New Expansion Announced: The Serpent's Spine

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.

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latest expansion
# Jul 11 2006 at 4:04 PM Rating: Decent
For the record in will be over 7 months since the last expansion with the release in September.

As for the quality of the expansion, I am just going to have to wait for at least beta to know. I wish I had everyone else's power to see the future and complain about things before they happen.

It is cool to see 'holes' in the map get filled in with content. New races and new lore are always fun. And I am sure that I will play this new expansion more than the 30 hours I played Half Life 2 or any other game costing alot more.

Not really sure what to think of this...
# Jul 11 2006 at 3:46 PM Rating: Decent
Sounds interesting. Though I don't really care for the background story on the new race. I think it would be much more interesting to play an orc, kobold, or goblin. I was hoping they may change the old world as if it is actually reacting to time. Change NPC's and maybe make the races I mentioned start an empire.
Not really sure what to think of this...
# Jul 11 2006 at 8:28 PM Rating: Decent
lol i luv ur idea w/ the empire and races. SoE would rock if they actually did smthin like that :D
Another Expansion already???
# Jul 11 2006 at 3:14 PM Rating: Decent
Man this is so ridiculous. They just put out PoR what, 3-4 months ago? And before that, they put out Dodh, which wasn't much longer than 5 or 6 months before that. Now once again there's more to catch up to for those of us that aren't in top of the line raiding guilds, or arent level 70 with all AA's done. Sure, the new race sounds like it'll be interesting, and increasing the level cap to lvl75 is pretty much due ( Ey, i wonder what lame, last-minute-thought-of titles classes will get when they hit 75? ) But come on, With the expansion servers and all going on, and PoR just hitting the shelves not long ago, this really could've waited maybe a few more months, maybe even until next year. But hey, SoE needs to just keep making more money, and that's what these expansions are to them..a vehicle to fatten their wallets. And that is probably why Vanguard: Saga of Heroes will flop , or will be interesting at first, but then will be ruined.

Ey, at the very least, the latest expansion isn't the usual "something OF something"..First xpansion without the word "of" in the title Heheheh.
Another Expansion already???
# Jul 11 2006 at 3:38 PM Rating: Decent
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285 posts
PoRo has been out for 5 months now. And to top it off, they haven't announced a release date (likely Novermber-ish). It's about time they announced the expansion. It's great they're offering content all the way from the bottom, but now that PoRo has been beaten, there's nowhere to go. This one can't come soon enough (although I do like that they're taking their time to hopefully get it more sussed out than recent releases).
Another Expansion already???
# Jul 11 2006 at 3:35 PM Rating: Decent
36 posts
No one is forcing you to buy it. If you think it's a horrid idea, don't buy it. Most people will probally buy it, and you most likely will too.. But, it's your choice.
Another Expansion already???
# Jul 11 2006 at 3:21 PM Rating: Decent
OMG.. SoE been pumping out 2 expansions/year since "Legacy of Ykesha".

Seriously, I'm looking foward to the next expansion, but then again, my monk is in the top 99.9 percentile.

Just got "Monocle of Blood", and only need "Council of the Nine" to be able to loot in Dreadspire: Demiplane of Blood.


My monk, raid buffed, with all tribute, LAA is a tad over 14.8K.

Group buffed, is well over 13K still. (I generaly just use conviction since it lasts longer, and getting brells is kinda adhoc, so I didn't include it).










Edited, Jul 11th 2006 at 4:25pm EDT by jjamesge
Another Expansion already???
# Jul 11 2006 at 4:53 PM Rating: Decent
Ey i'm sure everyone arguing over my original post is a level 70 in a raid guild, with close to max AA's, and top of the line gear, like jjamesge. Of course, it's logical to have "beaten everquest" and not agree with it, beacuse obviously the new expansions cater to high level hardcore gamers for the most part.

Oh, and was it 5 months ago PoR was put out? Thanks for the correction..but I would say i was close enough in my original post. And even if they only do push 2 expansions a year, I still say that's overdoing it. 1 expansion a year is enough, just like the kunark/velious days. Thats the way Verant did it, and after SoE bought Everquest, their heads blew up, and they saw Dollar signs, thus why they started pushing expansions away..and pushing alot of players away as well, hehehe.

And as for the nobody is forcing you to play, so if you don't like it, don't play posts, Nobody forces people to watch Football do they? Yet people still watch it, even though they get angry, even sometimes to the point where they cause a riot, rob a liquor store, or beat their wife. This game is played by real people, with opinions that they will want to state, so if you can't deal with opinions, then YOU should be the one that doesen't play.
Another Expansion already???
# Jul 11 2006 at 8:33 PM Rating: Decent
Scholar
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50 posts
Kunark & Velious were both released the same year. Kunark in April & Velious in December, so only 8 months apart.
Another Expansion already???
# Jul 29 2006 at 6:12 PM Rating: Decent
Fact is that the hardcore gamers beat the snot out of their new expansions in a short amount of time and these same hardcore gamers are their bread and butter. If they didn't spit out expansions as easily and readily as a dog can slobber the high-end hardcore crowd might grow bored. It sucks for casual gamers (I being one of those), but I doubt it'll change. I didn't buy POR and hear I have missed little. I may get this one for the new race and lower level zones, but eh...
SWEET
# Jul 11 2006 at 2:51 PM Rating: Default
i personally LOVE all exapnsions i like tradeskillsd i like Mnster Missions. i sure hope there are new Monster Missions i plan to buy the box set first day it comes out. i will play it. i will use it. i am not a casual player i am sorta hard core. i also plan to make the new race. it will be fun and exiting. you dont like expansion dont buy it. i plan to buy it i plan to use it alot.
SWEET
# Jul 11 2006 at 2:57 PM Rating: Default
Do you also plan to start capitalizing personal pronouns?

Just curious. It seems like you plan to use them "alot".

Edited, Jul 11th 2006 at 4:07pm EDT by Fyrewalker
SWEET
# Jul 11 2006 at 8:20 PM Rating: Decent
noone capitalizes anything on games/chat dude
Hmmm...
# Jul 11 2006 at 2:51 PM Rating: Default
New race screen shots pleeb.

Now.


Jerks....
Not a casual payer
# Jul 11 2006 at 2:43 PM Rating: Decent
"Even though I am a casual player, I am not a casual payer." - A great statement, I wish I had thought of saying that first.

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.

SoE - 11, Me - 0

My biggest complaint? I want a box with a CD and a number! I have had friends who were asked by SOE to prove they were the original account holders by providing this number and they were not able to. I can. I want a physical object to prove I made a purchase, not just a receipt. Oh! You don't even get a receipt! Silly me. And don't tell me I can get a copy of the receipt from my credit card company any time I want. I have had 2 credit card companies go into bankrupcy and I can't get anything from them now.
More Slots
# Jul 11 2006 at 2:30 PM Rating: Decent
I think the new race will be fun to see, but the only problem is i've had all 8 character slots filled for 5 years and don't wish to buy another account + all expansions. I'd really like SOE to add just 1 or 2 character slots per server.
More Slots
# Jul 11 2006 at 11:34 PM Rating: Decent
I would also love to start a new race - but which one of my existing characters gets the axe? I've also had this same issue during some of the GM events where you create a new level one character. Hmm, delete a character I've had for 2 years for maybe 30 minutes of the having the "possibility" of something interesting happening? NOPE!

I've already converted a "playable" toon to my bazaar mule and it's a PITA to remember to always switch out the Trader bags before zoning out of bazaar - man that stinks when you weigh 20k pounds and can't budge...DUH that was stupid!

I think adding one character slot with this expansion wouldn't be out of line and would be a major incentive for me to buy it. As of now I still haven't completed some of the arcs in DoDH let alone content in PoR, many of my toons still lack 70 spells, so without a slot to make the new race I have no incentive to buy this expansion (especially at release).
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# Jul 11 2006 at 4:27 PM Rating: Decent
100% agreement here! Been playing since 2000. My slots been full since i made my beastlord.
im suckage
# Jul 11 2006 at 2:05 PM Rating: Decent
hey im the anon guy with the first post.. just forgot to log on... dont flame me for my opinion plz... it just shows intolerance . i didnt shoot u down for ur opinion sooooooo plz be nice
Probably zero value to casual players
# Jul 11 2006 at 1:51 PM Rating: Decent
As a casual player who's RL has gone totally crazy over the last 8mths, I think I can make a general comment for all casual players.

There is so much content in the existing expansions, that there is no way we will even see 60% of it, much less get bored of it.

Even though I am a casual player, I am not a casual payer. My monthly fee comes out of my account (for over 4yrs now) just as fast as social rejects with 8 lvl 70 players with 1500AAs each and just a fast as the thousands of Chineese farmers.

There is simply no need to buy additional content. My calandar is full with RL and with the 10 expansions that I have. The only reason I sprung for some of the last few expansions was for a new item/feature that specifically appealed to me; like doubling the bank slots, for a pack rat like me.

I not 'dumping' on the new expansion, I just can't see how the vast majority of casual players would need it.
re:suckage
# Jul 11 2006 at 1:47 PM Rating: Decent
i can see why suckage posted anonymously, comments are so dumb. you do not HAVE TO go from 1-75 here, there is just content to hunt, if you wish to do so. everyone will still use POK and guild hall as central clearing station, and everyone doing any tradeskills will have to roam the entire world for supplies, same as always. So, suckage, please go delete yourself.
re:suckage
# Jul 12 2006 at 3:35 AM Rating: Decent
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110 posts
Quote:
Hardolmer(Anonymous) wrote...i think this is going to suck soooo bad because u can get to 75 without leaving the continent? WTF is that.. u dont see the old world.. luclin....all the old school zones


Quote:
Puukumthesexybeast wrote...i can see why suckage posted anonymously, comments are so dumb. you do not HAVE TO go from 1-75 here, there is just content to hunt, if you wish to do so.


Umm maybe its just real late, or maybe I just drank a bit too much, but I don't remember seeing Hardolmer's post saying you have to get lvl 1-75 from this continent, he states that you can get 1-75 without having to leave the continent. And as people like new zones, it is likely that most that play this new race, or have gone through all the content so far (or vast majority of it even) will be in these new zones, leaving all the old school ones left empty.

I myself am kind of excited about this expansion. Not because of the level cap increase (main is a 67 ranger), but for the new race. I think they could have made up something cooler than that it was created from dragon and human blood but oh well. A new race would be cool in my opinion, though I would also like to see some new PC models. You bet as long as I can afford it on launch day, I will buy and play it and go exploring. I am looking forward to seeing some pictures of the new race and learning of which classes it can be.
Trendle
# Jul 11 2006 at 1:23 PM Rating: Default
I agree this isnt gonna be that cool... have played over 5yrs , my main is still 69lvl. ( not in a high lvl raiding guild) and 69 feels like a complete HELL level. why they gonna raise it to 75? thats retarded, at least make you go through some 'Trials' (quests) so u can Even Get Past lvl 70 ! Personally i dont see how a Mortal can get to lvl 65 much less 70 or 75. to reach lvl 75 they should make it EXTREMELY difficult. 3-4 times harder than from lvl 66 to 70. or we gonna have Everyone lvl 75 in a freakin week. For thousands in Family guilds, level 70 is Super hard to begin with , lvl 75 is just insane


Pensive yet hopeful
# Jul 11 2006 at 1:20 PM Rating: Decent
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286 posts
Smiley: twocents

I agree with Byrkann in that I think it might be too fast between releases, yet the new race sounds like a fun one. This might be the first release since Luclin which I preorder (or at least get boxed soon after release - one account STILL lacks OoW). Personally, I'd like to see solo-able LDoN's, like they hinted at. Getting an LDoN on my server is damn near impossible!
Not sure.....
# Jul 11 2006 at 12:58 PM Rating: Default
I'm not so sure this is going to suck, but I don't tihnk it will rock either. I'm a 66 bstlord and I STILL don't have all my spells for OOW, DOD and POP. Can't wait to go try to get more (rolls eyes). Sony should wait a little longer before releaseing new expansion IMHO. But i think new race is a great idea. Getting bored with same old cities =). They're just releasing expansions too close together =(
Jumping to conclusions?
# Jul 11 2006 at 12:47 PM Rating: Decent
I wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions. "The Serpent's Spine" is a land-form that has yet to be developed on Antonica. See "The Missing Lands", an article posted on eq akz's sister site, eq ogaming.

It's going to be really nice to see more of the zones on that list FINALLY developed. The press release says that this expansion is for content for all level ranges - it doesn't specifically state that it's ALL in the new zone areas of the serpent spine. This could be a really good thing, and will bring players back down the the world of Antonica, instead of the constant frollicing through the planes and Luclin.

imo - this is a great thing. It's sad to see so few people even using the world of Norrath any longer.
Good stuff
# Jul 11 2006 at 12:39 PM Rating: Good
Will be nice to turn off the 100%aa experience for a little while and Its a good thing if the new xpan allows for 1-75 levels... However things I'd like to see,

1. More DoNs ( type )and more gear to choose from form those.
2. New Player Models
3. Worldwide revamp of mobs drops, I mean who camps the SBS anymore?
4. The ability to permanently name your Pets
5. revamp of personal bank space to eliminate the hassle of filling your screen with open bags...more like guild bank.
6. a control turn off all pc not grouped/raid /showplayer < group > <raid> etc.. to help some lag issues when looking at 70 peeps with SoE on.
7. Tributable <no drop> items

Im sure I could come up with some other tweeks, but Im a 3rd shifter...and kind of sleepy now, so....

See you in Serpent Spine, safe hunts and rare drops to you!
suckage
# Jul 11 2006 at 12:36 PM Rating: Default
i think this is going to suck soooo bad because u can get to 75 without leaving the continent? WTF is that.. u dont see the old world.. luclin....all the old school zones and raiding is gonna be simple now for all the PoP stuff cause everyone is gonna be lvl 75 taking RZTW out with like 20 people its gonna be retarted and myself i am never going to play this new race unless it comes with a new class and it apparently isnt goin to.. if u want my opinion it is going to suck.. Alot
suckage
# Jul 11 2006 at 11:58 PM Rating: Decent
24 posts
ummm too late.....i've seen RZTW taken out with 20.....hes a gimp **** if you dont let the adds get ya

and as for the new expansion.....all i can say is that getting to 75 is gunna suck for me since i only realy get on for raids, but the new race is gunna be fun $$
suckage
# Jul 11 2006 at 8:01 PM Rating: Decent
I dont think its gonna suck at all. the new race makes things more interesting, and the new continent has 1-75 lvls so ppl can all enjoy it, which means that not only 70's can play but 20's and 30's. dude, this thing is goin to rock

Edited, Jul 11th 2006 at 9:37pm EDT by saphelps
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