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Norrathian Notebook: The EverQuest franchise through the ages
Our notebook is tattered no longer! We've filled so many pages over the years that it is time to set the dog-eared, fraying sheets aside and take up a fresh new notebook with plenty of room for all the upcoming adventures. And on this fresh new slate, you will see a slightly different focus from that of its predecessor. As you may have noticed, over the past few months, The Tattered Notebook dipped into coverage of more than just EverQuest II. As of this moment, it is official: Our notebook now chronicles Norrath, in all its shapes and forms. These pages will fill with all things EverQuest, from the original game to the next incarnations. On top of the franchise focus that includes four major titles, the notebook is moving back to a weekly time slot every Saturday, so you'll get your Norrathian news more frequently. To kick things off, let's a look at the history of Norrath, from start to sequel to sandboxes, and everything in between.
The Tattered Notebook: Will Age of Discovery be the last EQII expansion?
It's amazing how much can change in just over a year. At the end of last summer, we were wrapping up Fan Faire and looking forward to Destiny of Velious, the upcoming expansion and the first of what was supposed to be a two-part expansion. This past weekend, just over a year later, I was headed to #OccupyNorrath to check out the planned protest, part of which was aimed at the cost of the new expansion, Age of Discovery. While the protest was light, to put it mildly, there has been quite a bit of rumbling on the forums about this upcoming expansion and the fact that while it might be heavy on features, it's pretty light on new content. Now, when I question whether Age of Discovery will be the last EverQuest II expansion, I'm certainly not predicting that all production will cease and desist in the game afterwards. But I think it's worth asking whether we're seeing a shift away from the traditional expansion model. Let's take a look back the past year and a half because I think it offers hints that might help explain the bigger picture for the game.
The Tattered Notebook: Fan Faire knowns and unknowns
As we inch closer to Fan Faire, speculation begins to mount about what news EverQuest II fans will finally get to hear. Last year, players were smarting from the announcement of EQII Extended, the free-to-play server, and it seemed to deflate the mood among EQII Fan Faire attendees. This year, EQII is full of knowns and unknowns, to borrow a phrase from former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. We have known knowns, which are things that we know we know. And then there are known unknowns, or things that we know but we actually don't know. Lastly, there are unknown unknowns, which are things that we don't know we don't know. That's where things are in EQII currently. Confused? Me too! This week's Tattered Notebook will look at what we know and what we hope to find out more about at this year's Fan Faire.
The Tattered Notebook: If we all look cool, how do we know who's really cool?
Last week, we looked at the amazing job that EverQuest II does with providing ways to make your character look unique. EQII is one of the best when it comes to making your character look special, cool, and fitting of who you are. But there's another side of this coin, and as one forum poster has rightfully pointed out, the best-looking items aren't always the best items in the game. As Rayven2 noted recently on the official forums: A good example is the Elemental War Sword. Sure it drops from an easy-mode mob, but it's a 4x raid and takes time and effort to beat (at least the first time you do it). The sword should look somewhat cool, but the graphic is just the same reused sword graphic painted gold. The chillborne sword is the one that has the particle effects for 200SC. So you bust your hump beating a mob that took 24 people to take down only to get a reward that looks worse than an appearance weapon anyone can acquire for little or no effort. None of the scout weapons look anywhere as cool as the SC daggers out there. Senior Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson replied, saying, "It's a fair point, although if we're not paying attention to that now, it's by oversight, not by intent. Everyone wants something cool looking (not just cool stats) when they overcome big challenges. That's natural." In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll take a closer look at "looking cool" and how the rise of cash shops has changed the way we view each other.
The Tattered Notebook: What will Velious bring?
It's been a long wait, but tomorrow, EverQuest II players will finally get to explore the frozen continent of Velious. Longtime players, including me, worried that the expansion would not pay tribute to the features that made the original Scars of Velious so popular. The official site isn't very reassuring, either, as it's dominated by announcements of appearance gear and marketing promotions. Veteran players are left feeling like the Wendy's lady, pointedly asking, "Where's the beef?" With the arrival of launch day, what will the Destiny of Velious expansion bring to players? Is there more to this expansion than flying mounts and cute othmir illusions? Read on to see what players might expect to see.
The Tattered Notebook: Highlights from the Destiny of Velious webcast
With Destiny of Velious just around the corner, the team at SOE has announced a webcast schedule to provide details about the upcoming expansion and answer player questions. The first one was this past Friday and was attended by Senior Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson and Siliam "Silius" Grant, whom Vanguard fans might recognize. While the show was brief, the duo did touch on many different areas -- from itemization to raids and even to the addition of new public quests. Read on for highlights from the first Velious question-and-answer session.
The Tattered Notebook: A look forward, with a look back
It's definitely feeling like the dog days of January in EverQuest II right now. Frostfell is almost over, Destiny of Velious beta is in high gear, and there are only a few weeks left before Sentinel's Fate becomes "last year's" expansion. While a visit to the Gigglegibber lotto has helped pass the time, I've been fighting a losing battle with pre-expansion doldrums. But then I got thinking about those first few days in Sentinel's Fate and our first foray into The Conservatory, and I began to get really excited about the Velious expansion that's right around the corner. Read on for my trip down memory lane and see why I'm eagerly anticipating the arrival of February.
The Tattered Notebook: Eleven ways to ring in 2011
The stockings might be stretched and frayed from being stuffed with presents, and the Frostfell tree might be shedding all over your Halasian home, but that doesn't mean the celebration is over! While the holidays are winding down, things are hopping in EverQuest II. If you're looking to dodge those post-holiday blues, look no further! I've composed a list of fun things to do in EQII during the month of January, and all are doable no matter what your level. Read below for a look at 11 for '11, and ring in the New Year in EverQuest II.
The Tattered Notebook: EverQuest II's year in review
EverQuest II may be the ripe old age of six, but it certainly isn't showing signs of slowing down. With 2010 coming to a close, it's time to look back on the past year, which was marked with several major changes to the game. Read on for The Tattered Notebook's year in review, and then share your memories of the past year in EverQuest II.
The Tattered Notebook: Six years of EverQuest II
I looked down at the dog-eared journal and shivered. As excited as I was to finally be in possession of The Tattered Notebook, I recalled the fates of its previous owners. First, seemingly out of madness, Seccia made a sudden and unexpected career change to blog about kittens. Now, Scarve, a Ratonga, has disappeared in the night, leaving behind only a wedge of cheese, this tattered notebook, and a tiny stuffed Kerran doll. Rumors spread of his appearance among a shadowy cult of Gnomish tinkerers, but it's unclear whether he's with them by choice or by force. Regardless, I took a deep breath and opened the cover. What a perfect time to begin adding my entries to the journal, right at the celebration of EverQuest II's six-year anniversary! To celebrate, the game is holding its second annual Festival of Heroes, from November 19-30. In honor of this milestone, my first entry into The Tattered Notebook is a retrospective of those past six years, with an eye towards the future.
Fate for free: EQII upgrades the celebration
The party continues! If the offer of a free cosmetic armband wasn't enough to get you to log back into EverQuest II, then SOE is hoping that opening up Sentinel's Fate for all to experience will do the trick. All current EQII players now have access to the Sentinel's Fate content through tomorrow, May 14. SOE obviously wants players to upgrade to the new expansion as well, so they're offering a variety of discounts to nudge the playerbase along. Active players can get Sentinel's Fate for $5 off the current price if they purchase it by May 30, while inactive players will receive the same offer in addition to a $5 discount for their first month's resubscription. It's a good time to be an EverQuest II player, with the expansion pack still going strong, this celebration pulling players back in, and a decent chunk of new content on the way with the Halas Reborn patch. So head on over to EQII to get your goodies, see the new sights and secure your discount today!
EQ2 handing out free armbands in celebration
Everybody likes free stuff, right? There's always something irresistible about a little freebie, something that makes people do crazy, crazy things to snag it. Well, in the case of EverQuest 2, all you have to do is log on sometime during May 12-14 to claim your very own Rose Quartz Inlaid Gold Armbands. Whew, that's a mouthful! The armband is a cosmetic item only that fits in the shoulder slot, and cannot be traded. It normally sells on the Station Marketplace, but SOE has waved the cost for a few days in celebration of Sentinel's Fate's success. You can grab yours by typing /marketplace in EverQuest 2, or by clicking on the Marketplace tab. Some players have wondered if the armbands were beholden to that one look. As one forum poster asked, "Do they come in any other color than pink?" The response was quick: "Yes, they also come in light red."
The Tattered Notebook: No one is left behind
'Allo again, lovelies. Last week has been a week of danger and intrigue as I battled through Nektulos Forest and worked on getting my unique Shadowknight armor. During all of this, though, I thought to myself -- how can I apply any of these experiences to my notebook entry for this coming week? Then of course, it hit me. Why not just explain what I've been doing to get through the areas in a short amount of time? A few tips and tricks for playing the level game? Sure, I've been up and down with grouping and preparations for Sentinel's Fate, but many players are always intimidated when entering a game and "being behind." Well, don't worry about being behind. You're not entering the game late at all when it comes to EverQuest II, especially thanks to the recent additions to the game in Sentinel's Fate. Interested in catching up and experiencing some great content? Then click on through after the break! Also, I'm still looking for questions anyone has on EverQuest II, so I can answer them in an upcoming Tattered Notebook. Ask me anything, from EverQuest II questions, guild leadership and raiding questions, and even questions on my Dark Elven heritage. Send them over to seraphina@massively.com, and she'll be sure to forward them on through the Norrathian Express mail to me.
Sentinel's Fate rises to the top of the charts
The EverQuest II players have spoken. The results are in, and the sales of the newest expansion, Sentinel's Fate took the #1 spot in the PC game sales charts for a second week in a row. We'd bet there will be much celebratory battleground playing or virtual pillow-fighting at the Sony Online Entertainment offices today. The sixth expansion to EverQuest II, Sentinel's Fate is chock full of content, taking players from level 80 to 90. Packed into this expansion are two new overland zones, 15 new dungeons, 400 new quests and over 2,000 new items to check out. There's also some pretty cool armor and 500 station cash to go shopping with as well. Not too shabby. If you're curious for more details about the expansion, Sera's compiled a great roundup of our coverage. For now, we'll just say grats on the ding, EverQuest II team!
The Tattered Notebook: Sentinel's Fate aftermath and advice
Hrm. After a brief vacation, darlings, I am back at the reigns of my column. Neriak was lovely this time of year -- I encourage you all to stop by for a visit if you have the time. But who has the time these days, right? All of your are off exploring Odus as if you haven't seen the place in 500 years. I hear that some adventurers are already tackling some of the most dangerous dungeons on that continent already! My, my, my, how you all tackle your challenges so quickly. Many of you have had some very interesting things to say about Odus, and I've been silently watching and taking some notes. I've got them all right here, tucked away in my notebook. I've even amassed some answers for a few of your more common problems, just in time for the digital download release today. But, all of you can never say that Seccia Ravenloft was a secretive elf. I'm more than happy to share my findings so come closely, gather around the campfire, and listen here.
Dragons abound in the Sentinel's Fate launch day trailer
An epic expansion deserves an epic trailer, and that means adding as many dragons as possible to your video. The new Sentinel's Fate launch day trailer takes a good look at all of the new monsters and encounters available in the game, but it seems to have a particular focus on large dragons and how they destroy people with their acidic breath. Fun if you're a dragon lover, bad if you're on the receiving end of that breath. If you haven't gotten a look at the expansion in motion yet, or want to watch some dragons eat some people, we have the video for you embedded after the break. Just click the continue reading button to see the eye candy if you dare to cross into the dragon's lair!
The Tattered Notebook: A look into grouping, and a roundup of our Sentinel's Fate coverage
While Sentinel's Fate doesn't hit the digital download shelves for another week, retail players (and the many winners of retail access keys) are already enjoying the brand new lands of Odus as of this morning, thanks to today's headstart launch! The magical barrier protecting the continent has fallen, and many adventurers have already accessed the wizard spires to throw themselves into the Sundered Frontier and right into the intrigue. But, while you're waiting to patch (or if you're an international customer, waiting for the servers to come up) we have just the thing for you -- our roundup of Sentinel's Fate coverage. Plus, this week we're taking a look at forming groups in EverQuest II, and how you can quickly and effectively put one together.
Win a copy of EverQuest II: Sentinel's Fate tonight in Massively's "Keys of Fate" event! [Closed!]
You have an EverQuest II subscription (or want to sign up for a trial?) You want to participate in a fun event, solve a few puzzles, and have a chance at winning a collector's edition key for Sentinel's Fate just in time for tomorrow's launch? Then do we have the offer for you! Tonight, starting at 8:30 PM ET (5:30 PM PT), boot up your EverQuest II to the Lucan d'Lere server and get your browsers pointed to Massively.com. We're hosting an across-the-internet scavenger hunt, finishing out with a race across Norrath to find our roving Dark Elven reporter, Seccia Ravenloft. Seccia has been equipped with not one, but two key codes that will unlock the Sentinel's Fate collector's edition in addition to 10 key codes that will unlock the standard retail version. All of these keys will let you access the Sentinel's Fate headstart, which begins tomorrow! Need all the details? We have them right after the break!
Catch up for Sentinel's Fate with a bonus exp weekend
Behind on your leveling? Stuck in a mire of experience? Looking for a quick boost to get you set for the latest expansion to EverQuest II, Sentinel's Fate? Well, starting at 3 PM PT today (6 PM for those of us on the east coast) you'll be able to get bonus experience to everything you do in EverQuest II! Leveling experience, alternate advancement experience, tradeskill experience, country experience, and western experience will all benefit from the bonus event. (Editor's Note: We don't remember country or western experience being in EQII, but hey, he is the executive producer, after all. He should know what he's talking about.) Your new experience buff will be running out on Monday at Noon PT (3 PM ET) so be sure to take advantage of it while you can! Get some more experience under your belt before Sentinel's Fate launches on Tuesday!
Conquer the Keys of Fate, win a copy of Sentinel's Fate!
"Seccia quickly looked over the treasured keys one last time. Her fingers lightly traced the ornate engravings on the two platinum and ten golden keys as a smile pulled itself across her lips. She took a deep breath before slowly wrapping them up in a large piece of canvas, hiding the package at the bottom of her backpack. "In a few short minutes she had finished packing her camping supplies and had donned her armor. Without a second look back across her apartment she quickly moved towards the front door, praying that the right adventurers would find her before it's too late." This Monday at 8:30 PM EST, join Massively as we set out on a bold quest across not only the face of Norrath, but the internet itself! Our intrepid Dark Elven reporter, Seccia Ravenloft, is holding the keys for brand new copies of EverQuest II's Sentinel's Fate collector's edition and retail edition! To claim them, however, one must track her down, wherever she is hiding, and politely request a key. Tracking her down, however, will lead you through multiple puzzles and riddles in a race against the rest of Norrath! You will need an active EverQuest II subscription to participate in this contest, readers, so be sure to reactivate if you're interested in winning yourself a brand new expansion pack. Full instructions will be posted here and on the EverQuest II Community News forum come Monday, so keep your eye out! Can you conquer the Keys of Fate?
