New Expansion Announced: The Serpent's SpineJul 11th, 2006 at 9:44 AM by Railus

This is a press release issued by Sony Online Entertainment, outlining some details on the upcoming expansion, The Serpent's Spine:


SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES THE SERPENT’S SPINE™ EXPANSION FOR EVERQUEST®

Players Will be Introduced to the Drakkin, the First New Player Race in More Than Three Years


SAN DIEGO, CA – July 10, 2006 -Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a global leader in the online games industry, today announced EverQuest® The Serpent’s Spine™, a new expansion for the Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMOPRG), EverQuest. EverQuest The Serpent’s Spine will only be available via digital download beginning in September for the suggested price of U.S. $29.99.

“In an ongoing commitment to introducing new features into EverQuest, The Serpent’s Spine introduces the Drakkin, the first new player race since the Frogloks were added to the game seven expansions ago,” said Chris Sturr, Senior Brand Manager, Sony Online Entertainment. “In addition to the new race, players of all levels will benefit from this expansion, as we are including content for levels 1 to 75.”

Players will also be able to explore a new starting city, Crescent Reach, which contains merchants, quests and combat. As in the last expansion, there will be new dynamic features such as auras, traps and destructible terrain. Players will be able to reach level 75 with new spells, raids and abilities.


About EverQuest The Serpent’s Spine
Nestled in a great ravine in the Serpent Spine Mountains is an ancient abandoned ogre city now called Crescent Reach, which is home to a new race born to protect the future of dragon kind, the Drakkin. Six dragons defied the council of the ancient dragons of the Nest and chose to create a new race to protect their future. The Drakkin are borne of humans touched by a dragon's blood and their colors and appearance represent the dragon that created them. Rapidly aging and reaching maturity in only months, the Drakkin forget their human beginnings and make their pilgrimage to Crescent Reach, the home of their dragon creators and the rest of their kind. EverQuest The Serpent’s Spine features the following:

* New Player Race: The Drakkin have been created from both human and dragon blood to protect the future of all dragon kind. Several colors and customizations will be available to make each Drakkin character unique, such as elegant scale markings and horns.
* Level Cap Increase: Players can now reach level 75, complete with new spells, abilities, raids and quests for greater power.
* Content for Levels 1 to 75: Play through every level of the game without ever leaving the Serpent Spine Mountains.
* New Starting City: Crescent Reach is a fully functioning city with all that is required to learn and thrive in EverQuest, including merchant, quest, combat and tradeskill areas.
* Dynamic Features: New zones, NPCs, destructible and interactive objects.
* New AAs, Spells: Experience new spells and Alternative Advancement abilities.

The EverQuest base game is required for this expansion. For more information on EverQuest The Serpent’s Spine, please visit: http://www.everquest.com



For more screenshots, check out The Serpent's Spine screenshot gallery at eq.ogaming.com.
Tags: EverQuest, News

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EQ: Exploited for profit; nevermind the quality of play
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# Jul 13 2006 at 3:34 PM Rating: Decent
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That's it. I quit playing EQ. I'm tired of the endless new expansions. KMA Sony.
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Its all good
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# Jul 13 2006 at 2:57 PM Rating: Decent
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The expansion mill
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# Jul 13 2006 at 11:27 AM Rating: Default
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LOL EQ sux, SOE's only concern is the bottom line, customers/players/opinions be damned...enjoy the new race and the shiny trinkets they flash in front of you to entice your 29.99. Eq is dead/dying and SOE is just squeezing every last drop before the BIG DUMP of all your servers/time/characters...Personally, I became disgusted the the market control of the chinese plat sellers long ago, so whatever becomes of EQ, I highly doubt I will be around to see anymore of it... Good Luck and say hi to Yantis and IGA for me
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The expansion mill
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# Jul 13 2006 at 2:35 PM Rating: Default
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you might be right but I doubt it and if you are it would be in like 20 years that SOE dumps everquest. For one even if the numbers were failing which by the way they are not you are just looking at it all wrong there are still plenty of die hards to make the game worth development way out into the future and I can't speak for every server but the free tutorial idea is working great on luclin. There are new player filing in every day now.

Now before anyone gets upset, I said you were looking at it all wrong because everyone is looking at this as the money EQ brings in alone and to some extent this is applicable but as long as there are a reasonable amount of subscribers to pay the staff and the overhead this game alone causes then the money sign to them is strictly the gaming industry and not this game or that game.

Sure they have to figure the cost versus profit on the game but lets say there were only 10,000 subscribers at just the 14.99 cost of EQ. That is almost $150,000 A month. You can't tell me they are not way into the profit margin with just subscription fees and thats probably just a very small fraction of the people playing and doesn't take in the cost of development or the profits from there nor does it account for the 60% or so of players that have the station pass and are subscribed to station player on both EQ and EQ2.

Personally I think this is great and would love to bring in the money they do but I don't so I say more power to em. As long as the fee's are fair and they are and the game is fun and in my opinion it is then they will have me for a subscriber and lots of others.

Thas my opinoin and pls do not consider this as a flame on anyone elses, just stating facts and No I do not know all the numbers but I do know enough to know EQ isn't going anywhere.
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The expansion mill
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# Jul 13 2006 at 1:32 PM Rating: Default
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If EQ sucks so bad and you dislike it so much then why are you still here reading about it? If you dont like it, then move on and STFU. Leave the game to those of us who still enjoy it.
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Regarding Solo Missions
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# Jul 13 2006 at 3:04 AM Rating: Decent
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People say about solo content, though maybe add missions that can be soloed, however play to the strengthes of a class, FEX, A mission for a Rogue where they have to poison the water wells of an opposing faction, using their sneak and hide skills. A Ranger could track an NPC in a given zone to discover his location or look for a special item using forage or some such. A lower level cleric could be required to take medical suppiles to an out-lying village, whilst perhaps a higher level one would have to travel to an NPC an heal it. Bards could be a messenger type mission etc. Not nessercerly requiring them to kill something during it.

Just a few examples I know, and it leaves a lot, but I think it illistrates my idea :)
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Not suckage
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# Jul 12 2006 at 9:28 PM Rating: Default
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Unkempt Woods and Dragon Drool Lake also come to mind on undeveloped zones. This also sounds like an awesome new race.
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Getting New Players
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# Jul 12 2006 at 3:47 PM Rating: Default
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EverQuest's problem is getting fresh blood. Most of the diehards will buy the expansion, but the numbers keep getting smaller. If you can stay on expansion and never leave area and get to 75, than maybe they should sell it on disk. A "New Player" than can buy it. Play with upgraded features, maybe even get excited about the game and buy the other expansions? But Sony needs to attract the new player.
I also agree with some of the other writers that they should tidy up the open caves / waterfalls / dead ends. Maybe even with Free one zone expansions like they did with Warrens... Keep us excited to play something to look forward to. and not cost $29.95. Have to give one to Sony... they have not inflated the price...always $29.95 LOL

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Getting New Players
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# Jul 12 2006 at 7:14 PM Rating: Decent
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They have not inflated the price, and probably never will, beacuse making alot of money is all SoE cares about anymore.
I can just picture a bunch of execs at SoE, sitting in a conference room, browsing all of the sites of the games they own, like this one. They must see all the posts of people talking about how exited they are, and about how they are definitely picking up the latest expansion, and they probably toast each other with the fancy champaigne they are sipping on. One guy probably starts rubbing his hands together, and grins. Another guy probably obnoxiously yells, "Ching Ching!"


The thought of it all really makes me wonder why I play this game sometimes.
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Getting New Players
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# Jul 13 2006 at 9:46 AM Rating: Decent
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Why does everyone want so to bash SOE for making money? That is the purpose of every business and every working person. If you don't like the game, don't play and then we dont have to listen to all the negative BS anymore.
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Zeldaesque
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# Jul 12 2006 at 2:38 PM Rating: Decent
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The screen shots here make it look like something of a Zelda 64 world.

Hell yes.

Not that I'm ever playing EQ again, let alone seeing this zone, but, meh, it makes me happy to see they're doing something new and neat.
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SS
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# Jul 12 2006 at 2:18 PM Rating: Decent
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Heh, I've been playing since December of 2000 and I am just doing the Breakdown in Communication quest and my guild just got into Qvic halfway through June. Still have to finish GoD, OoW, DoN, DoD, PoR...

So far we've tackled VP then they revamped it before we could get to Phara Dar so we dropped that and went to ToV. Took down the Ring of Vulak and then moved on to Ssra. Took down the emp and moved to VT. Took down AHR and moved to PoP. Started farming the plane of Time and moved into Ikkinz trials. As of now, we've been raiding in poTime, DoN, DoD and GoD mainly. We have so much content we don't even know what to do sometimes.

I waited until the day we beat Uqua (I bought it while logging in for that raid) to buy PoR and I haven't set foot in a single new zone in PoR since a month ago. It seems like they can't trivialize their own content quick enough at this stage, qhich I find quite interesting.

Meanwhile you have other guilds that have finished every expansion and are just sitting back during the summer waiting for the next big thing. October is an ETERNITY to me if I was already finished with all the expansions.

Fortunately, I'm not a power gamer and I am stretching my EQ experience out instead of raiding 50 hours/week. I raid about 70% of the time which comes to about 15-20 hours or so as it is.

Keep the content coming, I'll keep plowing through it, the game is still damn fun to me!
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No Box??
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# Jul 12 2006 at 2:10 PM Rating: Decent
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Ok, well, without being able to buy the box, I won't get the expansion. I have all of them, and I like having the discs for re-installs. And they usually include that special in game (useless) item, and the pretty keychain or something. Useless or not, I won't buy the expansion without the box. As for the new level cap, sure, I knew it was coming, and I'm at 98% of level 70, so that's no terrible thing for me.

I do wonder what that will do for my LDoN days though, I've had to keep 1 character at 65 just so I can complete my LDoNs, and I still have a long way to go. /SIGH...more people need to do more LDoNs.
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No Box??
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# Aug 11 2006 at 6:46 PM Rating: Decent
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Why keep one char at 65 to do LDoN? I do em with lvl 70s, actually 2 lvl 70 and a 63 atm. with all 70s, it just defaults to the 65 hard version, so 100ish points or so for a success.

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No Box??
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# Jul 13 2006 at 12:06 PM Rating: Decent
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why does it matter that you're 98% into 70 if your not going to download the new expansion?
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New race Beastlord?
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# Jul 12 2006 at 12:25 PM Rating: Decent
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Ihope the new race can be a beastlord... i was gonna make a beasty but since this new race will be comin out ill wait and buy the expansion. I hope it can be, thatde be awesome having a dragon warder or something. I wonder what classes it can be... AND I WANNA SEE A SCREENSHOT!


*edit* Oh and my main is level 67 and now i cannot get a damn group! its iimpossible and when i do ill be getting like 1% everyone 3 hours or itll be some nice group where we get there and everyone dies or everyone leaves. I want to solo, i hate groups so much, i have to rely on people who most of the time kill me and i much prefer to go kill something by myself and get nice experience. I cant find a single place to level up, i am a level 67 Shadow Knight on Vazaelle(Maelin) (i like the name Vazaelle better) named Shadew if u got any suggestions for me drop me an e-mail please. Hopefully this new expansion will give some solo content for me.

OH and does that first screenshot remind anyone else of Alice in Wonderland? Is it just me? Looks kewl!

And i dont buy Digital downloads... I prefer the box (i got the kewl Zerker epic keychain from OoW!) What if something goes wrong with your computer and u need the disc to reinstall EQ on a dfferant computer? What then? You gonna download another one for another $30?

Edited, Jul 13th 2006 at 4:02pm EDT by Krouk
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Epics
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# Jul 12 2006 at 12:21 PM Rating: Default
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Im Wondering if the epic 3.0 is comming out(and yes i count the dreadspire aug in the epic as the 2.5)


70th Wizard
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Frustrated
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# Jul 12 2006 at 10:54 AM Rating: Default
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It would be nice if EQ would make it to where I can solo. I hope that this new expansion will address that issue. Being in groups is fun, but not all the time. But every mob you face in EQ at 50+ requires almost a full group. There are times when a group can not be found. Please EQ make soloable missions or soloable zones for everyone.
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Frustrated
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# Jul 12 2006 at 11:50 AM Rating: Default
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There is plenty of stuff that is soloable. Your not going to be able to do everything in every zone, but there is ALOT of zones which are soloable even at 70 for good exp. Right now I am soloing in Veksar, killing dark blue mobs for 4% AA exp every kill. Getting an AA every 45 minutes. Every mob drops around 10-12 plat. Yeah, the ubah loot does not drop there, but with the cash I get from it (which I dont have to share since I am soloing) I can buy whatever I need.

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Frustrated
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# Jul 12 2006 at 4:19 PM Rating: Default
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Kind of hard to get exp when you have a cleric. My cleric is lvl 67 atm and if i take her into Veksar to solo,i will be summoning her corpse into the guild lobby. Not all classes can solo with the lvl of mobs that are in the game.
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Frustrated
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# Jul 12 2006 at 6:08 PM Rating: Decent
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Not every class was meant to solo. Warriors and Clerics have not really designed to solo, though some do and quite well I might add.
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Poll idea
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# Jul 12 2006 at 10:07 AM Rating: Decent
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Seeing as this expansion is only going to be available for digital download, maybe Alla should conduct a poll to find what % of players use dial-up.

I have all the expansions but am on dial-up so I buy the CDs....40++ hours of downloads are not my idea of good customer service !
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Poll idea
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# Jul 13 2006 at 5:51 PM Rating: Decent
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you should consider that you can download partials of this slowly over time as your sleeping. They do 90% of the information in download prior to release date. So it would be 40 hours split amongst normally a 30 day window.

Of course I love my cable so I can do it all at once; rest assured though that the cost of media is probably the reason that they didn't change the cost for this expansion.

There is a large quantifable number of polygons and triangles used in the creation of these new images, as well as a massively updated texturing process. I would be more converned with can your computer run the new settings. Remeber luclin? It could be those who have and those who have not until the gaming industry updates a few clicks for upgrades for players.
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Hmm
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# Jul 12 2006 at 4:53 AM Rating: Default
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Why does this new race somehow seem similiar to iksars. o_o
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Argh - need new char slot
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# Jul 12 2006 at 3:52 AM Rating: Decent
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There goes my warrior, or necro -- can't decide which is more fun -- but have to make room for the new race. Argh -- I only have one at 70 -- maybe I'll just dump him and start over?? Decisions, decisions!
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another 5 levels???
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# Jul 12 2006 at 2:37 AM Rating: Default
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Yea i finally made 70...now i gotta get those 5 stupid levels *sigh* i'll miss being up there with the rest of the highest levels =(
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Digital Download
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# Jul 12 2006 at 1:29 AM Rating: Default
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Umm... have you all missed the fact that it will ONLY be bought by digital download?

Seems to me EQ is one step closer to the end =( no full package to buy from a store or pre order.
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Digital Download
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# Jul 12 2006 at 6:11 PM Rating: Decent
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I think you all forgot that LoY was originally a download. They may change their mind before now and then.
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Digital Download
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# Jul 12 2006 at 2:06 AM Rating: Default
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Nope haven't missed that point at all which will really suck for those on dialup trying to get all the files even if they do start weeks in advance.
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Ida Know
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# Jul 11 2006 at 11:43 PM Rating: Default
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I'm not sure. I'll have to wait and see since all my character slots are filled. No point in getting it since I won't have room to make a Drakkin as far as I can see.
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Ida Know
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# Jul 15 2006 at 12:33 PM Rating: Decent
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Why make a Drakkin then? Just explore the new zones with your high lvl'd characters. And if you don't have any high level'd characters DELETE one of your lowbies and make a Drakkin. =p
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Un-Named zones!
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# Jul 11 2006 at 10:43 PM Rating: Decent
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Wish they would add some of the "Unamed" zones as well.

Some are:

Akanon waterfall leads to a zone.

Plane of Shadow.

Oggok has a Zone Line that is a dead end.

Several gods do not have a home (Prexus!).

Neth lair has one unfinished.

Plane of war (they said it was screwed up anyway=/)
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Un-Named zones!
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# Jul 18 2006 at 10:53 AM Rating: Good
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And dont forget the big, locked door on the back end side of Shadowhaven. That's supposed to go somewhere too
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Un-Named zones!
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# Jul 11 2006 at 11:48 PM Rating: Default
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there is also a dead end in the bazaar
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Un-Named zones!
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# Jul 12 2006 at 5:15 AM Rating: Decent
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that used to go to the barter zone, but they just added it to the current bazaar for more usefulness.
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Un-Named zones!
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# Jul 12 2006 at 12:02 PM Rating: Default
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There is also a "dead-end" zone line in The Hole supposedly leading to the Plane of the Underfoot. It even has a guard to keep you out of a zone that does not exist.

The next expansion should finish all of these "forgotten" realms and complete and fix the "forgotten" quests already in the game. There is a lot of mileage to be had without introducing something completely new.

Even though, this is still the most complete and best game of its kind.

Talishar 63rd Palladin of Cazic/Brell
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Un-Named zones!
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# Jul 12 2006 at 2:11 PM Rating: Decent
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I agree wholeheartedly about finishing content that was supposedly left for future expansions. If you look at the original EQ map you'll see a number of regions that are never even mentioned in the actual game on all three original continents (The Loping Plains, Wayunder Lake in Faydwer...The Dead Hills, Winter's Deep on Antonica...The Grand Plateau, The Vasty Deep on Odus, just to name a few examples.) There is so much that could be expanded on without creating new continents/planes/moons...it's a shame to see it continually ignored. Sadly, I doubt Sony will take the initiative to expand on these possibilities; people have expressed an interest in these places since day one and it's all been shoved aside for new, "uber" stuff.
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Un-Named zones!
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# Jul 12 2006 at 6:14 PM Rating: Decent
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How about building on to the LDoN for those that are higher in lvl, for these zones. There is evena spot in Neriak Third Gate that seems to need to add on to. All of these suggestions need to be summited via the /feedback. Let them know what we want.
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Pics of the Drakkin would be nice
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# Jul 11 2006 at 8:34 PM Rating: Decent
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Wouldn't it be real nice if they had pics of the new race? If anyone out there finds some, please let the rest of us know. I'm looking foward to seeing if I'm gonna play this new race or not.
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Leader AAs
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# Jul 11 2006 at 7:56 PM Rating: Default
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This would be a great time to add some new Leader ship AAs, but it looks like they are skipping that boat again.
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Why only digital download?
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# Jul 11 2006 at 5:33 PM Rating: Default
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I don't mind the new expansion, I'm a casual player too and no I don't have all my spells either but darn it I'm having fun and getting experience getting them and that's the point of this game isn't it, to have fun?

I do have a somewhat radical idea though if anyone from SOE actually comes to the boards here and reads this (yea right dream on huh lol Smiley: deadhorse ) How about you fix the things that are broken in these other expansions. You've given me more veteran rewards and taken them away from me several times this week, now I know you have a lot of programming issues to work through but damn it you gave me Expedient Recovery and before I had the chance to use it (my guild/group didn't get me killed for once) you took it away and left me with the jester Smiley: disappointed . Now I ask you what earthly use is the stupid little thing all it ever does is make me look strange (and I really don't need help with that thank you very much) and tell the same tired jokes all the time.
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Will end up getting it
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# Jul 11 2006 at 5:24 PM Rating: Decent
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Quote:
That being said, EQ keeps me at home and out of the bar. Out of the bar means mostly out of trouble and for that the price is a small one for me. Do I have ANY of my level 69-70 spells on either of my level 70 toons? No. Do I have over 1K AAs yet? No. Do I have fun? Yes. Will I buy the next expansion? Yes.


Amen

Edit: only have one 70 toon though

Edited, Jul 11th 2006 at 6:26pm EDT by Venerran
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pictures
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# Jul 11 2006 at 5:23 PM Rating: Default
Anonymous
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Are there any pictures of the new race maybe?
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