Just last month, Sony Online Entertainment introduced the EverQuest "Progression server". If you've missed that announcement, what it does is let players experience the game the way it was originally presented. Think of it as EverQuest Retro. It has sparked interests from long-time EverQuestors and got the curious newbies in high gear.
 
In a recent interview, EverQuest producer Chris Lena delivered the answer to the $64 question: Why did you think that such a concept would work? In his own words:

There are a lot of reasons for this server idea, but for me it was a fairly simple solution to a problem EverQuest has had for a long time. People always say to me that they would love to try EverQuest or that they used to play and would like to get back into it but they feel overwhelmed because of all of the content that has been added. They feel like they could never catch up and just lose their gumption. The Progression Server is a way for all of those people to get on this new server at level 1 and progress through all the content together. The amount they have to learn when they start is bite-sized. But the Progression Server has become a lot of things to a lot of people and you can find dozens of different reasons on our forums as to why players are interested in this concept.

With all the buzz about the Progression Server, it's not surprising that it reached the "magic" number, population-wise. With that, a second server called The Sleeper is set to launch on June 28. Although the first server has generated huge interest, there's no telling if the succeeding servers would generate the same level of interest.

Lena has been very careful not to refer to the server as EverQuest "Classic", as the true classic server would have the original non-customizable user interface. It's tutorial zone has been taken out for a couple of reasons:

One was that we believe that participating in that original content again also includes starting in your race's city. With a new server where everyone will be starting out together we will have the new character population to support this. The tutorial also dropped some items that would unbalance a game starting with just the old world content.

The tutorial will be added back to the server eventually. But for now, the Progression Server is a great way to entice new players to start their adventure in EverQuest. With veterans ready to guide them, they're in good hands.

"Since the Lost Tribe Quest, many humans have visited the Dorgeshuun mines.  However, no cave goblin has yet had a tour of the surface. The Dorgeshuun Council now fears that the H.A.M. group may be planning another attack. They are sending an agent to the surface to investigate..."

Now, you can introduce your new Dorgeshuun friend to the residents of Lumbridge, take out their guards - and foil those who would brings Death to The Dorgeshuun. Save the city and receive rewards in the form of Thieving and Ranging XP as the Dorgeshuun teach you their special attack methods with their advanced weapons You'll also gain access to a new level of the H.A.M. Cave and steal even greater rewards...

Runescape is an MMORPG adventure containing the best of the fantasy elements MMO gamers have come to know and love, including monsters, quests, goblins and treasure. With around 200,000 players on any given day, RS is published by Jagex, Ltd.

Deep in the Halls of the Dwarf-Lords, far beneath the Lonely Mountain, travelers in the virtual world of Lord Of The Rings Online will encounter one of the great relics of Middle-Earth - the Throne of King Thorin II, also known as "Oakenshield." 150 years ago (TA 2845), Thorin became the last King Under The Mountain after the disappearance of his father, Thrain II.  He and his people were driven out by the dragon Smaug, but Thorin would eventually lead a company back to Erebor to reclaim his kingdom (with the assistance of a certain gifted burglar).

Although Thorin fell in the Battle of Five Armies, his throne - one of the greatest works of Durin's folk - still stands in Thorin's Great Hall, carved from the living rock. It is only one of the many discoveries awaiting LOTRO players as they adventure under the Blue Mountains.  Breath-taking examples of Khazad craftsmanship and artistry at every turn, all meticulously carved from the stone roots of the mountain, right down to the smallest details. The Dwarf-mansion of Ered Luin is a fine common space for adventurers and game-play, but it's a also a fine feast for the eyes.

With a Conan movie in the works, Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures (AoC) is way up in the MMO buzz meter. David Craddock of Shacknews caught up with AoC Game Director Gaute Godager to learn more about Conan's latest adventure.

AoC is set in the time after the novel "Hour of the Dragon", and the story begins in a Stygian slave galley ship where you take on the role of a slave whose memory has been wiped and has an ugly mark on the chest bearing a cruelly burnt-in hand. As you progress through the game, you gradually remember who you were. You regain your skills and knowledge via solving quests and gaining levels. Those who are familiar with the novel, would know that Conan is the king of Aquillonia – the pinnacle of Hyborian civilization, and he is betrayed, and dethroned for some time by a conspiracy of enemies. In AoC, newlywed Conan is back on the throne but with unrest brewing in the land. Your fate is tied to that of the King. You find yourself interacting more with him in order to save his kingship, your life, and ultimately, the world.

It has been revealed that AoC is part single-player and part MMO game. The first 20 levels of the game are a single-player campaign and should take 10 to 15 hours to complete. Playing the MMO part requires a credit card to gain access to a full month of free play time. The MMO starts at level 21 where you can choose your specialized class. If you're the loner type, you can play the solo campaign as long as you want, and as many times, as long as you have a valid CD key and a credit card.

There are three playable races in the game: Aquilonian (Roman-like race), Cimmerian (Germanic, Celtic race – Conan's race) or Stygian (as I mentioned – Egyptian). There is a limit to the classes, so if you want to become a soldier, better not choose Stygians. Each race has different abilities based on amount of out-of-combat health, mana and stamina regain.

Adding more realism to the game, the need system is established in Conan AI, which is loosely based on American psychologist Abraham Maslow's pyramid of needs. The NPC AI is categorized into several distinct categories – like the need to eat, sleep, survive, fulfill your dreams and so on. Each of the levels of the pyramid contains a steady grow in need, and will need to be fulfilled by the AI.

Godager revealed more info on combat AI, unique weapons, PvP and PvE. The full interview awaits after the jump.

The Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures MMORPG will get a big boost as Warner Bros. and Paradox Entertainment confirm that a Conan movie will start production in 2007. The movie will be penned by Boaz Yakin, known for titles like 'Remember the Titans' and 'The Rookie'. Yakin, a fan of the Robert E. Howard series, will remain faithful to the original works and will most likely be a more authentic take on 'Conan the Barbarian'. The original screenplay for the DeLaurentiis movie was written by John Milius and Oliver Stone.

The movie will surely help game developer Funcom to bring more attention to its Conan-based MMO, which is expected to be released in December 2006. The MMO is ready to spark renewed interest in the classic tales of battle and heroism while the movie is set to lure mainstream audiences. With rights to develop Conan-based MMO games until 2023, Funcom is looking at more movie/game tie-ins in the coming years.

Age of Conan is said to feature a single-player mode where a player creates a character and goes through the traditional single-player roleplaying adventure. The second mode takes the created character into a place where he can interact with others. Players may form guilds and take over territories and build cities, which are vulnerable to attacks by both humanoid NPCs and players.