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The Tattered Notebook: Dishing out memories for EverQuest II's ninth birthday
Like its older sibling before it, EverQuest II doesn't show any signs of slipping quietly into the night as it ages. Another year has come and gone for the middle child in the EverQuest franchise, and plenty has transpired in those 52 weeks. You'd think after all the goings on of the game's eighth year that things might slow down a bit; after all, how do you top monumental occasions like going free-to-play? But no, the content train just kept rolling in. If you thought that there was already too much to do in EverQuest II when the ninth year started, I'm sorry to say that it just got worse -- or better, depending on how you look at it. That's not to say it was all rainbows and kittens and unicorns (although there were those, too!), but there were definitely plenty of positive happenings throughout the year. From demonstrations of great community spirit to updates galore, the past 12 months have been filled with things both big and small. Take a stroll with me down memory lane as we celebrate EQII's ninth anniversary.
SOE Live 2013: EQII's Destiny of Velious will be free, Age of Discovery split
If you didn't have the chance to sit in on the EverQuest II expansion panel at SOE Live, you didn't get to hear the outright confirmation that Producer Holly Longdale hinted at in Thursday's keynote address, namely, that the Destiny of Velious expansion will soon be bundled with the previous expansions and available to all free-to-play players. Yes, that means that the game updates including SkyShrine, Scars of the Awakened, and Darkness Dawns will open up to all! How else could everyone get free access to the level 85 Heroic Characters and experience the high-level content? Longdale also added that the dev team has been listening to community feedback and that the stand alone Age of Discovery expansion will be split into its components so players can buy the features they like and not have to shell out for those they don't. This expansion contains the Beastlord class, the dungeon maker, and mercenaries. What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, at least where SOE Live is concerned! Massively sent intrepid reporters MJ Guthrie and Karen Bryan to this year's SOE Live, from which they'll be transmitting all the best fan news on EverQuest Next, EverQuest II, DC Universe Online, and the other MMOs on SOE's roster.
EQII's Scars of the Awakened highlights the story through art
With Scars of the Awakened going live today, EverQuest II fans are counting down the hours until their first trip into Cobalt Scar and its many adventures. And who can blame them? New content for crafters and adventurers alike is inbound. Along with the new Cobalt Scar overland zone, GU 66 also brings players a new dungeon filled with some brand-new creatures, a new tradeskill quest line along with hot-off-the-presses recipes, some class changes based directly on player feedback, and more. I got a sneak peek at what lies in store thanks to a tour guided by Holly Longdale, Producer, and Akil Hooper, Creative Director. From walks on the beach among the Ulthork to hordes of undead Othmir to a look at the second half of Sirens Grotto, this tour showed off how the art and the stories blend to create an immersive experience for players.
The lure of EverQuest II's Sirens Grotto documented in video
Earlier this week we got to peek into Cobalt Scar, the new area in EverQuest II's upcoming GU66 Scars of the Awakened. But there's so much more to the zone than just one little fly-through could show! During SOE's latest webcast, the focus turned to one little corner of the new region: the Sirens Grotto dungeon. Complete with waterfalls, coral formations, and alluring sirens begging for help, the dungeon eschews mundane and dingy areas filled with hideous creatures. Sirens Grotto has heroic and advanced versions, both of which play into the daily missions. Players will have multiple reasons to explore this dungeon, from deciphering what's going on with the Ages End prophecy to finding clues about the missing Kelethin contingent of the New Combine army. Watch the full video below to hear devs describe the zone and share more details about the mobs, quests, and stories that folks will encounter come April 30th.
EverQuest II video documents the new Cobalt Scar
Cobalt Scar is a part of EverQuest's legacy, but with EverQuest II's Game Update 66, players will get to explore it all over again. That's because the dev team has been hard at work on a new version of the zone that shows how time and circumstances have conspired to change the landscape while keeping the basic feel of it familiar. In the following video, a trio of SOE developers talk about the feel of Cobalt Scar, the inhabitants and landmarks that players will see, and the story that unfolds in this region. It looks as though players will even get to shoot down a wyvern or two if they're very, very good.
EverQuest II: Scars of the Awakened beta kicks off
Game Update 66 for EverQuest II is ready to dominate April, and SOE has opened the beta gates for testers to give the new content and features a try. All EverQuest II players are allowed into the beta, so you can see what it's all about if you're so interested. The studio put a few disclaimers on the beta, such as the fact that it might be unavailable at times and is subject to being wiped. Scars of the Awakened is scheduled to be released on April 30th and includes the option to create and sell gamer-decorated houses through the player studio.
EQII's Scars of the Awakened update is coming on April 30th
It's almost time for EverQuest II's game update 66: Scars of the Awakened. By almost time, of course, we mean that the patch itself isn't due until April 30th, but that won't keep us from talking about it! The Norrathians are marching under the banner of the New Combine toward the borders of the Cobalt Scar, a region described as "majestic, lush, but tormented." There, players will find Sirens Grotto, a new dungeon that'll play host to solo, heroic, and raid challenges. They'll also find new collections, quest lines, items, and a host of class changes. If you just cannot possibly wait to get your hands on this content, rejoice! The patch opens up for beta on April 2nd, and the team is relying on you to make sure it's well-tested!
