The Serpent's Spine

[Aryse Andenter]

http://everquest.station.sony.com/

There's some screenshots up.

- New Player Race: Drakkin (they are saying first in 7 expansions, but they wouldn't be counting Frogloks then)
- Level 75
- Content for level 1-75 in the new expansion, including new starting city
- more auras, traps & destructible objects (because that was oh so in demand)
- new spells, AA, and LAA

[Whispers Quietly]

Just takative tonight I guess, already replied to several post. My brother and I was talking about this expansion. I don't understand it and he don't either.

Back ground; he is LvL 70, second tier " brightblingers ?" awesome armor. 12k self buff. Dishes out DPS like a mofo. I've seen personally a 37k mob drop in less than a minute, I was there, I couldn't believe it, If i never saw it. I cast splurt on it at 99%, it hit 116 dmg when it died. Thats my timer.

He has over 1300 AA's. One awesome necro. I'm proud of him, my Brother. We also started our chars on same day, I talked him into it. I give him his start on gear as a necro. That guy can play, he taught me D&D. On our server, Xegony, he was #1 in Ldon points at a time.

Me? I still play my own game and enjoy it, LvL 57, 6 AA's now. I'm having a good time. I quit playing over 9 months, I bought all the awesome gear when it was high priced. When I made Whispers, {funny story} the top raiding guild on Xegony had the requirement of all resist had to be over 100, She had that at LvL 12, They backed out... LOL

Now it's 70 and 250 aa"s. For most guilds,. Everyones done Time, pop is dead, velious is an oldtimers dream. Most people, don't have there Tier 2 armor, and never will.

By the time they release it, i'll be LvL 60 and most guilds will say screw it, we can't compete. Actually most guilds will still be working on tier 1 armor. A lot of folks will be dissollutioned with game.{ disollutioned is bad spelling i know}. Guilds will hit LvL 75 within 3 days of release whether they are prepared or not. It won't matter, It is still next best thing.

On other hand, zones that should be explored will never be explored, they will not have the people for it. Or just by-pass it... When was the last time you heard of a seru raid. Theres a ghostriders horse now. No need to raid there. Time, it's gone, Veeshans peak, Why? Velious. Don't even consider it...

They can Keep LvL 70 max for next 2 years and still have content to kill, enough for everyone, just introduce items once in awhile. thats all people want....

[corvardus]

Originally posted by Aryse Andenter@Jul 11 2006, 03:13 AM
http://everquest.station.sony.com/

- New Player Race: Drakkin (they are saying first in 7 expansions, but they wouldn't be counting Frogloks then)

7 Expansions from PoR is Legacy of Ykesha, when the Frogloks came (Yes it has been that long!)

[Aryse Andenter]

Heh... that is 7... stupid thing was I was arguing with Tryal that it was 7, and he was insistent it was not, so I didn't really count and just listened to him... so against my nature and the wrong choice! lol

[Xislaben]

Originally posted by Whispers Quietly@Jul 11 2006, 06:04 AM
When was the last time you heard of a seru raid. Theres a ghostriders horse now. No need to raid there.
Seru is 1 groupable, maybe duable, and is permafarmed on at least my server.

No need to raid him. Don't you lose ghostrider horse after 1 use?

[Jebasiz]

Heh, staying level 70 would lead to massive stagnation. Everything in the game that's killable has died, repeatedly on some servers. On atleast 3 servers, everything (yes, including PoR) has died to 2 or more guilds. There is NOT enough content to keep people happy by simply adding loot. We want content and challenges, not the same raids over and over and over. You're post couldn't be more wrong in that reguard.

You're brother may have good gear, I dunno..I don't care either, if it's tier two Omens, there's a lot of shit he hasn't killed. Him making a statement like yours is rediculous(if that's the case). If Meph, Jartaxel or Ck said it..since they've killed all viable raid content..there might be something to it..but only if they all agreed.

[Xislaben]

Devs on vet boards have said that they intend on making the 2.5 (2.0 with dodh quest augy) obsolete with this new expansion, at least for melee.

linky (http://eqforums.station.sony.com/eq/board/message?board.id=Veterans&message.id=254727&view=by_date_ascending&page=1)

Originally posted by "Zajeer-dev"
I'll be phasing out the DOD augmented epic 2.0s (or 2.5s, however you hip kids call them these days) this expansion with new weaponry for melee classes. Casters, on the other hand, is a little trickier because a bunch of players have their BiC augment in the type 4 slot (which I didn't intend to have happen and I may have to address somehow in the future).

[Schaeffer]

Can you say Nerf?

[Xelgadis]

He's been bitching about that for nearly 2 years now. It's like, shit or get off the pot- nerf it now or don't, I don't care, but can the elluding that you might.

[Xislaben]

I may be 75 and casting level 71 and under spells for a bit ><

Linky (http://eqforums.station.sony.com/eq/board/message?board.id=Veterans&message.id=255247#M255247)

Originally posted by "Zajeer"
Zajeer-Dev wrote:
Focus effects will regress in power similar to how they did during the Gates -> Omens time period. All foci will degrade at a set percentage starting at level 71, except for foci out of Deathknell; those focus effects will degrade starting at level 72.

[Jebasiz]

and with that statement he made all current gear w/foci currently in game obsolete. Such power!

[Meph]

Originally posted by Jebasiz@Jul 12 2006, 01:40 PM
and with that statement he made all current gear w/foci currently in game obsolete. Such power!
[QUOTE="Zajeer"]or 2.5s, however you hip kids call them these days[CODE]

He really does have the balls to insult player base like that and generalising em all as "hip kids" when EQ community is generaly quite mature.

[Jebasiz]

28 year old hip kid here myself! I dunno what they're thinking. It makes farming DK and further farming of DoB pretty pointless. Well, atleast for casters..we all know ac/hps and melee "foci" don't degrade. I'll still have 45% with TSS launching and leveling..just that my mana preservation and disease focus will start to suck!

[GnekroeGnomicon]

Official Press Release:

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.

I am SHOCKED that they are releasing such a large expansion so soon. September is far too soon to beta 71-75 along with the new race/zones/aas/spells. What I thought might be a grand way for SOE to possibly attract a new player base will now likely be bunged up by their practice of testing content on the live servers. I would have though late November - early December would have been a more appropriate time.

I also thought they were trying to push this to new players -- this expansion will be avialable only through digital download which == 0 (zero) new players.

// SHOCKED! Wait no I am not, it is SOE.

[Brahman]

i would bet alot that it will NOT only be available as a digital download...

seriously though, wtf is the point of a 1 - 75 expansion if its not pushed to the stores and done as a re-release?

[Felicite]

Originally posted by Brahman@Jul 13 2006, 10:35 AM
i would bet alot that it will NOT only be available as a digital download...

seriously though, wtf is the point of a 1 - 75 expansion if its not pushed to the stores and done as a re-release?
Noted.

You want to pick what "a lot" means.. or you want to trust me to do it?

[Jebasiz]

Originally posted by Felicite+Jul 13 2006, 12:43 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Felicite @ Jul 13 2006, 12:43 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Brahman@Jul 13 2006, 10:35 AM
i would bet alot that it will NOT only be available as a digital download...

seriously though, wtf is the point of a 1 - 75 expansion if its not pushed to the stores and done as a re-release?
Noted.

You want to pick what "a lot" means.. or you want to trust me to do it? [/b][/quote]
Seriously!

[Brahman]

Originally posted by Felicite+Jul 13 2006, 12:43 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Felicite @ Jul 13 2006, 12:43 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Brahman@Jul 13 2006, 10:35 AM
i would bet alot that it will NOT only be available as a digital download...

seriously though, wtf is the point of a 1 - 75 expansion if its not pushed to the stores and done as a re-release?
Noted.

You want to pick what "a lot" means.. or you want to trust me to do it? [/b][/quote]
hun if we were on the same server I would bet a few hundred k on it http://www.darkova.net/phpBB2/images/smiles/003.gif

but allas there is no reason to bet it just so i can loose it to a lvl 1 bot http://www.darkova.net/phpBB2/images/smiles/eusa_doh.gif seriously though why the fuck would they do lvl 1 - 75 unless it was to re-release? any other reason is a pretty serious waste of money IMO.

unless like... there is non-instance zone that is like an MM... you zone in you have to pick a monster and that is their idea of lvl 1 - 45...

[Felicite]

Originally posted by Brahman@Jul 13 2006, 11:07 AM
hun if we were on the same server I would bet a few hundred k on it http://www.darkova.net/phpBB2/images/smiles/003.gif
If that's your definition of "a lot".. you think pretty small.

Even for a noam.

Pass.

[Rijak]

I see no reason why it wouldn't be a digital download. That only broaden's the audience. They'll put it in stores too.

[GnekroeGnomicon]

^^ points up to the press release. I don't know why they would have a press release stating to "only be available via digital download" if that wasn't their plan of attack.

Digital download is a great way for current players to purchase the expansion, but it is no way to attract new customers -- unless they are going to package an "Everquest: Anthology" that has all of the expansions (including Spine) and market it to new players.

[Xislaben]

Poor poor modem users!

Sitting out raids for an extra two days while they download /sigh.

[Shadowwight]

i can see them using the digital download as a testing feature so that advertising and marketing have time to deliver a "finished" product to stores by december. would also eliminate a lot of the coding for the "wait and buy from the store for my free in-game" people.

[Jebasiz]

A re-release lol? Every expansion with a new race has offered content from from 1 to whatever the level cap was..well with the exception of LoY which was a "non-expansion" if there ever was one. That and they just gave them a city that already existed. Kunark and Luclin..both had new races and starting cities. You can easily go from 1-60 in either. We haven't had a new race (besides froglok) since. Neither of those expansions were touted as "re-releases" why should this one be different?

Don't even say "because they're creating content for new players" Every expansion has done that, especially those that have introduced a new race. Either by zone revamps or by adding quests or new spells to already existing content. Nothing that's being advertised now hasn't been advertised before(a few new game mechanics have been added, and/or expanded but that has to do more with the direction of the game and what's available now vice then.).

The scale of this expansion, by reading what's available seems like a Kunark or Luclin type expansion. They'll be new features, traps, aura's etc. The monsters will probably hit real hard, and have ae's. Which would be different from kunark and luclin..but follow the game's recent progression.

People are quick to label things..what they're doing is not unique. They're just doing something they haven't done for a while, all over again. It just won't have the same feel as Kunark or Luclin upon release because the game is so massive atm, 30 zones will only be like a 10% increase and not a 50% one(ala Kunark).

/gets ready for flames!

[Whispers Quietly]

And Everyones point is What?

High end raiders imo don't have dial-up.

It will hit the stores.

There will be a new "Drakkin" at 75 in less than five days.

Let the raiders download, debug it; then get out of everyones hair.

Let the games begin......

[Brahman]

yes but back then they used to release expansions with more backing then they do now.

[Schaeffer]

That's because those expansions were actually worth promoting

[Jebasiz]

Such a smart lizard(no shock there or anything, I mean you already are a part of Norrath's ultimate race! I will give Innoruuk credit though. He did something VERY right when creating Female Dark Elves.)!

EQ also had a much larger percentage of interest in the MMORPG market share. Pretty much if you were an online gamer and wanted a game "like this" you had 2 other choices. Ultima or Diablo. Neither were really close to EQ at that time. Asheron's Call might of been out too, or came shortly after. Agressive marketing just made sense. It was a growing game, people joining or starting the game daily. New servers launching. New features that no other game had. It was shiny and new. If you build a mustang, and it's the first mustang..you market it agressively, and sell the shit outta it. If you fix the headlights..you merely just tell people it's improved.