RIP Brad McQuaid

Mat'hir Uth Gan

Trakanon Raider
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I don't think any of the shit said on this forum had much of an impact on Brad's death. He seemed to be at peace with his mistakes and owned up to them in many interviews over the last few years. He also seemed pretty upbeat on the changes he made and how Visionary Realms and Pantheon was going to be different. If he did not die of natural causes, the most likely cause would be the stress of Pantheon taking so long to develop and feeling like it was going to fail. The problem there is that Joppa was extremely upbeat just a week or so ago about the game and team being in the best place yet, and there's no disputing the team has more talented MMO veteran employees than it has ever had. Based on circumstantial evidence, this doesn't look like a suicide to me. Could be an accidental OD though, or just natural causes. Regardless, we all lost a guy that believed in making challenging group based MMOs, maybe one of the very few left and probably the most notable. His death sucks for everyone. Hopefully, in some way it galvanizes the industry/people to actually get Pantheon made as a final tribute.
 
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Kaige

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Loved him in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Independence Day.

RIP

quaid.jpg
 
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Lunis

Blackwing Lair Raider
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He didnt sound very well last time he was interviewed...obviously had some kind of health problem. Sucks to hear.
 

Grizzlebeard

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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I guess like many of you he gave me some of the most memorable gaming experiences I've ever had. Some of the most painful as well, I'm looking at you VG.

R.I.P. Aradune
 
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popsicledeath

Potato del Grande
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Nobody deserves the treatment he got. It's just a fucking game. You all treated him like he was the second incarnation of Hitler. And helped push a living human being into darkness all because of some pixels.

Brad was trying to create, while you all tried to destroy. Congratulations. You won.

There are no words for how disgusted I feel with you all now.

His widow isn't going to fuck you, bro.
 
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Hateyou

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From their IG. Updated Aradune.
B0176308-E5B0-49A6-8D6F-B9447C794D10.jpeg
 
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Utnayan

I Love Utnayan he’s awesome
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I was one that went hard on the guy for 20 years. If he could post from the grave right now I guarantee you he would be here stating he deserved it. And he did state, multiple times, he deserved it. He had a thick skin - and was a victim of too much cash too fast, and zero personal support while inside a corrupt SOE managed bubble as he was only told what he wanted to hear. Not what he needed to hear. That carried forward into Vanguard because he brought those same people with him.

I can guarantee you he was appreciative of people here because as passionate as it was, he wasn't getting sunshine blown up his ass.

Regardless, because of Everquest, we are all on this forum 20 years later with a lot of the same people posting. We grew older, we played different games, we started hanging out in other games, and some of us even became real world friends. A lot of EQ was one big accident and going with it after the fact. But one part of EQ which was designed as planned was the interdependence and community aspect and here we are, 20 years later, because of it.

He coined a phrase that every single developer and publisher should listen to and coincides with the above. "It isn't the bitching we are worried about. It's when the bitching stops, that's when it is time to get worried". That's the mantra he brought when he would read posts here. It's why he actually loved coming here. (In my opinion)

God Speed.
 
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Convo

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After working with Brad these last few years, i can say he's everything we we thought he was and then some. Dude was truly special. He geuninly did care about this genre. I'm blessed to have had the oppertunity to know him. He's been selfless in making sure the show must go on. VR is in a good place because of him. You all need to know, Brad truly respeced this place.
 
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Nirgon

YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE
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Feel like it was like the Michael Jackson come back. Hard to imagine myself going as hard at work in my 50s as I did in my late 20s / early 30s. Definitely takes a toll.

Still all in on Pantheon.
 
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Frenzied Wombat

Potato del Grande
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I know very little about the guy or the ongoing drama over the years. All I know is he brought me Everquest, and the moment I stepped out of Felwithe with my new toon and gazed upon the world teeming with PC's hunting wasps and being chased by orcs, a feeling of magical wonder and awe descended upon me that will never be replicated again in my lifetime. RIP.
 
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Kriptini

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RIP Brad. You're among Jim Morrison, Prince, and the rest of the rockstars now.
 
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Gavinmad

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It's hard to really communicate how revolutionary EQ was

It really isn't though. You just point at WoW (and the entire rest of the MMO genre) and say 'that happened because of Everquest'
 
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Lodi

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No matter your failings, you were one of the brains behind one of the most enjoyable games I've ever played. RIP.
 
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Il_Duce Lightning Lord Rule

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Who knew you could overdose on mozzarella sticks?





Bad jokes aside, RIP to Mr McQuaid. 51 is too early to go, may his family find peace regarding his passing.
 
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TopchartTopcahrtss

Trakanon Raider
20
38
He went on a quest and he left so soon
We cant join the party for there is no room
For this quest he could not wait
He is headed now to the golden gate
Through the MUD and the rain and the snow he tread
To arrive at the gate and rest his head
Though Flesh and Bone they now have gone
The spirit of a man with always live on
As the stories of old will be told round the flame
They speak of the one who’s world was more than a game
They remember a man that was gone too soon
They remember a man ..they remember Aradune.

Rip my friend


I am an idiot
 
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Guzrog

<Gold Donor>
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I was one that went hard on the guy for 20 years. If he could post from the grave right now I guarantee you he would be here stating he deserved it. And he did state, multiple times, he deserved it. He had a thick skin - and was a victim of too much cash too fast, and zero personal support while inside a corrupt SOE managed bubble as he was only told what he wanted to hear. Not what he needed to hear. That carried forward into Vanguard because he brought those same people with him.

I can guarantee you he was appreciative of people here because as passionate as it was, he wasn't getting sunshine blown up his ass.

Regardless, because of Everquest, we are all on this forum 20 years later with a lot of the same people posting. We grew older, we played different games, we started hanging out in other games, and some of us even became real world friends. A lot of EQ was one big accident and going with it after the fact. But one part of EQ which was designed as planned was the interdependence and community aspect and here we are, 20 years later, because of it.

He coined a phrase that every single developer and publisher should listen to and coincides with the above. "It isn't the bitching we are worried about. It's when the bitching stops, that's when it is time to get worried". That's the mantra he brought when he would read posts here. It's why he actually loved coming here. (In my opinion)

God Speed.

I’ve been around since noows and couldn’t agree more. Well said Utnayan. 🤘
 
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