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EverQuest answers questions about the addition of Krono
If you play EverQuest but not the sequel, EverQuest II feels like the younger sibling that gets everything it wants. A new graphical engine, more expansions, more developer time, it's not fair. And then the game gets the option for players to buy game time and sell it for real currency in the game, which is just so unfair. But if you buy into this hypothetical pseudo-sibling rivalry, good news -- the Krono option is coming to classic EverQuest in the near future. An official FAQ has been posted explaining how Krono works and how players can use them to purchase time with in-game money or vice versa. The FAQ also clarifies that purchased Krono works in both EverQuest II and the original EverQuest so long as you purchase one directly; if you trade it to another player it's tied to the game where you made the trade. Take a look at the full FAQ and start enjoying the freedom to pay with your game subscription through in-game farming.
The Tattered Notebook: A guide for new and returning EverQuest II players
With the Chains of Eternity expansion now live, I've seen lots of comments and even a couple of emails from players who are looking to try out EverQuest II or are thinking of coming back after an extended hiatus. And because the game is free-to-play, it's easy to get in-game and check things out before committing to a payment plan. But with all of the changes over the past year or so, it's sometimes hard to make sense of it all. Some guides and write-ups are now outdated, and with the recent forum conversion, it's difficult to find answers to common questions when coming back (or trying out) the game. So in this week's Tattered Notebook, I've put together a general rundown of topics that tend to come up for new and returning players.
The Tattered Notebook: Breaking into EQII's Chains of Eternity
EverQuest II's Chains of Eternity launched this past week, and while the paint is still fresh and I'm still taking it all in, there are a few things I really appreciate with this expansion so far. If you look back at all of the past expansions and adventure packs, you'll notice there always seemed to be one or two things that were trial balloons and never really fit with the spirit of EQII. In Desert of Flames, it was the arena, while more recently in Velious, the public quests got a lot of use but always seemed to have issues (and they now seem to be off the radar entirely). Chains of Eternity is just good old EverQuest II content, and it's tailor-made for longtime players. In this week's Tattered Notebook, I'll offer up some first impressions of the new expansion and a few things that I appreciate about the game.
EverQuest II's 8th anniversary: Celebrating a pivotal year
What a difference a day makes. And what a difference 365 days make! Every EverQuest II anniversary retrospective notes a number of changes, tweaks, and additions to the lands of Norrath, but none can boast the depth and breadth of changes that have happened over the previous 12 months. Between adding brand-new systems and altering the very landscape itself, Sony Online Entertainment has changed how players relate to -- and even access -- the game in fundamental ways. What's new? For starters, new lands, new sandbox features, a new payment model, and a new class have all appeared over the course of this past year. But that's not all; no one can accuse SOE of just sitting on its laurels because the changes keep a-comin' at seemingly ever increasing speeds. Not only does this anniversary sit literally on the cusp of even more major dramatic alterations (the dust's hardly settled from SOE Live and the ninth expansion, with all of its content, launches in just five days), but two innovations have slid in right under the wire! Whether you've been away or you just want to reminisce, let's take a moment to look over the past year in EverQuest II before we lose ourselves in Chains of Eternity.
EverQuest II does away with coin limitations on accounts
Recently, EverQuest II introduced Krono, tokens that can be redeemed for subscription time in the game. In theory, this meant that players who were normally free players could purchase game time with in-game currency. However, there was a practical problem with this -- players who purchased Krono tokens weren't exactly giving them away on the cheap, and free players were limited to a currency cap that made purchasing the game time impossible in practice if not in theory. The most recent game update contains a number of balance tweaks and bugfixes, but the most relevant portion is the abolition of the coin limit, allowing players both free and subscribed to earn money without an upward limit. This gives free players the ability to earn the money they need to buy game time, and it gives players buying Krono tokens a new market for these little bits of time. Everybody comes out on top, except for the monsters that will inevitably be slaughtered to fund these time-related antics.
The Tattered Notebook: An appraisal of EQII's Krono
The dust has barely settled from our yearly foray to Bally's, and already we're seeing some of the exciting news from SOE Live become a reality. Just a few days ago, we saw the arrival of Krono to EverQuest II, and out of all the news about EQII, it has the potential to be the biggest game changer of all. Basically, Norrath now has its own version of EVE Online's PLEX. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll take a look at exactly how Krono works, but we'll also examine how this could lead to even bigger changes in EverQuest II.
SOE Live 2012: Dave Georgeson on the business side of the EQ franchise
There were many terrific panels this year at SOE Live, and as usual, there's a very good dialogue between the players and the developers on a variety of issues. Among them was one that looked at the EverQuest franchise from a different perspective than usual. Instead of discussing expansions, class balance, game mechanics, or itemization, it addressed the business model behind the games. Over the past two years, both EQ and EQII have seen enormous changes, but even if you go further back, you'll see a dramatic transition away from the traditional subscription model. Dave Georgeson, Director of the EverQuest franchise, gave a talk that shed some new light on the philosophy behind some of the changes. In addition, he outlined some upcoming changes to the SOE update cycle, marketplace, and other areas of monetization. We've got all the details below, and some of the changes are not at all what you'd expect!
SOE Live 2012: Friday keynote highlights DCUO, EQ, and EQII
Day two of SOE Live wrapped up with yet another keynote, this one focused on DC Universe Online, EverQuest, and EverQuest II. Creative Director Jens Andersen of DCUO, Executive Producer Thom Terrazas from EQ, Executive Producer Holly Longdale from EQII, and Dave Georgeson, the EQ Franchise head, all took a turn on stage to give a rundown of what each game had launched over the past year, and more importantly, where each is headed for the future. But before that, SOE paid tribute to the military veterans in attendance (pictured above) and gave two of the longest-serving military members NVIDIA cards to thank them for their service. Read on for the highlights!
