A world that feels large, open, and immersive. A world that doesn't offer automated GUI mapping with perfect GPS positioning, and doesn't brightly label every NPC or quest offering that is available; and certainly one that doesn't hold your hand directly to your objective(s). Less NPC driven / effortless fast-travel, at least without the help of other players. Less instancing whenever possible, and an effort to make more of the desirable content contestable among players.
An emphasis on player-to-player dynamics. In EverQuest, especially early on, player interactions were extremely important at all stages of the game. Before hand drawn maps were commonplace and easy to find, seeking the aid of other players who knew zones well, classes that could SoW, Buff HP or Regen, Cast Invis or IvU, Resurrect, or even Teleport you were extraordinarily useful.
A strict and punishing, but equally conquerable Risk vs Reward design both at the early and endgame stages of the game. Games where dying or making tragic mistakes means a only few seconds to a few minutes of inconvenience, or a slight durability / currency penalty really don't grasp this concept. Additionally, games that require little to no real dedication to gain the highest quality loot fall short in the same way.
A strong player-driven Economy that relies on individual players to harvest and craft much of the more desirable items in the game. Along with this, a distancing from the idea of server-wide, instant-transaction, zero-interaction Auction Houses or similar setups. A return to the idea of direct player trading, albeit with less of the tedium that was involved in early EQ trading. Simple things like linking items in chat are generally an improvement across the board.
A simple concept that's all but lost in modern MMOs: the idea of discovering and solving quests that most other players likely don't even know exist. Whether this is done through EQ's rather archaic idea of Hailing NPC's and trying to discover quest keywords or a more modern and less tedious method. This added a level of intrigue and mystery to EverQuest that I haven't seen in any online multiplayer RPG since. It helped make the world feel like it was something special, and that there were always secrets to be discovered. Not to mention solving the epic 1.0 quests originally were massive efforts on behalf of countless players in the community. Even in 2015 I find it fascinating to go back and read classic-era archived posts about how certain quests were solved originally.
A distancing from the common modern Cash Shops and similar real-money offerings, especially those that provide certain players advantages over others. Not only do I find these things offensive, they really don't make any sense at all and are entirely non-canon in regards to a game world.
Other less important, but very simple concepts such as Currency having a weight-value, and a rather substantial one at that. Struggling to move huge sums of money and valuable items around with ease may seem like an unnecessary inconvenience to some, but it adds a level of immersion and realism to a world.
Finally, the most abstract but perhaps most important thing: A clear and unique vision shared between the core development team that remains true throughout the game's career. I realize publisher and player demands may change over time, but remaining as true as possible to an original vision I feel is of paramount importance.
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