Massively Speaking http://massively.joystiq.com This is the Massively podcast http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Massively SpeakingJoystiqMassively Speaking<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: The insider's guide to Erollisi Day]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/18/the-tattered-notebook-the-insiders-guide-to-erollisi-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/18/the-tattered-notebook-the-insiders-guide-to-erollisi-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/18/the-tattered-notebook-the-insiders-guide-to-erollisi-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Steven and Douglas EQII
As EverQuest II gracefully ages, it's become a game that's rich with content. That's especially true of the in-game holidays, like the current live event, Erollisi Day. And now that Erollisi herself has returned, the holiday is cause for celebration rather than remembrance.

The event is winding down, but there are still a few days left to participate. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll highlight some of the many things to do during Erollisi Day, including something old, something new, something borrowed, and something.... Gnome!

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: The insider's guide to Erollisi Day

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: The insider's guide to Erollisi Day originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eqeq-2eq-iieq2eqiierollisi-dayeverquesteverquest-2everquest-2-free-to-playeverquest-2-holidayeverquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playholidaykaren-bryanopinionsoesony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookvalentines-daySat, 18 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: Build a better character with EQ2U]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-tattered-notebook-build-a-better-character-with-eq2u/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-tattered-notebook-build-a-better-character-with-eq2u/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-tattered-notebook-build-a-better-character-with-eq2u/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EQ2U Promo
For years, EverQuest II fans have quietly suffered in silence as the EQ2Players site remained broken and buggy. We watched other games, with their Armories, Magelos, and extensive databases, and we pined for the day when we could once again look up things like characters, gear, stats, and guild rosters.

The wait was worth it, though, and EQII players have gone from famine to feast. This past week, we got a glimpse of the newly refurbished EQ2Players site, but what's really exciting is that the EQII team has been working with fansites to provide the data feed and allow community figures to create their own resource sites. Morgan Feldon and Dethdlr, who do an amazing job with EQ2Wire, did just that, and on Friday, they officially launched EQ2U. It's a thorough and regularly updated database of things ranging from character stats, gear, and AAs to spell lists and warder pets. What's more, you can look up gear, track spells, and create your own wish list for your character. Feldon and Dethdlr have been working on this for the bulk of the past year, and Massively had a chance to talk with them about the project. Read on for a glimpse into the site's early beginnings and learn how EQ2U will help you get your characters up to snuff!

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Build a better character with EQ2U

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Build a better character with EQ2U originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dan-kinneydethdlreqeq-2eq-iieq2eq2ueq2wireeqiieqII-databaseeverquestEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playkaren-bryanmorgan-feldonnandor-szotsopinionsoesony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookzoltarothSat, 11 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: New executive producer, new wishlist]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-tattered-notebook-new-executive-producer-new-wishlist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-tattered-notebook-new-executive-producer-new-wishlist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-tattered-notebook-new-executive-producer-new-wishlist/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Georgeson and Longdale
I was all set to sit down and talk about raiding and the big news of critical mitigation disappearing from gear, and then some even bigger news appeared. Executive Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson has handed the reins over to Holly "Windstalker" Longdale. She is new to take the lead on EverQuest II, but she's not new to the team; in fact, she worked on EverQuest in the past under the name Vahlar.

What's the first thing to do when there's a new leader taking over? Form a wish list, of course! EverQuest II has come a long way since its bumpy launch, but there's always stuff that would make the game that much more fun. Let's look at a few ideas, and then you can add yours to my list.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: New executive producer, new wishlist

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: New executive producer, new wishlist originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dave-georgesoneqeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquestEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playholly-longdalekaren-bryanopinionsoesony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookSat, 04 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: The significance of the update delay]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/28/the-tattered-notebook-the-significance-of-the-update-delay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/28/the-tattered-notebook-the-significance-of-the-update-delay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/28/the-tattered-notebook-the-significance-of-the-update-delay/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Othmir
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and you could almost hear the record scratch when it did. Players have been speculating on two things recently: the release date of GU 63 and the absence of Executive Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson from the forums. As it turns out, SmokeJumper was simply on vacation, but his first post after returning created quite a stir. He reported a new timetable for game updates this coming year, and it's different from what had been announced.

Game Update 63 is now scheduled for April, not February. Furthermore, there are only three planned updates this coming year, rather than four, along with an expected expansion at the end of the year. Let's look at some reasons for the change in schedule and what it means to EverQuest II fans.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: The significance of the update delay

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: The significance of the update delay originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dave-georgesoneqeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquesteverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playopinionpatchpatchessmokejumpersoesony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookupdateSat, 28 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: Plat, loot, and the morality of cash]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/21/the-tattered-notebook-plat-loot-and-the-morality-of-cash/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/21/the-tattered-notebook-plat-loot-and-the-morality-of-cash/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/21/the-tattered-notebook-plat-loot-and-the-morality-of-cash/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EQII gold
There's a dirty little secret going on in EverQuest II, and every now and then it bubbles up to the surface in forum complaints from players. With the arrival of Station Cash, the Marketplace, and Legends of Norrath cards, players have worked out a way to buy in-game coin with real money, without fear of getting banned. And with the transition to free-to-play, it seems like that practice has grown even more.

The problem is that there are several things that factor into the plat-for-cash scenario, so it's impossible to find a quick fix. Are we at a point that SOE should just put plat on the marketplace and be done with it? Let's look at a few reasons for and against it.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Plat, loot, and the morality of cash

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Plat, loot, and the morality of cash originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dave-georgesoneqeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquesteverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playkaren-bryanopinionplat-for-cashplexrmtselling-loot-rightssoesony-online-entertainmentstation-cashtattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookSat, 21 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: If you think wings are weird...]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/14/the-tattered-notebook-if-you-think-wings-are-weird/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/14/the-tattered-notebook-if-you-think-wings-are-weird/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/14/the-tattered-notebook-if-you-think-wings-are-weird/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Skull head
Last week, EverQuest II rolled out two new Marketplace items: the nightmare flight wings and the Pegasus feather flight wings. At first, I didn't think much of it because it was just another flying mount, but as I watched the promotional video, it seemed strangely out of place for characters of all races to be sprouting wings and flying around of their own power.

While many players are excited about the new flight wings, others question whether they fit into the lore and the world of EQII. And this isn't the first time an item has left players with tilted heads and confused expressions. Read on for a collection of oddities from the world of Norrath!

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: If you think wings are weird...

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: If you think wings are weird... originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EQII dungeon
If there's one thing you can say about EverQuest II, it's that it has a community that's as varied as cogs in a Gnomish do-hickey. There's a substantial and long-time community of hardcore players, made up of people who must also be math majors because the number crunching that's involved is impressive. There's also a good-sized portion of the playerbase that prefers the non-combat features, like crafting, decorating, and more recently, dungeon designing. (Some players have made a fortune hiring themselves out to decorate others' homes, for example.) In a previous column, I talked about whether there will be a strain on the team to continue making quality content for the broad spectrum of players, but this week, I'd like to look at it from a different perspective.

Two of EverQuest II's newest features, the housing leaderboards and the dungeon maker leaderboards, are both designed similarly, with rankings, a hall of fame, and a voting system for various categories. But the leaderboard listings for each system look very different, and while the housing directory tends to be a good representation of EQII players' creative genius, the dungeon maker boards haven't reflected that as much. Read on to see why, and to look at what, if anything, should be done about it.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: The problem with leaderboards

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: The problem with leaderboards originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dungeon-makerdungeon-maker-leaderboardseqeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquestEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhousing-leaderboardskaren-bryanopinionsoesony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookSat, 07 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: An insider's guide to the Beastlord]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/31/the-tattered-notebook-an-insiders-guide-to-the-beastlord/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/31/the-tattered-notebook-an-insiders-guide-to-the-beastlord/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/31/the-tattered-notebook-an-insiders-guide-to-the-beastlord/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Beastlord
Beastlords have only been in game for a few weeks, but already quite a few EverQuest II fans have rolled one up to and taken it for a test drive. There are several new facets to the class that are refreshingly new to the usual EQII adventure classes, and it's little surprise that they've become arguably the most popular class around lately.

I tracked down a good friend and guildie, Nauralea, who has already reached the level cap with her Beastlord and has also finished her class epic and done a little raiding. If you're curious about how the class works or whether it's still fun to play at the higher levels, read on for a great look at the nuts and bolts of the class and even some helpful tips for leveling up one of your own!

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: An insider's guide to the Beastlord

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: An insider's guide to the Beastlord originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beastlordbeastlord-guideclassclasseseq2EQIIEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfre-to-playfree-to-tryinterviewinterviewskaren-bryannauraleasoeSony-Online-Entertainmenttattered-notebookSat, 31 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: A wish list for EQII's 'phase two']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/24/the-tattered-notebook-a-wish-list-for-eqiis-phase-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/24/the-tattered-notebook-a-wish-list-for-eqiis-phase-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/24/the-tattered-notebook-a-wish-list-for-eqiis-phase-two/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

EQ2 Beastlord
EverQuest II has had quite a year, but I was recently thinking about a comment that Executive Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson made regarding the future of the game. In a recent interview, he discussed plans for "phase two," which is an ongoing list of things the team wants to do to improve the game but don't make it to live. With all of the new changes to the game, the team usually comes up with lots of extra ideas, and Georgeson said the focus going forward will be to knock out some of those ideas on the "phase two" list.

I thought it would be fun to put together a list of things I'd like to see on the phase two list, and since it's the season for wish lists anyway, the timing is perfect. Read on for a look at a few things I'd like to see in EQII next year, and then share your ideas below!

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: A wish list for EQII's 'phase two'

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: A wish list for EQII's 'phase two' originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beastlord+eq2beastlordeq2dave-georgesoneqeq-2eq-iieq2eq2+new+contenteq2-traders-cornereq2-wish-listeq2newcontenteq2wireEQIIeverquesteverquest+nextEverQuest-2everquest-iieverquestnextf2pfantasyfeaturedfeldonfree-to-playitemizationjethylkaren-bryannaimiopinionsoesony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookSat, 24 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: Six things not to miss during Frostfell]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/17/the-tattered-notebook-six-things-not-to-miss-during-frostfell/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/17/the-tattered-notebook-six-things-not-to-miss-during-frostfell/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/17/the-tattered-notebook-six-things-not-to-miss-during-frostfell/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EQII Nathan Ironforge frozen tongue
The timing is probably purely coincidental, but EverQuest II's transition to free-to-play is coming at the best time of the year in Norrath: Frostfell! EverQuest II has always done a lovely job tying together seasonal events with the larger lore of Norrath, but Frostfell is the biggest event of the year. Now, everyone can check it out for free, and it's a great way to get acclimated to the game and get some really nice (and valuable) items in the process.

In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll cover the must-sees for Frostfell. From snowball fights to snow cloud mounts to heavy-breathing Gigglegibbers dressed as Santa, this is a list you'll definitely want to check twice.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Six things not to miss during Frostfell

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Six things not to miss during Frostfell originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily+quests+frostfelldailyquestsfrostfelleqeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquesteverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrostfellfrostfell+frostfoot+merchantfrostfellfrostfootmerchantkaren-bryanopinionsanta-gluggsnow-cloud-mountsoesony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookSat, 17 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: Discovery arrives!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/the-tattered-notebook-discovery-arrives/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/the-tattered-notebook-discovery-arrives/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/the-tattered-notebook-discovery-arrives/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EQII Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery has arrived, along with the Freeport Reborn game update and the free-to-play transition. On top of that, Frostfell is also upon us, with even more new rewards, tradeskill books, and quests. That's a pretty hefty amount of change to EverQuest II, and it's brought back many former players (as well as new ones).

In this week's Tattered Notebook, let's take a look at the first week of launch. I rolled up a Beastlord along with the rest of Norrath, so I'd like to give some first impressions on the new class, take a look at the dungeon maker, and share some overall thoughts on the past week.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Discovery arrives!

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Discovery arrives! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Freeport
Tuesday, December 6th is going to be a very busy day for the EverQuest II team. The devs are launching an expansion, patching a game update, and performing the transition to make all servers free-to-play, simultaneously. And just as the dust settles from all of that, Frostfell is due to begin shortly after.

With the stream of news announcements over the past month, there's bound to be confusion over what's free and what you'll need to pay for. Even veteran players have had questions about the game update versus the expansion, so in this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll give a rundown of what's what and even add in some handy links for more details.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: What's free and what's not?

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: What's free and what's not? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-discoverybeastlorddungeon-makereq1eqiiEverQuest-2everquest-iiexpansionfeaturedfreeportfreeport-rebornfreeport-revampkaren-bryanmercenariesreforgingsoeSony-Online-Entertainmenttattered-notebooktradeskill-apprenticesSat, 03 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: Will Age of Discovery be the last EQII expansion?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/the-tattered-notebook-will-age-of-discovery-be-the-last-eqii-expans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/the-tattered-notebook-will-age-of-discovery-be-the-last-eqii-expans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/the-tattered-notebook-will-age-of-discovery-be-the-last-eqii-expans/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EQiI Jester
It's amazing how much can change in just over a year. At the end of last summer, we were wrapping up Fan Faire and looking forward to Destiny of Velious, the upcoming expansion and the first of what was supposed to be a two-part expansion. This past weekend, just over a year later, I was headed to #OccupyNorrath to check out the planned protest, part of which was aimed at the cost of the new expansion, Age of Discovery. While the protest was light, to put it mildly, there has been quite a bit of rumbling on the forums about this upcoming expansion and the fact that while it might be heavy on features, it's pretty light on new content.

Now, when I question whether Age of Discovery will be the last EverQuest II expansion, I'm certainly not predicting that all production will cease and desist in the game afterwards. But I think it's worth asking whether we're seeing a shift away from the traditional expansion model. Let's take a look back the past year and a half because I think it offers hints that might help explain the bigger picture for the game.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Will Age of Discovery be the last EQII expansion?

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Will Age of Discovery be the last EQII expansion? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aqe-of-discoverydave-georgesondestiny-of-veliouseq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iiexpansionsfeaturedfree-to-playkaren-bryanrise-of-kunarksentinels-fateshadow-odysseysoeSony-Online-Entertainmenttattered-notebookSat, 26 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: Five things not to miss from EQII's Heroes' Festival]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/19/the-tattered-notebook-five-things-not-to-miss-from-eqiis-heroe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/19/the-tattered-notebook-five-things-not-to-miss-from-eqiis-heroe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/19/the-tattered-notebook-five-things-not-to-miss-from-eqiis-heroe/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EQII fireworks
Once again, the Heroes' Festival has returned to Norrath. The event has only been around a couple of years, but it's a nice time to shoot off some fireworks and celebrate EverQuest II's seventh anniversary. It tends to get overshadowed, coming just on the heels of Nights of the Dead and just a few weeks before Frostfell. But the festival actually has several fun events and offers some of my favorite rewards in game.

In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll look at some "don't miss" things from the Heroes' Festival -- from fireworks to flying band fliers!

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Five things not to miss from EQII's Heroes' Festival

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Five things not to miss from EQII's Heroes' Festival originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antonia-bayleclaymore-replicaeq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iifeaturedheroes-festivalkaren-bryanlucanlucan-statueshiniessoeSony-Online-Entertainmenttattered-notebookSat, 19 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: What free-to-play means for EverQuest II]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/12/the-tattered-notebook-what-free-to-play-means-for-everquest-ii/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/12/the-tattered-notebook-what-free-to-play-means-for-everquest-ii/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/12/the-tattered-notebook-what-free-to-play-means-for-everquest-ii/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EverQuest II
Thursday was quite the news day for EverQuest II. Normally, the announcement of pre-order specifics and details on the new expansion would be pretty big news by itself, but it was completely upstaged by the announcement that all EQII servers will be free-to-play.

As expected, there are lots of mixed emotions from the players regarding this new transition. Here at Massively, readers generally welcomed the move with open arms, but on the official forums and on the fansite EQ2Flames, there was a lot more trepidation. That's understandable because this move could change quite a lot going down the road. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll look at what the free-to-play transition means for the future of EQII.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: What free-to-play means for EverQuest II

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: What free-to-play means for EverQuest II originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-discoverycash-shopdave-georgesoneq2eq2xeqiieqII-extendedEverQuest-2everquest-2-extendedeverquest-iieverquest-ii-extendedfeaturedfree-to-playkaren-bryanpay-to-hopesmokejumpertattered-notebookSat, 12 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tattered Notebook: EQII turns seven, time for a retrospective]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/05/tattered-notebook-eqii-turns-seven-time-for-a-retrospective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/05/tattered-notebook-eqii-turns-seven-time-for-a-retrospective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/05/tattered-notebook-eqii-turns-seven-time-for-a-retrospective/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EQII ring war
You can say a lot of things about EverQuest II's past year, but I'm sure everyone will agree that it's been memorable. A year ago, I had just begun my turn at the helm of this column, and it seems like the game is in a similar position now as it was back then, with a lot accomplished but even more unanswered questions. For a look back at the first six years, be sure to check out my retrospective column from last year. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll play catch up and look back at the past year in EverQuest II and the events that shaped the game.

Continue reading Tattered Notebook: EQII turns seven, time for a retrospective

MassivelyTattered Notebook: EQII turns seven, time for a retrospective originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EQII Scarecrow
Norrath is currently full of pumpkins, floating candles, and an assortment of odd and unusual masks (ever see a frog dressed as Antonia Bayle?). The Nights of the Dead is one of my favorite in-game holidays, and each year brings even more fun quests and great Halloween-themed items. But EverQuest II has its fair share of scary stuff even when Nights of the Dead is over.

Since this week is all about frights and spooks, I present to you some of the top scares in EQII, be they zombies that jump out at you, raid mobs that turn your hair white, or death by sewing. Read on for some truly scary tales!

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: My top six scares in EQII

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: My top six scares in EQII originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EQII beastlord
EverQuest II's most recent update brought two new additions: the dungeon finder and the prelude event for the new Beastlord class that will arrive with the release of Age of Discovery. I was going to look at the dungeon finder this week, but it's had its share of problems, and with the team still working on tweaks to make it more useful, I figured I'd table it until some of the changes get patched.

That means this week's Tattered Notebook is focused on the Beastlord. Closed beta is beginning, and while it's hard to believe, the expansion is due to launch in late November. There's no doubt that many of us will be rolling up Beastlords, so this is a perfect time to start making preparations in advance of launch day. Read on for a look at some tips to make your first few days as a Beastlord fun and enjoyable.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Beastlord prep 101

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Beastlord prep 101 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-discoverybeastlordbeastlordsclassclasseseq-2eq-iieverquestEverQuest-2everquest-2-extendedeverquest-iieverquest-ii-extendedfeaturedkaren-bryantattered-notebookSat, 22 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: Why EverQuest is a Hall of Fame game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/15/the-tattered-notebook-why-everquest-is-a-hall-of-fame-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/15/the-tattered-notebook-why-everquest-is-a-hall-of-fame-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/15/the-tattered-notebook-why-everquest-is-a-hall-of-fame-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EverQuest screen
Earlier this week, at GDC Online, EverQuest was inducted into the Hall of Fame. There, up on stage, were about a dozen of the original members of the team. It's remarkable to consider how many games these developers have been a part of since their work on EQ. But in 1999, these were pioneers, scrambling to answer daily questions about what exactly the MMO genre should be. There are a lot of factors that make EverQuest worthy of being inducted to the Hall of Fame, and in this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll look at a few as well as take a larger look at the state of the industry from GDC Online.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Why EverQuest is a Hall of Fame game

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Why EverQuest is a Hall of Fame game originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eqeverquestfeaturedgdcgdc-onlinegdc-online-2011gdc-online-hall-of-famekaren-bryanopinionsoeSony-Online-Entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-visionYoure-in-our-world-nowSat, 15 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: A 'Top Gear' look at mounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/08/the-tattered-notebook-a-top-gear-look-at-mounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/08/the-tattered-notebook-a-top-gear-look-at-mounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/08/the-tattered-notebook-a-top-gear-look-at-mounts/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EQII fire spirit mount
Previously, I've been writing about the weighty topic of free-to-play vs. live subscription servers in EverQuest II. This week, I'd like to switch gears, both figuratively and literally, to talk about speed. I've recently become a fan of the show Top Gear, a British program(me) that is completely devoted to the love of cars. I don't know why -- I'm not really into cars, and my Volkswagon Passat Wagon hardly qualifies as a car with a soul. But I was watching a recent episode, the one in which Jeremy was driving an Aston Martin across country, and I thought about how far EQII's mount selection has grown. Gone are the days when your choices ranged from a horse with brown spots to a horse with white spots to the really impressive horse with brown and white spots. The only unique mounts back then were the Paladin and Shadow Knight "fun" mounts.

Today, there are dozens of different types of mounts that run, leap, glide, and fly. And they're not all just marketplace quick hits; several are easily attained from simple quests or live events. In this week's Tattered Notebook, I'll look at a few of my favorite mounts with an ode to Top Gear.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: A 'Top Gear' look at mounts

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: A 'Top Gear' look at mounts originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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