Progress of EQ2 (Game and Lore wise)

[Ama]

<p>Have to say EQ2 is progressing rather nicely introducing the Island of Ro, The Overrealm, Echoes of Faydwere and now Rise of Kunark as anounced.  </p><p>(lore) However I have to ask what line is the game pursuing? Are we trying to return to a state of normalcy before the Shattering or rebuilding ourselves?  </p><p>(Gameplay wise) We have progressed steadily with DoF upping us to level 60, KoS introducing AAs and level 70 and EoF introducing class based AAs.  RoK will introduce us to level 80 which some are dreading.  Have to ask is the game trying to follow the course of EQ1 or is it setting its own path? </p><p>As for me i'm quite happy with how things are turning out and deffinately hope to see a semi EQOA feel to the game.  These big lush cities combined with adventuring areas that progress people to level 20 is a great touch.  Hopefully down the road Freeport and Qeynos will be revamped to do the same with the smaller areas (peatbog, sunken city, etc...).  </p><p>I also hope to see more unique and involved events like the griffon towers and spire rebuilds.  It really rewarded players for their efforts and the spire rebuilds took it up a notch adding in titles.  Always have gate caller sky seeker on my SK and never take it off.  <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Jal]

Lore Nagafens schemes - We owe him 2 favours now and you can be sure he will collect at some point. Shadowmens schemes - They want to test their possession system on Vox to see if works on draconic life as a way to get at wuoshi and the power he guards.  Their continued conquest and invasion of norrath. Mayong - What has he been doing, what does he know of the prophecies and how does it all fit around the swords of destiny? The gods - What brought them back (aside from Zeb) and what are their plans. Nathan ironforge - Will we ever kill the little brat.

[Ama]

Kallarn@Splitpaw wrote: <blockquote> Nathan ironforge - Will we ever kill the little brat. </blockquote> Sadly since he is level 100 we may never kill him and may have to borrow a favor from Nagafen to ice him. 

[DORK-Hollywood]

I do also like the direction the game is heading in terms of lore and new content based on where that content lies within the geography of Norrath. The direction of expansions seems to be following that of EQ I, (with exception to Fay and Odus) moving to RoK. If Velious follows then we know the  'discovery' of new continents after the shattering might mirror that of continent discovery by the gnomes in EQ I. The misconception can easily be made that the content of these areas and continents will reflect that of EQ1. It is an entirely different time, far into the future, and things have most certainly changed. I was quite dissapointed at how high EoF is, because I knew it wouldn't be the last expansion. I quickly gathered that to move to something new, would require either a lvl cap raise, or a fresh approach to new content. While RoK may offer some AA changes, game mechanics adjustments and the like, I suspect it's primary purpose is to just prolong the longevity of EQII, by providing players with new areas to conquer, new loot to gather and some neat scenery/nostalgia to embrace. Which, in the end, that's what all the expansions do. They aren't bad persay, but that is seriously old after the plethora of releases in EQ I. My only lore interest in the moment is concerning Kerafym.  Since EQII technically resides in a different 'dimension' thanks to crafty SOE writers, then Kerafym has not been killed in EQ II's history; however he was awoken. If anyone had any hopes of Velious being a repeat of the Sleeper's Tomb, the tomb may still exist but he will not be there. I have an itchy feeling, that the last large expansion for  EQII will come in the form of returning to Luclin, with the aid of a spirit of Al Kabor, where upon you will find Kerafym ...but...surprise, he's once again imprisoned, this time by Veeshan, for he attempted to battle her. Why she wouldn't kill him, I'm sure will be documented in some way or another; but what it will mean to players is that once again he's wakeable and attackable; hence the beginning of EQIII... I would like to see them throw in some bit of Odus and the planes but not as official buyable expansions.

[Shackleton1]

<p>I've re-written this like four times to try and make it sound not like a rant.</p><p>So I'll just be curt and to the point.</p><p>What ongoing lore?</p><p>EQ2 is the best MMRPG out there, no question, but it's ongoing lore is a failure unless you happen to be in the right place at the right time.</p><p>I have never completed any of the major questlines. I have barely begun one of them.</p><p>There is a major, major failure to deliver ongoing lore (general lore which you just pick up from a variety of quests is delivered okay). The only reason its not seen as a dismal failure is because other games fail even worse; not because EQ2 is particularly good at it.</p><p>I've been in mistmore castle a few times, and mistmore catacombs a few times. I have no idea what Mayong is up to, nor have I ever met him. Actually, I have a vague idea that he has a sword (from Achadechism instance), and maybe it's the sword of destiny, but when SoD quest came out I spent ages searching what turned out to be (once the spoilers were out) completely the wrong zones for the quest to begin. For some unknown reason the quest starts in the commonlands. I must have missed some amazingly clever clue which said hail every PC in the commonlands.</p><p>I've never done prismatic. Unless there's a lot of people doing it, it's incredibly hard to organise a questline involving epics, let alone multiple epics, below max level. I think that's probably why they changed Deathfist to be heroic instead of epic, they realised that epic at that level just isn't practical these days.</p><p>Now, Unrest, that's lore I know and have read and been interested in. Both the obelisks, again interesting stuff. That's the kind of lore you can encounter in the course of things. But it's not really that relevant afaik. </p><p>I really, really hope the epic quests that come out with Kunark don't have EQ1 style "hail every NPC at random" bits in them.</p>

[Ama]

Shackleton1 wrote: <blockquote><p>There is a major, major failure to deliver ongoing lore (general lore which you just pick up from a variety of quests is delivered okay). The only reason its not seen as a dismal failure is because other games fail even worse; not because EQ2 is particularly good at it.</p><p>I've been in mistmore castle a few times, and mistmore catacombs a few times. I have no idea what Mayong is up to, nor have I ever met him. Actually, I have a vague idea that he has a sword (from Achadechism instance), and maybe it's the sword of destiny, but when SoD quest came out I spent ages searching what turned out to be (once the spoilers were out) completely the wrong zones for the quest to begin. For some unknown reason the quest starts in the commonlands. I must have missed some amazingly clever clue which said hail every PC in the commonlands.</p></blockquote><p>Actually i'm really happy on how well written and on how much lore there is in EQ2.  I swear Vhalen has this like Vault he walks into and picks a scroll out of when one of us Lore Junkies asks something about a place, thing, and/or person.  </p><p>Another thing I like is the fact there is In-Game Lore and there's Forum lore which makes it so if you want to know more you can ask about it.  Then if it's something unique and popular you might get attention with some good dev answers.  </p><p>Just finished up the Knights In The Round quest and i'm really waiting on pins and needles wanting to see what is up next.  The Claymore quest line imho was great since it involved the Overrealm.  Sadly i'm still on PoA since I have been working back and forth on my site.  </p>