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Norrathian Notebook: Talking EverQuest II's 10th anniversary with Holly Longdale
The big 1-0. EverQuest II has just joined the ranks of games in their double digits; today marks the 10th anniversary for the fantasy game. And while that's a pretty impressive feat in itself, just growing older isn't all that has happened to EQII in the past year. There have been plenty of content updates (and a change in how those update occur), holiday celebrations, and major news happenings during the course of the past 12 months. However, instead of just highlighting the major events and changes of the year in a standard retrospective piece, I'm going to do something a little different this year. On top of wandering down memory lane, I've pulled in Senior Producer Holly Longdale to answer a few questions and address some current concerns on the minds of players. Longdale talks about the high price of both the Altar of Malice Collector's Edition and the new Aerakyn race as well as shares some fun facts about who's been working on the game since the beginning.
EverQuest II's Aerakyn race is spreading its wings November 11th
A few weeks ago we peeked into EverQuest II's impending Altar of Malice expansion with Senior Producer Holly Longdale and Creative Director Akil Hooper. In addition to touring the zones and basking in the beauty of the artwork while weaving through dinosaurs, I also got a glimpse of the newest race coming the game and gleaned a few interesting tidbits about these scaly, winged creatures. Although not technically a part of the expansion, Aerakyn will become available to players for purchase on the same day that AoM goes live for All Access members: November 11th. Be a dragon! With a new race incoming, some players are already trying to determine whether they will bump an alt or just buy a new character slot. It's not just the opportunity to be what is arguably the first real dragonkind in the game (sorry Sarnak!) but the chance to experience the game as one of the very few flight-enabled races. The Aerakyn, like the Fae and Arasai introduced in a previous expansion, utilize their wings from day one. Of course, the actual flight mechanic cannot be obtained until the appropriate level (85), but the wings still work and the race can glide around. Unlike the Fae and Arasai, however, the Aerakyn will get to use their personal wings as all three advanced mount types.
EverQuest: The Darkened Sea expansion is live today
We got our first glimpse of EverQuest's 21st expansion back at SOE Live, with its impending new features, a slew of new zones, and the promise of the return of two classic characters. For the past month, some folks have even been testing these things out in beta. Now with launch finally just around the corner (as in today!), Designers Jonathan Caraker, Alan VanCouvering, and Doug Cronkhite joined Producer Thom Terrazas and Creative Director Akil Hooper to talk shop while zipping through the newest zones of The Darkened Sea on a tour of what players will get to dive into. The Darkened Sea actually builds upon a previous expansion, The Buried Sea. "We have some stories and characters... that we liked back then that we wanted to continue," Terrazas explained. "So we're bringing back some familiar characters that have been off the grid a little bit the last few years." The story itself also takes place in the Buried Sea, starting off on a little tucked away island called Tempest Temple.
Sneaking a peek at EQII's Altar of Malice with SOE
When EverQuest II's next expansion, Altar of Malice, was announced at SOE Live in August, we heard about upcoming features, perused concept drawings, and even saw some screenshots. As exciting as all that can be, nothing compares to actually getting in the game and seeing the living breathing world of Norrath. And that's exactly what I got to do last week on a tour with Senior Producer Holly Longdale and Creative Director Akil Hooper. While we have to wait a bit longer to hear more about the Aerakyn (the new winged dragonkind race) and what special goodies will be included in the collector's edition, the tour of the zones allowed me to bask in the beauty of the artwork while weaving through dinosaurs, pygmies, and my favorite-yet-long-lost starting zone. And it definitely made me even more excited for the upcoming release of Altar of Malice!
SOE Live 2014: More tidbits about EQII's Altar of Malice expansion
One of the great things about SOE Live is that not only do you get announcements like the EverQuest II expansion but there are also many panels to delve even deeper into the upcoming content. On top of that, you have Q&A sessions where dedicated players draw out more useful information! Here are a few more tidbits that came from the rest of the con.
SOE Live 2014: EverQuest will release The Darkened Sea expansion October 28th
As is custom, the next EverQuest expansion was announced at SOE Live 2014. And while Thursday's keynote shared the title, The Darkened Sea, it divulged little else. Players were going to have to wait until EQ's individual keynote address later today to get any actual details. However, for those who just can't wait that long, I sat down with Senior Producer Thom Terrazas and Creative Director Akil Hooper to get an early scoop on the game's upcoming 21st expansion and more. What do players have to look forward to? How about the return of the classic characters Firiona Vie and Lanys T'Val, a personalized looting feature, a higher level cap of 105, a new mount storage system, and eight new zones! Oh, we can't forget the dinosaurs! And did I mention that The Darkened Sea launches on October 28th for All Access members?
Dragons take flight in EQII's Tears of Veeshan today
It's all about the dragons. You just can't get more quintessential fantasy than dragons, and EverQuest II's newest expansion is all about dragons. Sure, there are goblins and bow-wielding healers as well, but you can't miss that the focus of Tears of Veeshan is on those massive fire-breathing beasts. From dragons attacking Qeynos and Freeport to the evil dragon arch-enemy bent on destroying all time and space to the dragon afterlife, it is all about the dragons. Heck, even the new AAs are from dragons! So it's safe to say if you aren't a really a fan of wyverns in all their forms (be they live or dead!), you might want to skip this expansion. If, however, you love them in all their scaly glory, you've got plenty to look forward to. While waiting for ToV to take flight on live servers, I got to tour the highlights of the expansion with Producer Holly Longdale, Creative Director Akil Hooper, and Game Designer Carlos Mora. And from them I learned a few interesting new tidbits about EQII's 10th expansion. Want to know how you, too, can get Qho killed? I thought that might get your attention.
EverQuest II video peeks behind the scenes of Tears of Veeshan
You may have to wait until Tuesday to jump into EverQuest II's next expansion, but you can get a peek at the making of Tears of Veeshan in a new behind-the-scenes video now. From the food-fighting goblins, grand vistas, and intricate details of Highkeep to the Naiad-filled halls of the Shissar-built temple Stratum of the Protectors, devs highlight some of the art and animations of ToV. Also included is a brief overview of the new Channeler class by Creative Director Akil Hooper and a glimpse of of an enormous globe of Norrath. Check it all out in the video below. [Source: SOE press release]
SOE Live 2013: EverQuest II expounds on Tears of Veeshan
After so much attention has been given to the latest sibling in the EverQuest franchise, some fans have expressed concern about the fate of EverQuest II once EverQuest Next comes out. But anyone who was present at SOE Live had those concerns laid to rest; the passion and commitment of the development team is no less vibrant and palpable now than before the big reveal. Should anyone be worried that EverQuest II will be neglected and just fade away? No -- not if you heard all the upcoming plans for the title, both short and long term. Besides the revelations at the keynote address, EQII fans had myriad panels, events, and even special play-test sessions to attend to learn about the game. There was a focus on the new Tears of Veeshan expansion overall, a dedicated look at just the Channeler class, a panel just for new systems, and more. Players who missed the Q&A session missed out on learning some specific changes that are being added to the list for the future. Luckily, we've hit these all up and have the highlights for you right here.
Darkness Dawns takes the EverQuest II story to new heights today
While many eyes are turned toward Las Vegas in anticipation of big reveals next week, EverQuest II fans get to sink their teeth into a meaty update to help them pass the time until the convention. Darkness Dawns, the continuation of the story developed throughout the previous Scars of the Awakened update, hits servers today. What in GU67 could possibly distract players from thoughts of SOE Live? How about four fabled Desert of Flames dungeons retooled for the max-level crowd, a more flexible AA system, new PvP rewards, more tradeskill apprentice items, three new contested god avatars, a special raid arena, improved inventory management (yay for personal depots!), daily objectives, and -- in the words of Producer Holly Longdale -- "one of most epic events in game." Sounds like a bit to take in, doesn't it? And that's just scratching the surface. Thanks to a tour hosted by Longdale, Creative Director Akil Hooper, Lead Designer Kyle Vallee, and Designer Carlos Mora, I was treated to a preview of EQII's newest features and learned a few extra tidbits to pass along as well as the update trailer (which you can see here as well!).
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 Tattered Notebook: EQII pays attention to PvPers and fighters
This past week, we learned that not only are we a long way from hearing details about EverQuest Next, but the handful of screenshots we got at the 2010 Fan Faire don't really represent what the game looks like anymore. I'm as excited as can be about EQ Next, and I'm rooting for big things for the game, but you can't fault me for having the urge to reach for the Tums as I recall what happened to another SOE game that lingered in development this long (The Agency) and try to avoid comparing it to another recent title that generated buzz for this long without any tangible evidence of the project (Copernicus). I still have faith! And as I post up these screenshots one last time for posterity, my concerns over EQ Next were tempered by more details about the upcoming update in EverQuest II, including big PvP news, adjustments to the fighter classes, and some interesting changes to gear. Let's look at a few highlights from the recent SOE Webcast with SOE Executive Director of Development Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson, EQII Lead Designer Akil "Lyndro" Hooper, and Associate Designers Brian "Omougi" Ferguson and Mike "Xelgad" Ganz to see what impact the changes might have on the game.
The Tattered Notebook: Skyshrine, mercs, Qeynos, and shields that roar
For those gamers who have been patiently waiting to hear about GU63, the past few weeks have been a treat. We've shown off a few trailers on Massively, the official site has hosted a couple of team interviews, and even the SOE Twitch TV channel has been focused on EverQuest II. In fact, the recent webcast was the second part of a featured series on the update, and this one took a closer look Skyshrine and also answered a few fan questions. EQII Producer Holly "Windstalker" Longdale, Lead Designer Akil "Lyndro" Hooper, and SOE Executive Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson sat down to preview what's coming to a server near you. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll look at the highlights and analyze what it means to both new players and old. Read on for the skinny!
EverQuest II invites you backstage with a pair of Age of Discovery videos
Ignore the man behind the curtain! Bow before the great and powerful Smokejumper! Oh... what? It's OK if they see behind the curtain? Come on in, folks -- SOE's totally fine with you seeing what's going on backstage during the development of EverQuest II's Age of Discovery and has a couple videos to prove it. The first video is narrated by EQII Lead Game Designer Akil Hooper, who takes us on a lightning tour of the new Beastlords and their animal Warders. Hooper shows off the new additions to the UI that make viewing, customizing, and switching between the Warders possible. Flipping over to Age of Discovery's mercenaries feature, Game Designer Carlos Mora demonstrates how the system works. Players can hire one of 10 mercenary NPCs to form a temporary party, and Mercenaries have both a hiring fee and a salary that is withdrawn from your account every 30 minutes. Mora says that a couple of the mercs are more difficult to find -- and more unique -- but are worth the search. You can watch both of the behind-the-scenes videos after the jump!
SOE releases EverQuest II Beastlord Q&A
Beastlords! BEASTLORDS! Sorry, but long-time Norrath junkies are somewhat excited by the upcoming appearance of the popular class in Sony Online Entertainment's venerable EverQuest II title. When the Age of Discovery expansion debuts next month, pet-loving players will have a lot to look forward to, according to lead designer Akil "Lyndro" Hooper. "One of our goals for Beastlords is to experiment with some new play styles. Beastlords have warders that they can tame, who work in combination with the Beastlord to create a new style of combat tactics. Beastlords have fewer buttons to press, and a more active and reactive playstyle than our other classes," Hooper explained in a new Q&A released yesterday. Head to the official EQII website for more of the discussion including the differences between warders and more specifics on combat.
The Tattered Notebook: Exec. Producer Dave Georgeson on EverQuest II and EverQuest Next
If there's one thing that came out of Fan Faire about EQ Next, it's that no one will talk about EQ Next. No matter who you talked to, any time the subject came up, the answer was always, "I can't talk about that." However, Executive Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson sat down with Massively during Fan Faire to talk more about EverQuest II, and during that interview, he did give a tiny glimpse into what that game would be like. In this week's Tattered Notebook, Massively gets the scoop on Beastlords, the dungeon builder, Freeport's revamp, and much more.
Raiding LU 44 Preview: Do You Feel the Hate?
Coming this Tuesday, April 8th, along with the rest of EQ2's Live Update 44 is the Shard of Hate. It follows last year's Shard of Fear and Estate of Unrest free, nostalgia-drenched content updates. Unlike those other two, though, the Shard of Hate is a raid zone. EQ2 lead designer Akil "Lyndro" Hooper was kind enough to take some time out of his day to show us around the spite-filled roads and alleys of this small, deadly fragment of Innoruuk's demesne. You'll find the portal to the Shard of Hate in the dark elf section of Nektulos Forest -- go all the way east, then head north. You may see the Avatar of Hate lurking nearby, but he'll let you in. It's safe to zone in, but don't move around much; patrols come close to the zone in. Who rules the Shard of Hate? --->>>> %Gallery-19782%
