Brenlo just twittered this without comment. I *think* it must be the player housing for the upcoming city of New Halas in Everquest 2. Not sure why else he’d want to show us an empty room!
New Halas Player Housing in Everquest 2
I particularly like the window! Also, if there’s an outdoors through the window, there’s potential for using the teleporter trick to get outside and build there too :) Then again, given how often we request gardens for our homes, this new home might come with one already. All in all, a classy looking place to live, and Maltheas may well consider moving if Halas isn’t too far off the beaten track, travel-wise. I hope it comes in various sizes, including something comparable to the Qeynos mansion. I need the space!
It’ll need a good few log fires, and an extra blanket on the bed, that’s for sure!
New Halas won’t be coming out along with Sentinel’s Fate, having been delayed until GU56. A bit of a shame, but hopefully it’ll not be too long a wait.
Cross-server instanced PvP is coming to Norrath as part of Everquest 2’s Sentinel’s Fate Expansion release. As part of the GU, they’ll be available to all subscribers, whether or not we have the expansion pack yet.
Maltheas gets a bit of practice in for EQ2's Battlegrounds!
EQ2 has had Arena ever since the Desert of Flames expansion. They were briefly popular, but fell into disuse and these days you can queue as long as you like, but you’re not going to get a fight. These were not cross-server, which didn’t help the matter. This then, is sort of Arenas Mark II. I wonder what’ll become of the old Arena. It had some perfectly decent maps, so perhaps they could eventually upgrade it with their new Battleground cross-server technology.
There are also open-world PvP servers, but, having tried one once, they are not for everyone. Certainly not for me, when I want to get a bit of questing done. Consensual PvP, on the other hand, appeals to almost everyone, provided it doesn’t interfere with their main playstyle.
PvP is one of those subjects that gets a lot of folks hot under the collar. Many are saying that Battlegrounds have no place in EQ2, or that it was a waste of Dev time. Me, I feel that it is better to create new sorts of things to do, as has been done here, rather than to just make more of the same. We have more than enough PvE to be getting on with, and more incoming. EQ2’s new feature is clearly targeted at folks who enjoy the instanced PvP part of games like WoW and Warhammer, but who might also appreciate EQ2’s greater depth. For those of us already dwelling in Norrath, we can use this new option, or not, according to our individual lights.
I’ll certainly give them a try, and if they turn out to be fun I might Battleground a fair bit. Having a wide range of activities to choose from is one thing that sets the older-school MMOs like EQ2 apart from the more recent ones. I like choices, and was often a bit irritated I couldn’t find anyone to join me for a game of capture the flag in the original Arena. The cross-server nature of Battlegrounds should make a match far easier to get into.
Provided this new feature has been done with care, I think it can only help EQ2 attract new players. As the new player experience launches with GU55, the more Norrath has to offer, the more of them’ll stick. I’m quite looking forward to it. While I am a bit of a carebear (though tell that to my foes in PotBS and WAR :) ), I do like a bit of a scrap from time to time. The appearance of Battlegrounds, which has taken me quite by surprise, makes me wonder what else SOE might have in store for us in the coming month.
Battlegrounds!
Engage in the most exciting and intense PvP battles with your friends, regardless of server! Available for players with max-level characters, Battlegrounds provide thrilling group-based, competitive matches in three all-new zones. Quickly join the nonstop action including three different types of matches with up to 48 players total. There is a role for all, no matter the class, each player can support or lead the group to victory and reap the rewards of the all-new Chaos armor sets!
Battlefield of Ganak
Deep in the overgrown keeps of the Kunark jungle, a bloodthirsty group of Iksar is holding tournaments in the ruins of their great ancestors. Following their cultural practices of swarming fortresses, annihilating enemies and stealing their treasures, the tournament games are meant to mimic the violent event, not as tradition, but as sport! Rewards await those who are victorious including combat secrets, battle techniques and other valuable information that has been passed down through the ages.
* Game Type: Capture the Flag
* Players: 6 Person Group
* Environment: Outdoor arena with two large oppositional bases with intersecting interiors
* Objective: Capture the enemy’s flag located within their base and return it to your base with your flag still in place
* Win Condition: First team to successfully capture and return three flags wins
Smuggler’s Den
Join the battle of two groups eternally at odds! Seafarer factions are vying for supremacy and willing to handsomely reward any mercenary brave enough to fight for their side. With limitless resources, neither side is willing to allow the opposition to capture and control the islets. Key control over pivotal trading positions is imperative to delivering goods in a profitable manner. The battle continues with the struggle to control strategic lookouts and smuggler havens.
* Game Type: Hold Territory
* Players: 24 Person Group
* Environment: Five spires on top of two pinnacles jutting out of a raging ocean
* Objective: Gain control and hold towers longer than the opposition to earn Tower Tickets
* Win Condition: First team to reach the displayed Tower Ticket goal wins
Gears of Klak’Anon
Gnomes studying a magical and likely cursed technological artifact are particularly intrigued about the unusual properties of this mythical relic. Especially the effects that it grants to its possessor, which rapidly decay health, but with the dubious tradeoff of increased offensive potential. In an effort to further study the effects, and for their own twisted amusement, players are rewarded for engaging in a science experiment turned entertainment, Hold the Relic.
* Game Type: Hold the Relic
* Players: 6 Person Group
* Environment: Industrious clockwork foundry containing scientific equipment in motion
* Objective: Acquire and hold the relic to accrue points faster than the opposition
* Win Condition: First team to reach the set score wins
You can find more info, including pics and maps, at the official EQ2 Battlegrounds site.
Update: To celebrate the opening of the battlegrounds, we’re getting a freebie!
Login between Feb. 16 2010 and Feb. 18 2010 and receive the Warrior of Chaos statue*!
∗One per character, no cash value. Item will be granted on or about Feb. 19, 2010.
I can always use more statues!
Update: Apparently Battlegrounds will only be for folks over level 80 to begin with. Maltheas says “Booos!!”. Other tiers will open up in later game updates.
I don’t really see the logic to this. It somewhat sticks the knife in my argument that it’ll help attract new players. Certainly folks ain’t going to be able to try them out in their trial period.
Oh Evony. We trieds to leaves yous alone and lonelies.
Arkenor says:
I wrote a little story, back in the day, about you stealing content from Civilisation, mostly because of the high regard I holds Civ in. Also because it was incredibly easy to prove what you’d done, and I am lazy.
That got picked up by quite a few sites, and was used as primary source material for many a tale about the internet. To this day most of our incoming links are to that post. Folks far more influential than we had picked up the banner, occasionally falling foul of frivolous litigation. We moved on to things more fun, because you, Evony, are not very much fun at all. Not to mention that you’ll steal anything that isn’t nailed down.
Yes the indeeds. We were letting bygones be goneby, and all thats.
But this time you’s gone too fars, Evony. You’s messing with my’s Queen. This is what is happenings to the peoples who mess with my’s shiny Queen Antonia.
Nos to the stealings my Queenships images!
Yes, she always the underdresseds at bests of time, but that does not be givings you the right to be using hers to advertise for yous horrid game.
As spotteds by Krystalle, who is kindly lettings us display evidences of the infamous deedishness heres:
What, she was wearings too many clothes for you, so yous removeds even more? Also, she not glows like thats. When I call her the shinies glowies Queen, it was the metaphors!! You’s sos stupids!
I’s been speakings to her Queenliness, and the Council, and we’s not takings such mean insultings lying downs. This is the wars, Evony! Not being able to be leavings Norrath is going to make it the trickies to give you the vigorous hammer-cloutings yous deserve, but just yous be waitings! The magicals Concordium are workings on the portal spells as I writes.
I shall be stridings about yous world likes a mightyish colossus, smitings yous horrible tiny stolen bitmap cities with the full 3-dimensional furies. Like sos!:
A poorly made artist's impression of what Maltheas is going to do to Evony.
Repents you’s evil ways, before it too lates! Repents!!
I’ve been having a ridiculous amount of luck clearing up quests this week, leaving very few that Maltheas can complete at his current level. I’ve even let him level twice, with him now on 38, but the end of a tier in EQ2 is always the hardest time. You are still mostly using the same equipment you were at 32, with no upgrades in sight until 40. Still, an Extreme Quester should at least attempt to do any available quests before levelling, even if it turns out rather poorly in the end, for you can often surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
And so it was that Maltheas did resolve to clear up all his Nektropos Castle quests. Nektropos is not for the faint hearts, with most of the dungeon being designed for groups, and heroic enemies abounding. When last he visited, two levels ago, he could not get past the first of the Everling daughters, but it was close enough that it seemed it might be worth a try now. The plan today was to get as far as possible, and do what he could manage. It was not to get as far as this:
Maltheas meets Lord Maltus Everling in Everquest 2's Nektropos Castle
It went rapidly downhill from there. A variety of unconnected foes leapt into action to help their Lord, and beat Maltheas into a furry pulp. It’s not particularly surprising, but the end-fight in Nektropos is far more difficult than anything else beforehand. It’ll be all the more satisfying when we finally teach Everling not to be so spooky. It is a fantasticly atmospheric and cleverly put together zone that no EQ2 player should miss, though you should probably be wiser than Malth and take a friend or two along if possible!
It was all good, anyway, as Malth got ten or so quests done, including The Everling Lockets, and is slowly catching up with the competition. It is getting harder and harder to find quests that he can complete though, so there is, to my pain, probably going to have to be a little more levelling in his near-future.
Lord Everling stands alongside Varsoon as annoying roadblocks to progress. Both need killing for several quests apiece, but neither show much sign of dying just yet. Perhaps when Maltheas hits 40 and can check out some new gear.
In the City of Qeynos,
where almost everyone is nice,
in a damp bit of tree moss!
Lives Frubbie, (Frubbie,) Frubbie, (Frubbie,)
Frubbie the Racist Froglok
Maltheas attempts to reason with Frubbuppa Bogstomper the Racist Froglok
Frubbuppa Bogstomper is Maltheas’ arch-nemesis. Whenever she sees him making his way about town, on some goodly deed or other, she makes a point of shouting out that he does not belong in such a kind and loving place as Qeynos. Why? Because he’s Ratonga scum, apparently. That he’s lived in Qeynos for 5 years, has been praised by the Queen, and is a Bishop of Rodcet Nife, god of healing, does not seem to register with her. She cannot see past the fur.
She makes Maltheas cry. An almost unforgivable deed.
A disgrace to the otherwise noble children of Marr, I have a strong suspicion that she is secretly a cultist of Innoruk, Lord of Hate. I await the day that the Devs allow me to reveal her hideous crimes to all, or better yet, get her to rethink and change her ways. Currently our only option is to suffer her outrageous nastiness whenever she sees us.
And in case you were wondering what the first half of this post was smoking:
I’ve been posting about my Everquest 2 Extreme Quester, Maltheas, for years now. You might ask “But what in the wide world of Norrath, Ark, is Extreme Questing?”. Actually, quite a lot of folks have asked in the past. I told them, and they looked at me with a mixture of fear, awe, and pity. I thought it might be an idea if I actually write a proper post on it at long last.
Why is it “Extreme”? Well, it’s not really. I just like calling it that, but it is quite challenging. Upon reaching level 10, when you can start accumulating Alternate Advancement points, you take the AA slider and you whack it up to 100%. In the bad old days you simply turned off all combat xp, and grit your teeth over the xp from quests. To slow my levelling down yet further I would kill myself over and again to build up a good supply of negative xp before handing in a quest. These days you can turn quest xp off too, but with the addition of the AA slider this is no longer necessary. My Kills to Deaths ratio is still one of the worst in the world :( Extreme Questers tend to die quite a lot anyway though!
Only when you have run out of quests you can manage do you allow yourself to gain a level. How strict you are about this is up to you, of course, but I enjoy pitting myself against quests I have no business being in the same zone as, let alone completing. If new content comes out that’s lower than you are, mentor down as low as possible to do it.
Extreme Questers end up with a lot of AA. Maltheas has 111 AA at level 37, and he did almost 1000 quests before AA even existed. I dread to think how much AA he’d have if he had gained points for those as well, or if the AA slider had been about to convert his locked combat xp, but that is what any new extreme quester can look forward to. You’ll be, for your level, one of the mightiest adventurers around. Of course you need to be, to get the job done! For extra credit and AA, you can try to kill every named NPC in the zone too.
Don’t expect to ever reach the level cap. It’s not entirely impossible, but unlike most playstyles, reaching end-game is not the goal. Perhaps, more than any other playstyle, this is about the journey.
At its heart, Extreme Questing is about taking time to get to know the world. You’ll discover things about Norrath that you would never have noticed on a normal playthrough where you might only spend a few hours before outlevelling a zone.
Why not try it with an alt, and see Antonica and the Commonlands in a whole new light? Solo, duo, or even as an Extreme Team, it’s a whole lot of fun. Join the few. The proud. The certifiably insane. The Extreeeeem Questers!!!
p.s. I can thoroughly recommend the Questlist add-on at Fluffy.dk to help you keep track of your accomplishments, and find new deeds to do that you might have missed.
Maltheas’ splendid week of questing has continued with a final victory over Octagorgon in the Cove of Decay.
Maltheas faces the Octagorgon in Everquest 2
It’s hard to get a sense of scale in that picture. Octagorgon is still a good safe distance away, sitting in his favourite comfy sunken galleon. He is quite ridiculously large.
A famous undercon, he sits there looking all green and heroic level, luring in the unwise. As soon as you attack him, however, he’ll call in a bunch of skeletons to back him up, and he’ll keep calling more the longer you let him live. I’ve been trying to sort him out for a few levels now, but today was the charm. Let us not weep for all the previous attempts that resulted in Maltheas being cruelly devoured, for such is life of the extreme quester!
Defeating Octagorgon allowed Mal to finish the Polished Granite Tomahawk heritage quest, “An Axe from the Past”, and move to the next stage of the Manastone heritage quest “Stiletto’s Orders Intercepted.”. Unfortunately, like so many quests lying undone in his questbook, to finish Manastone is going to involve killing Varsoon the Undying, who is liable to render the Extreme Rat extremely dead. I won’t be able to put off the confrontation for very much longer though.
While I’m here, I’d like to welcome Syp, of the blog Biobreak, to Everquest 2, and to my server, Lucan D’Lere. It’s always great to see new players, especially ones who might encourage others to give EQ2 a try!
