Population on Green before and after each expansion
 

What do you all think the population will be like a month before Kunark and Velious and then right after they come out? I guess what I really want to know is do you think the population will continue to slowly decline? Blue stayed strong at 1000-1100 during my time there before Velious and after.

I think the population will be very high around Kunark. Everyone loves Kunark lol

I like Keiths artwork for it.

notes
https://i.imgur.com/UZzoH1F.jpg

The alt cover art.
https://i.imgur.com/r3UodFB.jpg

background sketch
https://i.imgur.com/OWlTjxH.png

I don't think we will see much population decline until then. In fact, I think we will see much more spikes as various planes are released, with much bigger spikes as of Kunark and Velious. I do think there's a chance that we see a big population slump at some point after Velious's release because at that point it's no different from Blue so I think you will have people going back to their established Blue characters.

did you draw that?

Those sketches are amazing, that was the concept for the box art? Do you have links to more concept stuff from Keith? Seems like the server pop is steady, we had over 1000 on Monday evening, seems pretty healthy. Could balloon up to 1200+ when Kunark comes

Keith Parkinson drew that, he was the original artist for EQ up to Shadows of Luclin iirc. The iconic artwork that established the franchise was his. Considering he came from a legit D&D artwork background alongside the greats.

Keith helped shape the Everquest we know. He died in the mid 2000's of cancer.

Here is an original EQ alternative cover
https://i.imgur.com/SIFQlYV.jpg

Firiona Vie (his creation)
https://i.imgur.com/8DJC6VZ.jpg

original cover draft for Computer Gaming World.
https://i.imgur.com/oWKFoIF.jpg

Alternative cover for Computer Gaming World magazine.
https://i.imgur.com/Fef7PCa.jpg

Alternative cover for Scars of Velious
https://i.imgur.com/ayWANgk.jpg

Alt Velious artwork
https://i.imgur.com/Xs1XYOB.jpg

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

Velious era dragon
https://i.imgur.com/vmDV5Mr.jpg

Here is the direct link to the sketches section of his website.

You can find some other Everquest style dragons on the covers of some old fantasy books he did work for, example:

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

Legacy of Ykesha came after Luclin but iirc it didn't have a physical box release. The next physical release was Lost Dungeons of Norrath. The artwork went into decline, not drastic at first but still.

https://i.imgur.com/f4jihPQ.jpg

firiona vie pic suggest he was completely deprived of female contact and career virgin, his art skills are pretty good for the rest of the stuff tho

dang dude loved big ole tittays