Rain-of-Fear
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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.
EverQuest starts testing Heart of Fear update
The latest chapter in EverQuest's epic story has gone into beta. The fourth tier of this expansion cycle is called Heart of Fear, and players can check it out on the test server starting today. Heart of Fear's story began back in 2010's House of Thule and continued through EverQuest's various expansions and updates. Once Heart of Fear hits in July, players will finally get to see the exciting conclusion as they go up against the remnants of Cazic-Thule and his stronghold. The update includes the Heart of Fear fortress, new class-specific weapons that can be upgraded, and plenty of new collections, achievements, and missions to explore. Players who were in the Rain of Fear or Shadow of Fear betas automatically qualify to be a part of this test.
EverQuest Rain of Fear round up and launch-day video
Grab your umbrellas, folks, because the Rain of Fear is finally here! Yes, EverQuest's 19th expansion is live on servers now, and all the Erudites, Dwarves, Frogloks, Iksar, Ogres, Humans, and 10 other races can dive in and sink their teeth into all the new content. With new zones, a new collection systems, offline selling, and more, there is bound to be something for everyone. Have a question about one of these new features? Or maybe you are stuck in the real-life office grind and can't log in yet? Either way, you can get the scoop on the new expansion in the many opinion pieces, videos, hands-on experiences, and reveals after the break. And as an added bonus, watch the brand-spanking-new launch-day trailer! Then, if that still isn't enough, listen to the EQ soundtrack until you can get home and get in-game.
New EverQuest dev video tours new Rain of Fear zones
With EverQuest's big Rain of Fear expansion hitting live servers tomorrow, players are eagerly awaiting the chance to dive into the new zones and get their questing on. Can't wait to experience all the new landscapes, ogle the new mobs, and check out all the scenery that awaits? Then sit back and watch Sony Online Entertainment's new video tour of the upcoming areas. For just over five minutes, you can soak up the visuals of Shard's Landing (which is billed as "the place you will probably die the least"), Breeding Grounds, Valley of King Xorbb, Eventil the Vile Oak, and more while listening to various devs offer commentary. See them all for yourself in the video after the break. And for more details on what's coming, check out Massively's tour with the devs. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release]
Touring EverQuest's Rain of Fear with the SOE team
It's hard to believe, but EverQuest is due to launch its 19th expansion, Rain of Fear, in just a few more days. It brings a nice balance of the old and the new as it re-imagines some of the old classic zones but also introduces some stunning new ones as well. In addition, it launches with some features that longtime fans have patiently been waiting for, like the offline broker system, aggro meter, collection shinies, and hunter titles. We had a chance to talk with EverQuest Producer Thom Terrazas, Lead Designer Adam Bell, Assistant Lead Designer Alan VanCouvering, and Community Manager Eric Cleaver about the upcoming expansion. Join us for a look at the lore and new content in Rain of Fear (and a sneak peek at two of the coolest mounts ever!)
SOE Live 2012: EverQuest's Rain of Fear includes offline selling and item progression
If you think that after 13 years and 18 expansions there is nothing new left to do for EverQuest, you don't know Sony Online Entertainment very well! In fact, developers at SOE Live 2012 announced a bunch of new features and content for the game's upcoming 19th expansion, Rain of Fear. Due out on November 28th, this expansion has plenty of things for players to enjoy. And by plenty, we mean more than you can shake a dragon at. And trust us, there are lots of dragons, too! Besides an enormous tree (that's like its own zone), an aggro meter, tons of dragons, a slayer system, and a collection system, EverQuest players will find a more robust and flexible broker system, over 3000 new tradeskill recipes, more than 1800 new spells, and a new item progression system. And that's really just the tip of the iceberg.
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!
The Perfect Ten: Worst expansion names of all time
When SOE announced that EverQuest's 19th expansion would be titled Rain of Fear, I instantly found myself tripping over the name. I shouldn't have -- it's a few simple words that are first round picks for spelling contests -- but it defied the traditional naming conventions for MMO expansions. Many people I talked to kept wanting to write "reign" instead because "rain" seemed like a deliberate misspelling by some intern in Smedley's empire. Homophones aside, Rain of Fear is hardly the worst expansion title I've ever seen. The industry has had its share of bad names, from the confusing to the downright unpronounceable. Sure, we get used to these titles, and perhaps it's nit-picky to lug them out at such a late point in many of their lifespans, but petty is my middle name. My first name is Tom. And these are 10 poorly named expansions. Deal with it.
EverQuest: Rain of Fear beta registration is open
Are you afraid of what lurks in the 19th EverQuest expansion? A title like Rain of Fear does not exactly imply a safe and welcoming environment. But there's no reason to be concerned without just cause, and now interested players can find out if there is in fact something to fear as registration for the expansion's beta on the official site is now live, giving everyone a chance to try out the new content before it goes live. And there's quite a bit of new content to be had therein. Aside from an increase of the level cap up to 100, players can enjoy an improved brokering system, the hunter system encouraging players to slay a wide variety of enemies, and the usual plethora of new skills and quests. Even if you don't want to take the full testing ride, you can still take a look at the official site for all of the upcoming features. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release]
EverQuest gets its 19th expansion: Rain of Fear
Not to be outdone by the news of EverQuest II's new expansion and SOE's Player Studio, faithful ol' EverQuest is muscling its way back into the spotlight with its 19th expansion, titled Rain of Fear. Rain of Fear picks up the story from House of Thule, where nasty shards of power are falling from the sky and becoming ripe for the taking. Players will hop across the world to gather these shards and prevent their use by evil forces. Of course, if you're more into numbers than story, you'll be interested to hear that the expansion will raise the level cap to an even 100, add nine zones, 13 raids, 110 quests, and 1800 new spells. SOE also plans to institute an aggro meter, new collection and hunter tasks, fun titles, and an autonomous brokering system to boost the player economy. As with EverQuest II: Chains of Eternity, Rain of Fear is slated for a November release. Players who attend SOE Live this year will get a free copy of both expansions.
