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With Deepest Regrets, Aradune has passed away

    • 945 posts
    November 20, 2019 4:01 PM PST

    My deepest condolences.  He will live on in the memories of the millions of lives that he had an enormous impact on.

    • 11 posts
    November 20, 2019 4:02 PM PST

    So shocking, rest in peace. Best wishes to family and friends. 

    • 9 posts
    November 20, 2019 4:18 PM PST

    Am just very sad, condoléances à toute la famille et aux proches.

    • 211 posts
    November 20, 2019 4:27 PM PST

    Whenever someone who was interviewing him took a moment to thank him for helping them through a tough time, meeting their spouse, whatever the reason may have been.... he always got a little uncomfortable accepting the gratitude. I hope now he can see just how many people loved not only his work, but him as a man, and the countless lives he touched. He definitely made a difference in this world during his time here.

    • 68 posts
    November 20, 2019 5:04 PM PST

    This is sad news to us all.  Best wishes to his family and the VR  group.

    • 279 posts
    November 20, 2019 5:21 PM PST

    What a cool dude. RIP

    • 2 posts
    November 20, 2019 5:37 PM PST

    Very sad news.  I was always a huge fan of his, and his passion gave so many gamers memories that will last lifetimes.  THe mighty Ranger will always be remembered.

    • 30 posts
    November 20, 2019 5:56 PM PST

    Matthew McDonald who was a lead artist for EQ/Vanguard committed suicide the day previous.

    • 89 posts
    November 20, 2019 6:03 PM PST

    I found myself feeling deeply saddened when I heard the news of Brad's passing today. Amazing how a creator of worlds that we lived in and loved could mean so much to so many people. Most of us never met him. I did have a few small interactions in Vanguard. I was praising Vanguard still my favorite game to this day and he sent me a tell saying thanks. I could tell he really loved his creation and was happy that some of us loved the game as much as he did. He will be missed but his legacy will live on. 

     

    Thanks for all the amazing times Mr McQuaid.

    • 59 posts
    November 20, 2019 7:04 PM PST

    Rest in peace buddy. I still remember testing EQ aspects in group with him on the old EQ Test Server two decades ago. Was a fun guy to hang with. He will be missed.

    • 190 posts
    November 20, 2019 7:05 PM PST

    Our household held a silent moment for Brad last night. He's impacted us and many of our friends in positive ways since the EQ days. He was always happy to run around his games/game forums and speak with the players.

    For those of us who have read/watched Ready Player One, Aradune was our version of the Wizard Anorak. Perhaps he will appear now in Pantheon and send us adventurers on some minor task or epic quest. Living forever in his digital worlds, that he crafted with love for gamers, would be poetic.

     

    ~WN

    • 2138 posts
    November 20, 2019 7:30 PM PST

    oh Jesus

    will someone have to delete his toon? i'm starting to etar up in RL tinking about it.

    • 9 posts
    November 20, 2019 7:53 PM PST
    • 125 posts
    November 20, 2019 8:03 PM PST
    May the gods guide you Brad
    • 194 posts
    November 20, 2019 8:45 PM PST
    I wanted to pay my respects here. My deepest condolences to Brad's family and all the staff here at VR. This still hasn't really sunk in. Brad touched an incredible number of people's lives through his work. Though I never got to meet him, I feel like I got to know a part of him through his creations.
    • 768 posts
    November 20, 2019 9:24 PM PST
    My condolences to his family and all the staff.
    This passing hits home like a ton of bricks.
    I hope that myself as part of the community can help deliver the world Brad was aiming for. It can be a proud moment and tribute to him and his visions.
    • 51 posts
    November 20, 2019 10:45 PM PST

    And on that fateful day Aradune the ranger walked alone into the lasting darkness as the everburning flame of his blade, the Fiery Avenger, petered out, never to be seen by mortal eyes again.

    And the people were saddened and many wept for they had lost their guide who took them to new, unknown worlds for them to adventure in. Worlds where they could be heroes or villains, make new friends or enemies but more importlantly: worlds where they would make new memories that would last them a lifetime.

    • 8 posts
    November 20, 2019 11:08 PM PST

    Rest in Peace Brad, thank you for helping bring MMOs to life. Thoughts and Prayers to his family, friends and co-workers. Hang tough Pantheon team.

    • 118 posts
    November 20, 2019 11:10 PM PST

    It is a curious---and bitter---bit of irony, that real life is so fake.  So fake that Brad's fantastic worlds would became a welcome refuge.  An alternative, more real than the reality of modernity that so many of us find so wanting.  Brad saw far enough to place our social needs at the center of his design.

    Having first played EQ as a pre-adolecent, it took me many years to piece this together.  It is nothing short of brilliant. 

    Let us all endevor to so contribute with our talents...  O7

    • 40 posts
    November 21, 2019 2:11 AM PST

    RIP Brad you gave me some of my greatest memories with EQ. /sad

    • 1 posts
    November 21, 2019 2:13 AM PST

    my prayer to his family and friends. sad new..

    • 19 posts
    November 21, 2019 2:57 AM PST

    I am at a loss for words, I beta tested EQ, played it till my eyes bled, was the best MMO nothing even captures what EQ had.

    My condolences to Brad's family, I am shattered by this news.

     

    • 170 posts
    November 21, 2019 3:36 AM PST

    I wasn't going to say anything because I am terrible at saying what and how I feel but I think Brad deserves it so I will.

    Brad would talk if you spoke to him. He would take time out of his night to communicate with people. I was playing EQ and logged off and saw him online on facebook and said Hey Brad. Brad responded and I was a little taken back. I never expected him to but then he carried on an entire conversation with me about music, games, motorcycles whatever.

    That was Brad.

    The top 5 best games I've ever played on a PC, 2 of which Brad was the mind behind them. Everquest and Vanguard. My wife and I have played his games for 2 decades now and my son started with a Halfling Ranger in Everquest when he was 3. We have friends that are life long friends that we made in Everquest that are from other states and even a couple from other countries. 

    I truly feel the world has lost a great person. Brad wanted to make us all a community and have us all play someone that was different and when working together with others could achieve great outcomes. I sincerely hope they can get Pantheon out and in some way pay tribute to Brad in Game. So everyone can keep Brad Aradune McQuaid in our hearts while we adventure through the world he created.

    Rest in Peace Brad I offer my deepest condolences to your family. 

    • 2 posts
    November 21, 2019 3:52 AM PST

    i am shocked by Brad's sudden departure and regret he could not live to see Pantheon become a reality i am not the greatest with words or grammar and i loathe speaches but this is a time i feel it is right for one.

     

    in 2013 as a 13 year old boy i discovered EQ downloaded it and even in its post Brad era it gave me a sense of wonder and excitement i have never felt since. it was so strong that i insisted that my sister try it then my mom then my dad we all sunk years into that game and then i caught wind of Vanguard and i loved it but sadly i had only 6 months or so experience a world i would have easily sunk more years into.

    going into those old zones on EQ and seeing the wonders of those old zones was like going back in time almost and despite its age it interested me much more than anything else i had seen before even if there was no reward i was driven to see and experience all that Norrath had to offer old and new and i have come to realize over 15 years of gaming that Brad McQuaid was able to make over a month of tedium camping a named some of the best and most memorable moments of your life.

    before i got involved with Pantheon i did not know a thing about Brad but over time learned that he was a master of his craft and most importantly unlike most legends seemed real seemed human was someone you could look up to faults and all.

    for me it is easy to say my time in EQ shaped me for the better it help improved my typing skills it is responsible for my social skills and helped me hone my merchant skills and gave me some of the greatest moments of my life and was one of the last things i ever played with my mother before she died 7 months ago she is the reason i donated to Pantheon she wanted to get to meet the devs and i guess she will be meeting one of them.

    may she and other fans that have fallen before be the first ones to play test the Heaven port of Pantheon that Brad has surely already started work on

     

    PS the bastard had to go and die before i could mob train him in Alpha god rest his soul


    This post was edited by Kardok at November 21, 2019 8:35 AM PST
    • 70 posts
    November 21, 2019 9:33 AM PST

    Brad's vision for what an immersive world is and his realization of it in Everquest, Vanguard and now Pantheon, is one of the most influential feats of game design wisdom in history.

    Every time anyone reflects on why they have such fond and crystal clear memories of one of his worlds, just remember it is squarely because of Brad and his insistence on tenets such as risk vs reward. Without those tenets and his passion for sticking to them, the utter reverance felt by so many for his contributions to our enjoyment would not be at all the same.

    Brad and Richard Garriott play test early Everquest

    Brad and Richard Garriott play test early Everquest [PC Gamer: The Story of Everquest]


    This post was edited by redgiant at November 21, 2019 9:49 AM PST