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 Screenshots
Overview
| While the gameplay continues to focus greatly on killing creatures for experience points and loot, there have been several significant changes from the original EverQuest. One of the greatest efforts has gone into developing trade skills into a much more complex and viable character archetype.
Many gameplay choices were made in order to stop old, sometimes undesirable, tactics that emerged in EQ. The most bold addition is the concept of "locked encounters". When a player (or group) attacked a creature, the encounter became locked to that player. To stop kill stealing and powerleveling, other players could not assist in the encounter unless the player who locked it used a special "/yell" command for help, after which the encounter rewarded neither loot nor experience.
Everquest II, like the original EQ, has guilds. Each guild exists only on its own server. Like players, guilds can gain experience and levels, partially from encounters and player experience, but primarily from guild-oriented quests and tasks called "writs". Higher guild levels open up special rewards unavailable to non-guilded characters, and cause certain other rewards to cost less. These rewards include housing options, mounts, house items, apparel, and special titles.
Like the original EQ, EverQuest II focuses on PvE (player versus environment) encounters. No player versus player combat was included at release; however Live Update 13 introduced closed arenas for consensual PvP and dueling. In February 2006, with the release of Kingdom of Sky and launch of Live Update 20, new servers were introduced specifically with a player versus player ruleset.
EverQuest II is set in Norrath like the original, but 500 years later in the "Age of Destiny". The game world has been drastically affected by several cataclysms since the original EQ. The planes have closed, the gods have gone, and the moon Luclin has been pulverized (and partially rained onto the face of Norrath). Remnants of the familiar vistas from EQ's Norrath can be found in the "Shattered Lands".
Players arrive on one of two tutorial areas (The Queen's Colony or The Outpost of the Overlord) and then move to either of two cities, Qeynos (the 'good' city) or Freeport (the 'evil' city). All the other cities in the world were destroyed or rendered inaccessible in the shattering. Qeynos and Freeport are much larger than they were in the original EQ and they play an important role in the player's experience regardless of what level they are. The playable races each have their own special section of the cities. Players from one city are not welcome in the other city unless they choose to betray their city via the Betrayal Questline. Originally, the Betrayal quests were limited to characters lvl 17 and below. A new set of quests was introduced with Live Update 24 that allows Betrayal at any level.
The game world is as varied as the original, featuring wide geographical and ecological variety. In EQ2, players can ride trained griffons on predetermined routes over the Shattered Lands, or acquire a horse or flying carpet so that they can travel more swiftly throughout much of the game world. When the gods left the world, the druid rings and wizard spires ceased functioning and thus there are no teleportation spells (with the exception of the ability to return to one's hometown). However, "Mariner's Bells" are scattered across the land allowing instant transportation across various areas of the world.
EverQuest II also includes instanced zones—copies of some zones are spawned in order to better handle player crowding. Instanced zones were introduced to EverQuest in the 2003 expansion Lost Dungeons of Norrath.
All of the familiar races from EQ are playable except the cat-like Vah Shir (their home, Luclin, was destroyed), but SOE added the Kerra as a replacement. The new race is the Ratonga, a rat-like people of mysterious origin. The Froglok race was originally locked until a special server-wide quest was completed to make them playable. Some races are restricted to either Qeynos or Freeport, based on their alignment, but can turn traitor and move to the opposing city.
Compiled from Wikipedia |
Articles and reviews
Expansions
Everquest II: The Bloodline Chronicles
Release date: March 21, 2005
Media: Download
Official website: http://everquest2.station.sony.com/adventures/bloodline/
Price: check prices on Amazon, Ebay, Direct2Drive
Features: Five new areas to explore and conquer, including the Tombs of Night, the Crypt of T'haen and D'Morte Burial Chambers. The Tombs of Night is available to all EverQuest II subscribers at no additional charge. Experience new instances for soloists, large and small groups and raids. Encounter ferocious new creatures such as Vampires, Hellhounds, Fleshgoyles and Revenants. Choose to help either the Brotherhood of Night or the Hand of Marr as you embark on dozens of new quests across different storylines for good and evil players alike. Follow the dynamic storyline as your actions influence the outcome of your progressive adventure. Find new ways to interact with the environment, including destructible walls that lead to unexplored tombs. Exclusive themed content, including vampiric magic-based spells and items. Discover new Neriak items for players of all levels. Fortune and glory for the 1st raid group on each server to defeat T'Haen The Lost. |
Everquest II: The Splitpaw Saga
Release date: March 21, 2005
Media: Download
Official website: http://everquest2.station.sony.com/adventures/splitpawsaga/
Price: check prices on Amazon, Ebay, Direct2Drive
Features: Live the story of Sundered Splitpaw in an event based adventure that takes players, levels 20 through 50, through 12 different solo, group and raid instances. Explore 2 massive new dungeons with twelve additional instanced zones. Launch yourself into the action with dozens of new scenario-based quests. Encounter and defeat a new breed of creatures. Solve puzzles and move through the rubble-strewn caverns by moving crates, planks, barrels and other objects to your advantage. Experience thrilling interactive environments as you use your wits and the dungeon objects around you to span vast chasms, scale towering cliffs and blow your way through rock walls. Face escalating dangers all the way from level 20 to level 50 as your foes scale to match your level. |
Everquest II: Desert of Flames
Release date: September 13, 2005
Media: CD, DVD, Download
Official website: http://everquest2.station.sony.com/en/expansions/desertofflames/
Price: check prices on Amazon, Ebay, Direct2Drive
Features :
Everquest II: Desert of Flames features a new land mass to explore, PvP arenas, a level increase from 50 to 60, a new climb ability and the standard new items and monsters.
The major quest line for the expansion is commonly known as "The Peacock Line" - This series of 17 or so quests culminates with a raid requiring the player to group up with his guildmates to slay an entity known as "The Godking", a level 64 Epic x4 mob.
Players can choose from a selection of rewards to be used in the weapon slot depending on their class, for example a mage would receive an item named "Wand of Second life" which can also be changed at will into a two-handed weapon - "Staff of Second life"
This quest takes place throughout the Desert of Ro from the sinking sands to the living tombs and eventually the Silent City.
New zones include the Sinking Sands, Pillars of Flame, Clefts of Rujark and the dervish city of Maj'Dul. |
Everquest II: Kingdom of Sky
Release date: February 21, 2006
Media: CD, DVD, Download
Official website: http://everquest2.station.sony.com/expansions/kingdomofsky/
Price: check prices on Amazon, Ebay, Direct2Drive
Features: Everquest II: Kingdom of Sky allowed access to a new area of the world, hanging in the skies above Norrath - The Overrealm. It is comprised floating islands which originate from the Plane of Sky. Transportation to the Overrealm works like in The Shadows of Luclin; when a player wishes to go there, he or she obtains a teleportation shard from the overseer of a wizard spire on the ground. The overseer NPC then grants to the player character a teleportation shard which flags the player as one wanting to go to the Overrealm. Every five minutes, the spires activate, sending player characters to the overrealm. If a player originates in Antonica or the Commonlands, he or she will be sent ot the Tenebrous Tangle. If a player originates in the Thundering Steppes or Nektulos Forest, then he or she is sent to the Barren Sky. If the player originates in the Enchanted Lands or the Feerrott, he or she is sent to the Bonemire. |
Everquest II: The Fallen Dynasty
Release date: June 14, 2006
Media: CD, DVD, Download
Official website: http://everquest2.station.sony.com/adventures/fallendynasty/
Price: check prices on Amazon, Ebay, Direct2Drive
Features:
Everquest II: The Fallen Dynasty expands the world of EverQuest II for veteran characters levels 55 through 70, adding new challenges and new content:
- Seven unique areas to explore, including a new village, a large outdoor landscape, and a fearsome new dungeon.
- New solo and small group quests lines, as well as heroic and epic encounters for levels 55 through 70.
- Brand new collection and tome quests
- Unique new artisan rewards that assist in the crafting process
- Many new items, including unique weapons designed in the Fallen Dynasty theme
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Everquest II: Echoes of Faydwer
Release date : November 14, 2006
Media : CD, DVD Download
Official website : http://everquest2.station.sony.com/expansions/echoesoffaydwer/
Price : check prices on Amazon, Ebay, Direct2Drive
Features : Echoes of Faydwer is an upcoming expansion pack created by Sony Online Entertainment due to be released in November 2006. It is an awaited expansion pack and it is expected to attract players to play the popular Everquest 2. Among its features, it will introduce a new playable race (the Fae), the ability for Player Characters to equip visible cloaks, 24 new subclass specific achievement trees, and the return of the Gods to the mortal realm. It will also introduce a new city to go with the two original cites of Freeport and Qeynos - the tree city of Kelethin. There will be zones for all levels of characters in this expansion.
Everquest II: Rise of Kunark
Release date : November 13, 2007
Media : CD, DVD, Download
Official website : http://everquest2.station.sony.com/expansions/riseofkunark/
Price : check prices on Amazon, Ebay, Direct2Drive
Features :
- A new playable race: Sarnak, the dragon-like humanoid creature.
- New starting city: Timorous Deep.
- A level cap of 80.
- A new Mount: The Kunarkian Rhinoceros.
- New Deities: Bertoxxulous, The Plaguebringuer, Karana The Rain Keeper and Tribunal. Pledge adherence to them and gain access to their Blessings and Miracles.
- New zones: The Emerald Jungle, Skyfire Mountains, Sebilis and Karnor's Castle.
- Brand new Epic Weapon quests for each class.
- New armor sets.
- Hundreds of new quests (solo, group and raid).
- Dozens of new NPCs.
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Related popular websites
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Community sites:
EQ2 Players 
Official Everquest II News.
Everquest 2 Allakhazam
Popular website with huge items and quests database, forums and much more...
Everquest 2 Stratics
News and information coverage for Everquest 2.
EQ2 at Tentonhammer.com
Forum, Gallery, Class and Zone Guide and Gameplay Guides.
EQ2 Warcry
Community, Databases, Game Info, Guides, Lore and Multimedia.
EQ2 Wiki
The Everquest II Wiki.
Fansites:
The Athenaeum
The Library dedicated to the study of Norrathian Lore. Very interesting.
EQ2 Flames
A huge Forum.
The Summoners's Tower
A forum with lots of info.
EQ2 Mondes Persistants 
Site complet sur EQ2.
EQ2 Jeux Online
Une autre référence pour les joueurs francophones.
Useful Links :
EQ2 Database
A detailed database.
EQ2 Traders Corner
Lots of information on the trade skills.
EQ2ref.com
Spell Abilities list, Spell and Ability Comparison Tale, Item Adornments, Achievement Ability (AA) Trees, and Images.
Everquest II Guru
Forums, Info about Items, Quests, Armor, Weapons and Spells.
EQ2 Maps and Quests
EQ2 Atlas and Game Guides.
EQ2 Interface
All about EQ2 Interface.
EQ2 Item Database
An item search engine.
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