Expansions required?

[Caligula]

I just purchased the basic digital download of EQII. I was just wondering what expansions are required or needed. Can I skip any? Also, more of a billing question but, if I do need all expansions, would I need to spend $100 on all separately? Is there some kind of package that includes all?

[Moongloom]

<p>You can get all the expansions in one with the Echoes of Faydwer boxed expansion or go to the direct to drive site to download it.  </p><p>If you want to explore any of the areas included with the expansions, AA's, or play a Fae then you will need the expansion. </p>

[Caligula]

Wait so I get all of the previous expansion content if I buy the EoF expansion? I don't have to buy all 3 separately?

[Kahlef]

If you buy the box or the All-in-One package from Direct 2 Drive, yes, you get all the previous expansions plus the original game. Here is the link for the Direct 2 Drive All-in-One Package: <a href="http://www.direct2drive.com/6/4362/product/Buy-EverQuest-II:-All-In-One-Compilation-Download" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.direct2drive.com/6/4362/...lation-Download</a>

[Caligula]

Err, I just checked direct2drive and they have the game and all 4 expansions for 40 bucks. Why are they selling the expansions alone for that much on the eq2 site? That's pretty poor of them in my opinion, I think I'm going for a refund. Why pay $140 for a game when I can pay 40 somewhere else. Pretty lame that they charge more on their own home page than a 3rd party vendor. I'm not pleased.

[Caligula]

<cite>Kahlef wrote:</cite><blockquote>If you buy the box or the All-in-One package from Direct 2 Drive, yes, you get all the previous expansions plus the original game. Here is the link for the Direct 2 Drive All-in-One Package: <a href="http://www.direct2drive.com/6/4362/product/Buy-EverQuest-II:-All-In-One-Compilation-Download" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.direct2drive.com/6/4362/...lation-Download</a> </blockquote>Yes I just found this, and I'm somewhat upset that they don't offer the same on their own page. Now that I spent 20 bucks on the download, I can spend 40 and waste 20, ugh.

[Zard]

I heard rumors that some people have received a refund for downloading directly from SOE after complaining and re-purchasing through DirectDrive.

[Caligula]

Well I just sent an email to customer service requesting a refund so we'll see how it goes. Why they would charge $140 for the game + expansions and then have a 3rd party vendor sell the same thing for $100 less is mind boggling.

[ke'la]

<cite>Caligula wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Kahlef wrote:</cite><blockquote>If you buy the box or the All-in-One package from Direct 2 Drive, yes, you get all the previous expansions plus the original game. Here is the link for the Direct 2 Drive All-in-One Package: <a href="http://www.direct2drive.com/6/4362/product/Buy-EverQuest-II:-All-In-One-Compilation-Download" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.direct2drive.com/6/4362/...lation-Download</a> </blockquote>Yes I just found this, and I'm somewhat upset that they don't offer the same on their own page. Now that I spent 20 bucks on the download, I can spend 40 and waste 20, ugh. </blockquote> The reason they charge more on thier website is because if they didn't retailers both on-line and off would not carry it at all, instead of the very limited amount they carry now(because unlike WoW, and LoTRO SoE does not pay for shelf space)

[Caligula]

<blockquote> Thank you, for contacting Sony Online Entertainment. Both the companies has the different marketing policies. We suggest you to register the retail version of the EOF expansion on your account. However the retail copy  includes the full version of the game & all three expansions. and the cost of the retail version of the EOF expansion is $ 39.99. Means you will get the EQ2 base game and all the expansion in the same price you wants. If you have any other questions or concerns, please let us know so that we can help.  </blockquote> Not the best way to start off a relationship with a new customer, by overcharging me and then then suggesting that I buy more from them.

[Josgar]

<p>They arent overchagring you... When EQ2 came t I payed:</p><p>50 EQ2</p><p>30 EXP 1</p><p>30 EXP 2</p><p>40 EXP 3</p><p> 150 Bucks n_n</p><p>Anyways they have to do it that way or it would be impossible to find in stores.</p>

[Norrsken]

<cite>Caligula wrote:</cite><blockquote><blockquote> Thank you, for contacting Sony Online Entertainment. Both the companies has the different marketing policies. We suggest you to register the retail version of the EOF expansion on your account. However the retail copy  includes the full version of the game & all three expansions. and the cost of the retail version of the EOF expansion is $ 39.99. Means you will get the EQ2 base game and all the expansion in the same price you wants. If you have any other questions or concerns, please let us know so that we can help.  </blockquote> Not the best way to start off a relationship with a new customer, by overcharging me and then then suggesting that I buy more from them. </blockquote>You know, you can get 2 exp packs for free with the buy of a third. Soon 3 exp packs for free with the buy of a fourth. Overcharging isnt something that comes to my mind.

[Caligula]

Ulvhamne@Nagafen wrote: <blockquote><cite>Caligula wrote:</cite><blockquote><blockquote> Thank you, for contacting Sony Online Entertainment. Both the companies has the different marketing policies. We suggest you to register the retail version of the EOF expansion on your account. However the retail copy  includes the full version of the game & all three expansions. and the cost of the retail version of the EOF expansion is $ 39.99. Means you will get the EQ2 base game and all the expansion in the same price you wants. If you have any other questions or concerns, please let us know so that we can help.  </blockquote> Not the best way to start off a relationship with a new customer, by overcharging me and then then suggesting that I buy more from them. </blockquote>You know, you can get 2 exp packs for free with the buy of a third. Soon 3 exp packs for free with the buy of a fourth. Overcharging isnt something that comes to my mind. </blockquote>Except that I can buy the full game and 3 expansions from direct2drive for the same price that is being charged for the 3 expansions. I just bought this game 2 days ago for $20, now I'm going to be spending a total of $60 for 3 expansions and the game instead of $40 for all 4. And to the person who said they spent $150, that's a bit different, I'm basically paying for obsolete content save some things like the AA system. How many people still go into those zones from the 2 older expansions? How many raid there? I doubt many. When you bought those original games/expansions when they came out they were new and everyone else on your server was populating those zones. In any case, I will definitely remember this and you wont see me buying off Sony's site anymore. Have my $20 and I'll support someone else who actually wants to sell me something at a reasonable price.

[Norrsken]

<cite>Caligula wrote:</cite><blockquote>Ulvhamne@Nagafen wrote: <blockquote><cite>Caligula wrote:</cite><blockquote><blockquote> Thank you, for contacting Sony Online Entertainment. Both the companies has the different marketing policies. We suggest you to register the retail version of the EOF expansion on your account. However the retail copy  includes the full version of the game & all three expansions. and the cost of the retail version of the EOF expansion is $ 39.99. Means you will get the EQ2 base game and all the expansion in the same price you wants. If you have any other questions or concerns, please let us know so that we can help.  </blockquote> Not the best way to start off a relationship with a new customer, by overcharging me and then then suggesting that I buy more from them. </blockquote>You know, you can get 2 exp packs for free with the buy of a third. Soon 3 exp packs for free with the buy of a fourth. Overcharging isnt something that comes to my mind. </blockquote>Except that I can buy the full game and 3 expansions from direct2drive for the same price that is being charged for the 3 expansions. I just bought this game 2 days ago for $20, now I'm going to be spending a total of $60 for 3 expansions and the game instead of $40 for all 4. And to the person who said they spent $150, that's a bit different, I'm basically paying for obsolete content save some things like the AA system. How many people still go into those zones from the 2 older expansions? How many raid there? I doubt many. When you bought those original games/expansions when they came out they were new and everyone else on your server was populating those zones. In any case, I will definitely remember this and you wont see me buying off Sony's site anymore. Have my $20 and I'll support someone else who actually wants to sell me something at a reasonable price. </blockquote>quite a few people still go to the oldworld, and the old expansions. People even still raid there. At least on some servers.

[Caligula]

The point still stands. I just purchased the game for 20 bucks. Now they are telling me to go buy the game again so I get the expansions. You cannot seriously agree with that.

[Josgar]

<p>You dont HAVE to have all the expansions....</p>

[Finora]

<cite>Caligula wrote:</cite><blockquote>Except that I can buy the full game and 3 expansions from direct2drive for the same price that is being charged for the 3 expansions. I just bought this game 2 days ago for $20, now I'm going to be spending a total of $60 for 3 expansions and the game instead of $40 for all 4. And to the person who said they spent $150, that's a bit different, I'm basically paying for obsolete content save some things like the AA system. How many people still go into those zones from the 2 older expansions? How many raid there? I doubt many. When you bought those original games/expansions when they came out they were new and everyone else on your server was populating those zones. In any case, I will definitely remember this and you wont see me buying off Sony's site anymore. Have my $20 and I'll support someone else who actually wants to sell me something at a reasonable price. </blockquote><p>=) That 'old obsolete' content is where you pretty much start if you aren't a Fae.  Even if you start in Neriak (which is included with the old content since it was a normal LU update not an expansion pack), you get sent to old content for quests and such. There are quests from EOF that lead you through parts of the old world. When Rise of Kunark comes out, even though there will be a new race, there is only going to be a limited amount of 'new lowend' content added and then they'll be heading off to the older zones/expansions as well to level up and raid and what not.</p><p>People still raid  in all the other expansions (and original game content as well).  Good loot still drops in all the expansions. There isn't much that is truly obsolete in this game.</p><p>As for the last comment from the op (buy the game for 20 bucks then have to buy the expansions), did you really truly expect to get EVERYTHING, original game and 3 expansions for 20 bucks? SOE could have been like blizzard and make you pay for both seperately. When their new Xpack comes out I bet they'll make everyone buy that one seperately too. SOE likes to bundle for the new player, it is still going to be cheaper for you to buy EOFall in one no even though you bought the original already than it would be to have to buy each of them seperately now.</p>

[Norrsken]

<cite>Caligula wrote:</cite><blockquote>The point still stands. I just purchased the game for 20 bucks. Now they are telling me to go buy the game again so I get the expansions. You cannot seriously agree with that. </blockquote>No I dont. You can quite seriously buy just the latest exp pack and get everything included. And if you just bought the base game, well, you still have access to quite a bit of content right there, so just sit tight, enjoy that content and wait till mid november and get RoK with everything included if getting EoF with everything included is too stiff.

[VizP]

Firsly most raiders dont raid in EoF because its a HUGE step up in difficulty from Kingdom of Sky raiding.. many are still training in KoS zones. Secondly KoS offers a large amount of content for lvl 65+ including the Claymore quest with great rewards and many other quests and instances. Basically choose EoF but not KoS is a really awkward choice and you are missing out. As for not having Desert of Flame - it is a beautiful atmospheric expansion, on Antonia Bayle there are always people and groups there simply because it is the place to level between 50 to 58 or so, and it adds to the experience of the game. Get them all! BTW if you are interested in the lore and the world, not having everything means youre missing out on content...

[Caligula]

I would like to have all the content, which is why I'm thinking about purchasing the expansions. No I didn't expect to get all the expansions and the game for 20 bucks. I didn't check third party vendors at first because I assumed SOE would have equal prices. Obviously I was wrong. In checking those prices I realized that I didn't want to spend over 100 dollars on a game that I wasn't sure if I'd continue to play. Now that I have played the game for a few days, I like it, and I want access to the AA system. I checked into the AA system and found out that I basically need all the expansions to fully utilize it. So I looked at prices for all expansions. Hence the thread. None of you have yet to address the fact that I am going to be purchasing a *second* copy of this game within a week and it will be going to waste. Everything else is irrelevant.

[Rokaab]

<cite>Caligula wrote:</cite><blockquote>None of you have yet to address the fact that I am going to be purchasing a *second* copy of this game within a week and it will be going to waste. Everything else is irrelevant. </blockquote><p>True, however, what I did:</p><ol><li>Got original game for christmas (just after it was released)</li><li>Got DoF expansion box which included the game when it was released</li><li>Got KoS expansion box which included the game (and possibly DoF - cant check - its at home) when it was released</li><li>Got EoF expansion box which includes all the expansions and the game when it was released</li></ol><p>So basically I've 'bought' the game 4 times in total, but to be honest it was the same price whether I got the expansion box with the game included as it wouldve been to just get the expansion from the Sony Store, and I like having the actual CD's/DVD's.</p><p>But yeah, it'll cos you $20 more because you just got the game with no expansions at first rather than the one with, but thats nothing compared to what many of the older players have payed (£40+£30+£30+£30=£130=$260 at todays exchange rate). Edit: ok, the prices might be slightly inaccurate, I cant remember, may have been £35, £25, £25 and £25, but thats still a lot more than $60 (£30ish)</p><p>Or would you just prefer a box with the 3 expansions and not the game for the same $40, then you wouldnt have got the game more times?</p>

[Caligula]

Very true, and the situation would be completely different if I was purchasing a brand new expansion or game. I would have no issues paying for a new expansion that happened to include the original game. I will have no issue in November (if I'm still playing) purchasing that expansion with whatever is included. However, what I've done is, purchase the game sans expansions, now I'm being told to purchase the expansion that includes the game when that wasn't an option available to me from the website in the first place. In fact, they just told me to buy the retail box. The question is, why do they sell all the expansions separately on their site that *do not* include the original game, because I would have been more than happy to pay $40 for the game + 3 expansions had I known that was an option. Even when this option is available from a 3rd party vendor (also a direct download site). This whole situation is very stupid.

[Runestone]

As the saying goes, buyer beware. I always make sure I know what I am getting. I am new to the game myself. I knew the game had been out for a couple years.. I knew there would be expansions. Even if you didn't know all of this, it's still your fault in my opinion.

[Caligula]

Dalmara@Antonia Bayle wrote: <blockquote>As the saying goes, buyer beware. I always make sure I know what I am getting. I am new to the game myself. I knew the game had been out for a couple years.. I knew there would be expansions. Even if you didn't know all of this, it's still your fault in my opinion. </blockquote>Good thing SoE doesn't agree with you because after a few email exchanges they agreed to refund the money. Definitely the better move on their part because now that I'm seeing the depth to this game I will probably be here for awhile (Certainly longer in subscription time than $20 worth of digital download), and now I know that I can count on their customer service when I have an issue. Like I said, I knew the game was out and had a few expansions, I assumed that the parent company would offer at least a fair price for everything. No, I didn't check around to see if someone was selling a 4 in one box for 100 dollars cheaper, especially because I didn't want to buy all the expansions then find out that I hated the game and that I wasted 150+ bucks. Being the good customer that I am, I put my faith in the parent company, SoE, thinking my dollars spent at their online store were good ones. You know what? If they charged $50 for the 4 bundle I wouldn't be having this thread because I'd rather support the software company itself rather than a box store or big online vendor even if it cost a bit more. But this just feels like I'm being cheated. Charging almost 4 times the price of a 3rd party vendor for the same exact product is outlandish. Call it buyer beware if you want, but considering that in an MMORPG the user has the potential to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, and they've already got 30 of mine for SoE account activation or whatever that fee I paid was, a mere $20 compensation for a small injustice (ignorant choice, blind faith, however you want to view it) gives me renewed trust in them. Props to their support team for pulling through. See you all in game.

[Cyndor]

In all fairness you cant blame a Business for trying to make money, and research is your friend.  Glad you got your money back, they will suck right back out with the subscriptions costs <img src="/smilies/ed515dbff23a0ee3241dcc0a601c9ed6.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Caligula]

Cyndor@Blackburrow wrote: <blockquote>In all fairness you cant blame a Business for trying to make money, and research is your friend.  Glad you got your money back, they will suck right back out with the subscriptions costs <img src="/smilies/ed515dbff23a0ee3241dcc0a601c9ed6.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></blockquote>Subscription costs are fine, it keeps the content coming out and keeps the people supporting the game paid. I've already said that they will get a lot more money out of me from subscription over the course of the game. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />