Editing EverQuest (section)

===Development===
''EverQuest'' began as a concept by [[John Smedley (developer)|John Smedley]] in 1996. The original design is credited to [[Brad McQuaid]], Steve Clover, and Bill Trost. It was [[video game developer|developed]] by Sony's [[989 Studios]] and its early-1999 spin-off [[Verant Interactive]], and [[video game publisher|published]] by [[Sony Online Entertainment]] (SOE).<ref name="eqcomp1">{{cite book |title=Everquest Companion: The Inside Lore of a Gameworld |last=Marks |first=Robert |year=2003 |publisher=McGraw-Hill Osborne Media |isbn=978-0-07-222903-5}}</ref> Since its acquisition of Verant in late 1999, EverQuest was developed by Sony Online Entertainment.<ref name="Sony/Verant">{{cite web | title=Announcement of Verant Merger | publisher=Verant | url=http://www.verant.com | access-date=2020-07-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020401224238/http://www.verant.com/ | archive-date=2002-04-01 | url-status=dead}}</ref>

The design and concept of ''EverQuest'' is heavily indebted to [[Multi-user dungeon|text-based MUDs]], in particular [[DikuMUD]], and as such ''EverQuest'' is considered a 3D evolution of the text MUD genre like some of the MMOs that preceded it, such as ''[[Meridian 59]]'' and ''[[The Realm Online]]''. John Smedley, Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover and Bill Trost, who jointly are credited with creating the world of ''EverQuest'', have repeatedly pointed to their shared experiences playing MUDs such as ''[[Sojourn (online game)|Sojourn]]'' and ''[[TorilMUD]]'' as the inspiration for the game.<ref name = "bqjsnq"/> Famed book cover illustrator [[Keith Parkinson]] created the box covers for earlier installments of ''EverQuest''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keithparkinson.com/store_prints.php|title=Limited Edition Prints|publisher=Keith Parkinson Online|access-date=Sep 10, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902021119/http://www.keithparkinson.com/store_prints.php|archive-date=2015-09-02}}</ref>

Development of ''EverQuest'' began in 1996 when [[Sony Interactive Studios America]] (SISA) executive John Smedley secured funding for a 3D game like text-based MUDs following the successful launch of ''[[Meridian 59]]'' the previous year. To implement the design, Smedley hired programmers Brad McQuaid and Steve Clover, who had come to Smedley's attention through their work on the single player RPG ''Warwizard''. McQuaid soon rose through the ranks to become executive producer for the ''EverQuest'' franchise and emerged during development of ''EverQuest'' as a popular figure among the fan community through his in-game avatar, Aradune. Other key members of the development team included Bill Trost, who created the history, lore and major characters of Norrath (including ''EverQuest'' protagonist Firiona Vie), Geoffrey "GZ" Zatkin, who implemented the spell system, and artist Milo D. Cooper, who did the original character modeling in the game.

The start of [[beta testing]] was announced by Brad McQuaid in November 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/forum/message/raw?msg=rec.games.mud.announce/sya7IcOZ08g/A4E7JB8tONAJ|author=Brad McQuaid|year=1997|title=EverQuest -- Graphical MUD|access-date=2017-12-24|archive-date=2021-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309035613/https://groups.google.com/forum/message/raw?msg=rec.games.mud.announce/sya7IcOZ08g/A4E7JB8tONAJ|url-status=dead}}</ref>