Methods include providing an aqueous slurry of ceramic forming raw materials, where at least a portion of the ceramic forming raw materials are enhanced particulates, and flowing the slurry through at least one extrusion die face to form slurry bodies while the slurry is under a hypotensive condition which is less than about 30 kPa, or otherwise pressure lower than conventional extrusion pressures using unenhanced raw materials. The slurry bodies may then be received in a collecting hopper, and thereafter sintering to form particles, such as ceramic proppant particles. Enhanced particulates may be raw material particulates that are coated, selectively shaped, of particular size(s), or any combination thereof.