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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.
EverQuest II opens beta signups for Destiny of Velious
If you've been looking forward to EverQuest II's upcoming expansion, you've likely been waiting for the announcement that beta testing will commence. Good news -- the wait is over, as the official signup page is now available for players. The slightly less-good news is that there will be no open beta for the expansion, which means that the current registration is your one and only chance to test out Destiny of Velious before it goes live. Applications from any players with an EverQuest II account in good standing will be accepted through January 3rd; the pool will be decided upon and the selectees notified sometime before testing begins on January 5th. Fan Faire attendees get an automatic pass, so long as the account used to register for testing is the same as the account registered for the Fan Faire. It's an opportunity to get into a long-lost area of the world before anyone else, so if you're a player, it's well worth at least trying for the beta.
EverQuest II's first Velious rewards brighten home and hearth
Purchasing an expansion for a long-running game is something of a necessary evil. Getting special rewards for having purchased it, however, certainly does help take the edge off. That's the philosophy behind the Velious rewards for EverQuest II, and it's certainly the case for the first two rewards. Revealed today, the rewards make a fine addition to the home of any resident of Norrath, allowing you to spruce up your living quarter with a new butler and painting. The painting is a reproduction of the cover art for the original EverQuest's second expansion, taking place in the same region (Velious, naturally). The new Coldain butler, on the other hand, will serve as a retainer within your house, possibly following you on errands for an hour or so at a time. ("Errands" may well include "killing things and looting corpses," for the record.) EverQuest II players have plenty more rewards to look forward to, but the first pair should be a welcome addition for everyone in the game.
EQII offers blood-sucking rewards for Velious pre-orders
EverQuest II players undoubtedly wish it was next February already so that they could get their hands on the upcoming Destiny of Velious expansion. There's a hunk of new content on the way, including a broader flight experience, more dungeons and a pair of new zones... but three months can seem like an eternity when you want it now. To take the edge off the wait, SOE has announced a series of rewards for subscribers who pre-order EQII's next expansion -- and better yet, the rewards will be parceled out prior to release. Every month, starting in December, SOE will send a pair of special in-game goodies to those who have proven their commitment to the game. While SOE is being secretive about most of them, we do know two: the ability to play the new Vampire race, and an Ice Wolf mount. Vampires and wolves getting along? That's not what Twilight taught us! These Velious rewards are schedule to be handed out December 15th, January 18th and February 8th, and each character on an account "in good standing" will get them. Head on over to EverQuest II to read up on this promotion.
The Tattered Notebook: Flying mounts and what's Next
Well, it's been quite the week and a half for EverQuest fans, with not one but two expansion announcements, a few more details on the upcoming EQII Extended service courtesy of various Fan Faire panels, and of course the speculation supernova surrounding the pseudo-reveal of EQNext (is it really a reveal though if we know virtually nothing about it?). You might think that here at the Tattered Notebook, we'd be quivering with excitement for more EQNext info, or salivating at the prospect of a return to Velious as well as gearing up to visit the House of Thule. You'd be right, but all of that pales in comparison to two very special words (no, not Station Cash): Flying frickin' mounts.
SOE officially announces EQII's Destiny
Not to be outdone by all the fan coverage of last week's Fan Faire 2010, Sony Online Entertainment has released its own smorgasbord of information on the next EverQuest II expansion in the form of an official press release. Destiny of Velious, flying your way in February, looks to expand the venerable franchise while simultaneously paying homage to its roots. The release will feature an all-in-one compilation pack with the base game, all seven expansions, and three adventure packs, allowing newbs and veterans alike to dive into (or back into) the world of Norrath. Speaking of diving, we've now confirmed that flying mounts will allow you to venture off the beaten path of pre-determined flight tracks, wheeling and soaring at will. Additionally, expansioneers can partake of 300 new quests (including four Heritage Quests), 10 new dungeon instances, a contested dungeon, Velious-themed PvP battlegrounds, two new overland zones, six new raids, and dozens of new armor sets. %Gallery-99169%
Rumor: EQII's next expansion returns to Velious
It's been a long road getting from there to here, it's been a long time, but my time is finally here. Oh wait, that's from the incredibly sappy theme song to Star Trek: Enterprise. My bad. But it does describe the wait for EverQuest II players to return to their old stomping grounds of Velious from the first EverQuest. That wait may soon be over, as ZAM is reporting that SOE has applied for the trademark "EverQuest II: Destiny of Velious." This comes on top of other recent hints, such as the Coldain dwarves in New Halas, so it shouldn't come as a total shocker to EQ II fanatics. The Scars of Velious was EverQuest's second expansion back in 2000, which featured the titular continent where snow, ice and dragons abounded. A decade later, and players may be able to return to their old stomping grounds to see the familiar sights, as well as the (undoubtedly) great changes that have come upon this land. Head over to read the speculation and news on ZAM.
