger me if I see the mob she borrowed her online handle from? What am I 5?

She was dogshit at her job and directed some of the biggest steaming piles of shit to be pushed out of the Sony anus.

[Tethler]

What am I 5?


Based on your recent posting, this is a real possibility.

[Bigsham]

She probably got knocked up

[Gatorsmash]

Based on your recent posting, this is a real possibility.

Hey dumb dumb. Go check that thread I started.

[Sibelia1]

Is Windstalker named after her, or not? I thought yes.

[BlackBellamy]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollylongdale

yeah I don't know what an executive producer is in the game business i know in the movie business it's an interfering asshole that rounds up other interfering assholes

[getlostgreg]

I just learned that Bill Trost is over at Amazon as well.

[Evia]

Is Windstalker named after her, or not? I thought yes.

No. She took the already pre existing character and tied her nickname to it.

[Sibelia1]

No. She took the already pre existing character and tied her nickname to it.

Just like that, my appreciation evaporates!

She came late and presided over the decline. Boo!

[Tethler]

Hey dumb dumb. Go check that thread I started.

What thread?

[Gatorsmash]

Just like that, my appreciation evaporates!

She came late and presided over the decline. Boo!

She did more than preside, that [expletive] was the driving force for EQ2, along with most of the design ideas in EQ2 till it bombed like 6 months- year later then she came back to EQ1 and helped drive that into the dirt because she is a corporate shill hiding as a game designer

Edit-What thread?

My duo partner and I make dumb bets where the loser has to help camp some god forsaken item that's usually incredibly time consuming but not even usable. Occasionally involving posting dumb troll threads with specific page numbers or staff posts required. I bet him I could make a RnF post that went 10 pages in 24 hrs.

[Sibelia1]

My duo partner and I make dumb bets where the loser has to help camp some god forsaken item that's usually incredibly time consuming but not even usable. Occasionally involving posting dumb troll threads with specific page numbers or staff posts required. I bet him I could make a RnF post that went 10 pages in 24 hrs.

so, you have combat experience and this is how you play EQ. I smell a masochist :cool:

[Pretzelle]

She did more than preside, that [expletive] was the driving force for EQ2, along with most of the design ideas in EQ2 till it bombed like 6 months- year later then she came back to EQ1 and helped drive that into the dirt because she is a corporate shill hiding as a game designer

Edit-

My duo partner and I make dumb bets where the loser has to help camp some god forsaken item that's usually incredibly time consuming but not even usable. Occasionally involving posting dumb troll threads with specific page numbers or staff posts required. I bet him I could make a RnF post that went 10 pages in 24 hrs.

You sound upset.

[Madae]

yeah I don't know what an executive producer is in the game business i know in the movie business it's an interfering asshole that rounds up other interfering assholes

Not that it matters since he's banned, but if anyone else was curious;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUkcz2taCiw

Basically, the easiest/hardest job to get (no actual talent required/lots of competition), but also very easy to screw up. Most bad games are because of a producer with zero understanding of what makes a game entertaining - a lot of them probably don't even play games, so kind of like marketing hires, and marketing has a firm control over the business these days since that's where the money will come from. A game that can reach and sell to the widest audience is better than a game that appeals to that niche crowd (at least to them, and that's what will get the most pats on the back at the end of it all). This is why crowdfunding is becoming so successful for the more hardcore gaming crowd, because it's usually not about the money.

[Secrets]

Holly Longdale wasn't responsible for killing EQ2, ask anyone who worked there and they'll tell you it was Ponytail (Dave Georgeson) - he pushed all of the bad decisions. Holly and the remainders of the old dev team (Prathun, Ngreth etc.) truly care about the game and have been part of it for years.

There's a lot of technical debt involving the EQ games from what I have heard.

They can't just use EQEmu like most can; they have to use the software they've designed for the game. It wasn't until Jennifer Chan, Klanderso, niente etc, came on board that they started to make awesome QOL changes to the game that were desperately needed.

And now JChan is captain of the ship. So that's rad!

[Shrubwise]

TIL It's Darkpaw Games now, not Daybreak any longer?

[RipVanFish]

Why is everyone so savage to each other on this forum lmao

[Sibelia1]

Why is everyone so savage to each other on this forum lmao

me :) but it's not in my power to stop now lol

[Baler]

Holly Windstalker is a babe.

I hope her IRL character does well in the future to come.

[Mblake81]

Why is everyone so savage to each other on this forum lmao

Daybreak to Darkpaws (https://www.project1999.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3073926&postcount=73)

https://i.imgur.com/iGjIfer.png

[Shrubwise]

Now I am even more confused. When you go to the Daybreak Games website, EverQuest is listed as one of their games. When you go to the Darkpaw Games website, Everquest is also listed as one of their games.

[Mblake81]

Now I am even more confused. When you go to the Daybreak Games website, EverQuest is listed as one of their games. When you go to the Darkpaw Games website, Everquest is also listed as one of their games.

Call it overachieving. Daybreak is the important one.

The American age, the American epic, the American adventure has only just begun. Our spirit is still young. The sun is still rising. God's grace is still shining. My fellow Americans, the best is yet to come. Thank you. Thank you very much

[Gatorsmash]

so, you have combat experience and this is how you play EQ. I smell a masochist :cool:

Well I am a Flyers fan, so your spot on.

Holly Longdale wasn't responsible for killing EQ2, ask anyone who worked there and they'll tell you it was Ponytail (Dave Georgeson) - he pushed all of the bad decisions. Holly and the remainders of the old dev team (Prathun, Ngreth etc.) truly care about the game and have been part of it for years.

There's a lot of technical debt involving the EQ games from what I have heard.

They can't just use EQEmu like most can; they have to use the software they've designed for the game. It wasn't until Jennifer Chan, Klanderso, niente etc, came on board that they started to make awesome QOL changes to the game that were desperately needed.

And now JChan is captain of the ship. So that's rad!

I just remember her being the talking head when discussing the stuff as it was being released.

- and no I'm not angry lol. This is my cursing in traffic blow off.

[magnetaress]

You guys should not be mad about an older lady who is basically in her retirement and only changing jobs to be a guidance counselor to the newer CEOs.

I do not feel like I can help you much with this issue. Otherwise I would have some more word salads, rich in vitamin C, K, and E for you.

[Swish]

Daybreak in 2020, hehe

[Sibelia1]

she's obviously a freak, I can see it in her eyes. I like her.

[Bisonzabi]

If true in regards to Pantheon, She jumped from a sinking ship to a ship that already sunk in the shipyard

[Ennewi]

If true in regards to Pantheon, She jumped from a sinking ship to a ship that already sunk in the shipyard

It wasn't true, that analogy doesn't work, and it's "sank"...as in, EQNext sank in an ocean of tears. And now the realization sinks in. If you hadn't sunk so much money into Vanguard, you might be less pessimistic about Pantheon now.

[Ennewi]

she's obviously a freak, I can see it in her eyes. I like her.

A freak in the high quality firing sheets.

[sacman08]

Her LinkedIn says Blizzard now so who won guess?

[jolanar]

Her LinkedIn says Blizzard now so who won guess?

Not Blizzard.

[magnetaress]

A freak in the high quality firing sheets.

https://i.imgur.com/pbhYTNq.jpg

[Bigsham]

and how is pantheon these days?

still not happening?

[Ennewi]

Farther along than your MMO.

[Swish]

Pantheon is coming soon

[Evia]

Real soon

[Rick Sanchez]

Pantheon is entering PA5 (pre alpha phase 5) what this means is the first ever testing session with ALL of Pantheons core systems working together. It's the first time people will really get a complete pantheon experience.

This will be the closing of pre alpha, once into alpha it will shift into another gear of speed as the process there going through currently is always the most difficult and slowest progression.

[magnetaress]

Pantheon is entering PA5 (pre alpha phase 5) what this means is the first ever testing session with ALL of Pantheons core systems working together. It's the first time people will really get a complete pantheon experience.

This will be the closing of pre alpha, once into alpha it will shift into another gear of speed as the process there going through currently is always the most difficult and slowest progression.

i'm curious how it will all mesh toghether, o love how EQ it is in class/race/stat and tru to dnd roots it is...

what scares me a little is the wow-ish tradeskills.... but i havent dug deep there... and the target circles... and that the chat box isn't a major feature its like wows chat box... with tabs, and 'combat spam' and not like, really central to the game and other convienience, qol lookin things

they broke them into gathering and production, meaning there will be a ton of people farming items, just for tradeskills alone... this could be good... could be bad, it can go either way... we dont want armies of chinese trying to dump rare 1 in 100 leather drops on the market from autogathering but i have zero zero idea of what pantheon is other then that it actually 'looks' like a tru successor to EQ and Vanguard (which IMO is sad cuz vanguard was a pretty awesome game)

i think it will be better then wow though ) which is sorely needed, but still behind wow in 'shiny graphics' and flying dragon dbz mounts and hordes of pets which is what wont make them dominate the market ever

[Corona Vie]

and how is pantheon these days?

still not happening?

If you are interested, Pantheon has bi-weekly developer streams going over the progress and giving a fairly in-depth peak behind the curtain on the process in general.

Here is the one from a couple of months ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z_udroswXc

[Corona Vie]

If you are interested, Pantheon has bi-weekly developer streams going over the progress and giving a fairly in-depth peak behind the curtain on the process in general.

Here is the one from a couple of months ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z_udroswXc

And btw, the hellish looking raid boss area they explore around halfway through this video I think it pretty cool looking, both graphically and in concept.

[Bigsham]

Yea im so not interested in any developer streams where they puff a guaranteed-to-fail after the first 2 months game

its not even in alpha yet Lol its been 10 years, but im sure all the stay at home sons will have their money in and ready for early access so they can be the first kid on their street to have a full suit of rawhide armor and a hat with bunny ears jumping around in the starting town

Look at me i have nothing in the bank ! LOL

[Corona Vie]

Yea im so not interested in any developer streams where they puff a guaranteed-to-fail after the first 2 months game

its not even in alpha yet Lol its been 10 years, but im sure all the stay at home sons will have their money in and ready for early access so they can be the first kid on their street to have a full suit of rawhide armor and a hat with bunny ears jumping around in the starting town

Look at me i have nothing in the bank ! LOL

Cool cool. So, like, you’re not interested then?

[Swish]

Cool cool. So, like, you’re not interested then?

He interested enough to make a post giving thoughts and feelings.

[Visual]

As far as pantheon goes, I am not sure why they are working as if time isn't a factor. Your target audience is slowly aging/dying and the technology is dated.

At this point, I don't think crowd funded games can work. Star Citizen has raised like a quarter of a billion and somehow still needs to sell off some of their equity?

These devs have no one to answer to and people will continue to donate so expect plenty more release date extensions.

[Bisonzabi]

It wasn't true, that analogy doesn't work, and it's "sank"...as in, EQNext sank in an ocean of tears. And now the realization sinks in. If you hadn't sunk so much money into Vanguard, you might be less pessimistic about Pantheon now.

Spent $100 for a preorder, played the first month, then unsubscribed, so barely anything. Or if you count me trying it out months later when I had all access SoE account, but that lasted about a day or two before I uninstalled it.

As far as pantheon goes, I am not sure why they are working as if time isn't a factor. Your target audience is slowly aging/dying and the technology is dated.

At this point, I don't think crowd funded games can work. Star Citizen has raised like a quarter of a billion and somehow still needs to sell off some of their equity?

These devs have no one to answer to and people will continue to donate so expect plenty more release date extensions.

Bingo. On top of this, the MMO genre has been on a steady decline since 2010. Unless you're a major franchise or well renowned developer, your chances are dead in the water.