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Beta Update tonight: new
Enigma
Member UncommonPosts: 11,384
Update via Moorgard, COmmunity Manager for EQ2:
Since character individualization in EverQuest II has been a hot topic following the lifting of the NDA, we thought it would be a good idea to share our plan for the all-new features that are going live in the next few weeks to give a greater sense of uniqueness to players. Well be releasing more details each day, beginning with the character traits list tomorrow afternoon.
First, lets talk about whats changing from its current state.
Were releasing the final class spells and arts lists. These move away from the standard archetype spells and arts weve been using for balance testing and give players access to their class-specific spell selections. The spells and arts youll see in the next few updates include new effects, class-specific strengths and flavor, and final names.
These spell changes are taking place across the board and will greatly refine class differences from what they are today. Weve completed the balancing necessary to give a solid role to each class and now were excited to release the new spell and art lists.
To illustrate how these changes work, we'll use the Mage -> Sorcerer -> Wizard progression as an example.
Unlike how it was in the previous spell lists, once you turn level 10 you stop being just a mage. As you choose your path and complete your quest, from that point forward you are a sorcerer. There are no new mage spells after level 10. Each class will be branch off into entirely class-specific spells.
Once you turn level 20 and choose the path of a wizard, you are no longer a sorcerer. As before, there are no new sorcerer spells after level 20. You will be gaining wizard subclass spells from there forward.
In other words, there is no longer any such thing as a "level 44 mage spell," because a high-level wizard should never think of himself or herself as a level 44 mage in EverQuest II.
You will still be able to do a number of the same things to keep being useful in your key roles, but with unique and interesting differences that are suitable to each of the classes and subclasses that branch out from the common base.
For example, all priests will continue to receive instant heals, but other heal types will be restricted based on class. Only shamans will get wards, only druids will get regens, and only clerics will get reactive heals.
Classes will also receive a greater assortment of unique spells and arts. These are additional abilities that will likely be purchased off vendors. For example, illusionists will be able to cast racial illusions.
Full spell and art lists for each class will be released in the next few days.
Next, wed like to outline some brand new features going live in the coming days and weeks. These systems add a tremendous amount of customization to each character and should help you create the unique persona you'll want to play in EverQuest II.
New Feature - Training Specialized Abilities
- As you develop your character, youll be able to specialize in major aspects of your profession. About every ten levels, you can choose to focus on one of your core abilities and receive advanced training to improve it.
- For example, a priest could train and receive either a stronger heal, a more potent buff, or a higher-damage nuke. This ability would be of much greater potency than the typical granted spell and may be upgraded even more through adventuring.
- Each profession gets similar choices that play to their strengths fighters may choose between offensive and defensive enhancements, or mages may focus on improving a damage spell, a pet, or a stun spell as appropriate to their profession.
New Feature - Character Traits
- Character traits allow you to choose an aspect of your character and improve upon it. Traits are independent of your characters race or profession, and all characters have access to the full list.
- By the time theyve reached level 50, every character will gain access to seven traits that help tailor their character to their preferred play style.
- For example, a given character might choose to become Clever, thereby increasing their intelligence. Another character might choose to become Nimble, thereby increasing their base agility.
- Traits can improve your character in a variety of areas, such as increasing your statistics, giving more health or power, improving your health or power regeneration speed, and making your more resistant to magic, disease, or different types of melee damage.
- Traits are generally permanent effects that continuously improve your character during play. Once youve selected a trait, youll enjoy its benefits permanently.
New Feature - Racial Traditions
- As players learn the background and lore of their chosen race, they begin to unlock certain bonuses. This starts with race-specific titles and leads to a choice of racial abilities.
- By the time theyve reached level 50, every character will gain access to four racial traditions to help tailor their character to their preferred play style and distinguish themselves from other members of their race.
- For instance, an iksar could choose from enhanced health regeneration, increased power regeneration, or increased armor class. A ratonga may learn to forage for food or improve his ability to dodge blows. Erudites may learn to summon a magical wisp, guard themselves with a magic-resistant shield, or improve their alchemist crafting abilities.
- Racial traditions take many forms, but are generally activated abilities that can be used on demand to greatly improve your character for a short period of time.
- Some traditions give bonuses similar to traits, but with much more powerful effects.
- Full racial tradition lists will be released for every race in the next few days.
New Feature - Enemy Mastery
- During your adventuring career, youll be able to learn about the creatures and monsters youre fighting and use that knowledge to your advantage.
- Every few levels, players may choose from a selection of enemies and undertake a quest to learn how to exploit their weaknesses. The successful completion of this quest results in an enhanced attack against that type of enemy.
- By the time theyve reached level 50, every character will gain access to six enemy masteries to help tailor their character to their preferred play style.
Summary
These new kinds of choices allow for greater individualization without creating major imbalances between subclasses. One dwarf templar can have different stats and abilities than another dwarf templar while retaining the core abilities that they need to be successful in their key roles. Approximately every two levels players will receive an additional choice that allows another degree of individualization.
We plan to have the first round of these features showing up in next week's scheduled update (week of 10/25/04) with additional features arriving the week after. We look forward to hearing what you think of these upcoming changes.
Message Edited by Moorgard on 10-19-2004 07:50 PM
Originally posted by WizGamer
Now hear me out, its just an opinion, I don't want yours. .
People who have to create conspiracy and hate threads to further a cause lacks in intellectual comprehension of diversity.
Comments
Basically, they took the concerns of many beta players and completely made additional changes to your character's infrastructure.
I'll log back on tonight and see if it's all pretty much rock solid
People who have to create conspiracy and hate threads to further a cause lacks in intellectual comprehension of diversity.
Correct me if I sound crazy but... doesn't this sound a lot like WoW's character talents system? First it seemed EQ2 had "borrowed" WoW's Griffon flight system and now it seems they're "borrowing" parts of WoW's talent system?
Didn't SOE say EQ2 would be a unique experience way back when they first started on it?
-Loc
ps I'm on Beta2
I figured someone was going to stick a WoW comparison in this thread.
Anyways...
Yeah Maseloc the servers are down right now as they are installing all those changes listed above. When you do log in, log into Beta 2 if you want to look me up
The name's Sinsada
People who have to create conspiracy and hate threads to further a cause lacks in intellectual comprehension of diversity.
Well for WoW comparisons, what they put it is very similiar to the Alpha WoW talents/racial ideas/skills.
However WoW has completely redone that system, so they aren't similiar now. On a side note, Blizz's system isn't finished (however, next patch talents will be in for all classes...as is the first raid monster, Onyxia the dragon aspect
).
Ok, more Onyxia lol, I hope it rocks because it will show how good blizzard's raid ideas are. IF it's bad..bleh....
Enemy Mastery is a unique thing however to EQ 2.
My only concern is, can they actually add all this in and balance this within a month? Or we looking at a push back (then the poster's at stores would be wrong:P).
And who said complaining doesn't pay off.
Hopefully they throw in the fixes for the quests I've been waiting on while they're at it
Hmmm, sounds interesting....we shall see.
Anyways, the idea of racial/class traits/talents etc is hardly a new or unique idea, its been around a long time in RPGs decades before EQ2 or WoW ever came along. So just because two games are using this technique doesn't mean one stole it from another. The same goes for gryphon riding, get over it, neither WoW or EQ2 thought of it first.
Move on.
Everything born must die. All that is, will come to ruin. This is the essence of Doom. So sayeth the Doomsayer.
________________________________
Everything born must die. All that is, will come to ruin. This is the essence of Doom. So sayeth the Doomsayer.
Joined 2004 - I can't believe I've been a MMORPG.com member for 20 years! Get off my lawn!
heh, Ive been in there for about 2 weeks.
People who have to create conspiracy and hate threads to further a cause lacks in intellectual comprehension of diversity.
Got to admit.. that looks like good stuff.. wonder how quickly they can roll out all those changes - and balance them. Said in the coming "weeks"... they've got 3 to release.
-Loc
(Loce Beta 2)
I know I sound a bit fullo of myself now but... When I did start this discussion on the betaboards over a month ago I felt really really alone and.. really really abused by the fan crowd that screamed how stupid I was that I did not understand the joy of no costumisation. As the weeks have passed I have seen more and more people joining me and the last week has been crazy with even some mof my strongest enemies chiming in...
Now this appears... I am sure they have this preprogrammed, maybe as a planned addition for release.. or as a backup plan if the simple system did not work out as well as they wanted. I know they had a vision of simplicity.. They talked about it a lot. Smoke screens or not...
It feels damn good now to sit in beta forums and see those that called me stupid suddenly try to jump into this and say how good it is. The same thing they hated so much a week ago.
Only game I wait for right now: Imperator.
Go Mythic!
"This is not a game to be tossed aside lightly.
It should be thrown with great force"
Doesn't it though? Nothing like a little vindication to warm the heart cockles
Race ain't over yet. Still plenty of time for them to get it all wrong. And I win.
And if they get it all right. Well I still win.
I am with Ipvrf. I can say it without flinching.. I hated EQ. EQ was an ugly game with ugly characters. I am not what people call an EQ fan. Now EQ II looked good. But with that I just want to say I have never been a EQ junkie. But as the game looks now.. And... No, I am not a costumer already, it still have some problems that keeps it on maybe, but:
This really put EQ II way up the list on "Games to buy". Both for the fact that the game suddenly went from an automated children adventure into a fullfledged RPG with all the goodies... But also because of the (This is true) AMAZING work from the devs and hwo they truly, truly listen to the feedback they get. This is not a single occurence, I have been directly involved in three occations where our input change the game completly, one time in one post, in five hours, completly changed a whole game mechanic. These guys REALLY listen to what is said, if said well enough and calmly enough. I have only good experiences with the developers... The community no. But the developers.
Only game I wait for right now: Imperator.
Go Mythic!
"This is not a game to be tossed aside lightly.
It should be thrown with great force"
Rhoklaw: When I see someone using words like "righteous" when the thing he defended is changed dramaticly and he still say he is right, I checked back a bit how you defended EQ II during these reviews.
Consdiering ALL reviews had "No costumisation creating a linear experience" as main problem... and you defended the old system.. and now that it has changed you say you are right, I wanted to see what you said before.. So:
Thread: "Honest thoughts from..." You send in one post ONLY flaming and insulting a WoW player. Nothing about EQ.
Thread: "Really good review, kinda scary..." You, very much, defend the old system and make clear your standpoint that the NOW REMOVED linear system was the best way and the NOW ADDED costumisation system was crap...
Now the question.. WHAT exactly are you feeling righteous about? Where is your "I told you so"?
I will give you an idea... Look down in the floor and say after me: "Doh..."
At least some of us worked to make this game what it is turning out to be...
Only game I wait for right now: Imperator.
Go Mythic!
"This is not a game to be tossed aside lightly.
It should be thrown with great force"
Amen Harafnir, one post from a dev, and suddenly... promises are nothing, they've made alot of promises in SWG.. like combat balance, 18 months later it's still not in. When it comes to the world of mmorpg's you've got to separate promises from what's in the game.. otherwise you'll just be paying to play a beta. btw.. beta progress was the same or faster in the SWG beta.. when a game goes live, don't expect similar updates more than once a month. Also, that post listing the last month's worth of patches is actually the last 12 weeks worth of patches.
Looks like some impressive things happening for EQII. Time will tell, but then I'm not in beta so I can only read whats going on. Looking good though.
Cheers
P-4 3.0, 120 HD, BFG Geforce 6800GT OC/256, 2gig Dual DDR 400 (PC3200), WinXP-Home, SBLive, CD/DVD, Gigabyte 1000 Pro board w/FSB 800, AGP 8X, 2004 GT Edition, Intel 865PE chipset, DX-9.0c and cable ISP 3mb
update notes for those not in beta
*** Important Notice ***
As of this update, all testers need to be running DirectX 9.0C on their systems. If you don't have DirectX 9.0C on your machine, you can download and install it from Microsoft at www.microsoft.com/directX
*** Headlines ***
- Bigger, better heals for priests!
- Pets get new looks and abilities!
- Residents of the Qeynos villages get some new behaviors!
- NPCs get better at using arts and spells!
- Norrath goes factional!
- Treasure chests now less deadly!
- Tradeskill components faster to craft!
- Guilds now created via city registrars.
*** Quests ***
Heritage Quests
- Some updates have been applied to the Stein of Moggok quest.
- The Guise of the Deceiver effect should now reflect the player's gender.
Armor Quests
- All level 20 city armor quest rewards now need to be attuned.
- All armor quests have been re-leveled.
Quest Tuning
- Continued to make updates/modifications to the class/subclass quests.
- Rewards for many Collectible quests have been revised.
- Some quest rewards have been modified to be more in line with the difficulty of the quest.
- Irisor the Insane will no longer continuously respawn.
- Flavor text has been added to all Fixit quests.
- Updates have been made to the following quests:
An Axe for All Ages
Bark Like a Gnoll
Blank Pages
Calcified bone
Cellana's Locket
Collector's Paradise
Continued Complaint
Crossed Swords Access Quest
Deadeye
Deadly Report
Far Seas Requisition # DB0372
Far Seas Requisition # DB0436
Gnoll Miner
Goods Down Below
Great Flood
Gross Report
History of Troll, Part III
Inspect Bookstack
Ire Minions
Letter from the Boss
Little Pests
Moppet Master
Polished Steel Key
Prime Target
Sean Wellfayer
Sleek Wolf Hides
Some Nice Bear Hides
Stolen Bones
Strange Delivery
Tactical Reports
The Vermin's Plague
*** Zones ***
- Dynamic adventure camps have been added to the Commonlands, EnchantedLands, and Nektulos Forest
- City ecology behavior has been updated in the following zones:
Castleview Hamlet
Graystone Yard
Starcrest Commune
Zone Modifications:
Antonica
- The zone out from Blackburrow has been moved in order to prevent players from appearing on top of the tunnel mouth.
Chamber of Rulgax
- Treasure has been added to the zone.
Commonlands
- Additional solo content has been added to the zone.
- Spawn timers for Commander Grik'Sna, Commander Du'Nar, General Vhar'Taug, and Lieutenant Vrah'Kna have been updated.
- The size of scorpions in the dune area has been increased.
- Some changes have been made to the Bloodskull orc tower.
Cove of Decay
- Treasure has been added to the zone.
Deathfist Citadel
- Treasure has been added to the zone.
Deathfist Citadel: Onslaught
- Treasure has been added to the zone.
The Far Journey
- Chests will now display an option to "open" them.
The Feerrott
- Additional solo content has been added to the zone.
- The difficulty of some encounters within the zone has been modified.
- Treasure has been added to all named NPCs.
- Factions have been added to the zone.
- Players should now be able to zone into the Temple of Cazic-Thule.
Isle of Refuge
- "Repair supplies" can no longer be purchased.
- The Gruttooth Brutes will now use a one-handed mace, instead of a two-handed.
Nektropos Castle
- Treasure has been added to the zone.
Nektulos Forest
- Additional solo content has been added to the zone.
- Players who die during the Maid for the Mist voyage will now be able to speak to Captain Corrigan to restart their voyage.
- Captain Corrigan will now zone all group members who are on the appropriate quest (Maid for the Mist - Part II).
North Freeport
- Archivist Jindlefog should now spawn correctly.
- Blight Sage Destroz should now spawn correctly.
- Occultist Levonicus should now spawn correctly.
Obelisk of Vul
- Players should now be able to respawn within the zone.
- Additional population has been added into the zone.
- Additional wanderers have been added.
The Overlord's Throne Room
- Treasure has been added to the zone.
Rivervale
- Shakey should no longer appear as a pink box.
Ruins of Varsoon
- Wanders within the zone are now considered group content.
Runnyeye
- Goblins should no longer flee from combat.
Sanctum of Fear
- Treasure has been added to Fright, Dread, Terror, and Overlord Um Nix.
Temple of Cazic-Thule
- Some modifications have been made to Venekor event.
Tomb of Valor
- Respawn and evacuation points have been added to the zone.
Training Grounds
- Treasure has been added to the zone.
- Players can now purchase tickets to use the "Voyage by Sea" mariner's bells. Find the appropriate Harbormaster in Qeynos Harbor or East Freeport.
- City registrars have been added to Freeport and Qeynos. These registrars can be used to create guilds. In order to create a guild you'll need to bring a full group of unguilded citizens and 60 silver to the registrar in Qeynos Harbor or East Freeport.
- Fishing spots have been added to the Isle of Refuge, Commonlands, Sunken City, Freeport Ruins, laceName>Oakmyst Forestl, Qeynos Ruins, Caves, and the Peat Bog.
- The event on the Blackwater boat should now spawn for groups larger than two.
- Factions have been added to NPCs in the following zones: Antonica, Deathfist Citadel, Deathfist Citadel: Onslaught, Shattered Vale, Oakmyst Forest, the Peat Bog, Thundering Steppes, Enchanted Lands, the Caves, Blackburrow, Chamber of Rulgax, and the Overlord's Throne Room.
- Wanderers/patrollers have been modified in Firemyst Gully, Temple of Cazic-Thule, Sanctum of Fear, Witches' Cove, Stormhold, Tomb of Valor, and Crypt of Betrayal.
- NPCs should now use proper voiceover in Firemyst Gully, Maid for the Mist, Sunken City, Murkwater Nook, the Down Below, and Vermin's Snye.
*** Mechanics ***
Items
- A torch is now available for purchase from certain merchants.
- The price of arrows has decreased.
Spells
- Several Master I scrolls have been set to their correct tier.
- Regrowth: Master I can now be scribed correctly.
- Avatar: Adept III has been upgraded.
- Winds of Renewal: Master I should now scribe correctly.
- Ward of Spirit: Master I can now be scribed correctly.
- Bard Song spells no longer appear to be usable by all classes.
- Nettleshield can now be scribed correctly.
- The tooltip for Wailing Haze has been corrected.
UI - Knowledge Book changes
- Removed Version (Apprentice II, etc.) designations from abilities/spells that do not upgrade
-- This affects Harvest skills, Teleport Home abilities, Sprint, and Racial abilities (Infravision, etc.)
-- This affects Mage: See Invisibility, Group See Invisibility, Magi's Shielding
-- This affects Priest: Revive, Resuscitate, Resurrection, Blazon Life, Cure Noxious, Cure Trauma, Cure Elemental, Cure Arcane
Magic/Combat Arts Systems - NPC Behavior
- NPCs should be more energetic in regard to casting spells and using combat arts.
-- NPCs should have no significant delay using one ability after another, other than standard timers such as re-use and recovery.
-- NPCs now select spells and combat arts from all of their professions, not just Archetype and Class.
-- Overall impact: NPCs should be much deadlier opponents in regard to spellcasting and combat art usage.
Magic System - Profession Changes
- All Healing spells received a significant increase (~40%) in their amount healed
- All Healing spells had an increase (~20%) in their Power cost
- Ward spells now scale similarly to other Healing spells in regard to version. (Apprentice II, etc.)
- Wards were not appropriately scaling with the recent version potency changes in Healing
- Net result: Wards protect for significantly more damage
Pets
- Pets received a revamp in appearance, potency, and additional abilities
- Pet appearances should now change based on both version upgrade and level upgrade. (e.g. The Tier 1 Tellurian recruit does not look the same as the Tier 1 Tellurian Soldier)
- Pets should be noticeably improved even at lower tiers
- Caster pets (Grims and Igneii) should be much more useful, both to the group/caster and in terms of potency
- Fire-and-Forget pets (like the Construct of Logic) and Swarm pets (like the Swarm of Rats) have been slightly decreased in Health, and slightly decreased in damage output.
Traps and Encounters
- Greatly reduced the chances of a small chest being trapped.
- Slightly reduced the chances of a medium chest being trapped.
- Increased the difficulty of group encounters to make them more challenging.
Combat Arts
- Increased the damage of NPC area-of-effect combat arts.
- Beg for Mercy: Master III's hate reduction has been increased.
- Cuss: Master III will now generate more hate.
- Sap will no longer behave identically to Black Jack.
- Evade will now lower more hate at higher levels.
Tradeskills
- Several new alchemy components and recipes have been added in game.
- Decreased the amount of time it takes to complete the following recipe types:
- Refined Components
- Cost Interim Components
- Primary Interim Components
- Basically, this makes everything but Final Products faster to create.
*** Stability and Performance ***
- More optimizations to improve server performance.
- Further server stability fixes.
- Client memory usage reduced.
- Client rendering performance increased.
*** Characters, Appearances, and Rendering ***
- Fixed bug where certain wearable items would be lit by the sun when in an indoor room.
- Fixed bug causing hair to not cast shadows.
*** Controls, Commands, and UI ***
- Options: 'High Quality' default setting now uses High quality textures.
- Options: 'High Performance' default setting now uses Medium quality textures.
- Options: Additional tooltip information for 'Texture Resolution' and Character Texture Resolution' options.
- Options: Added 'Only Hear Voiceover Once', 'Enable Pitch Shifting' and 'Maximum Footstep Distance' options to Audio section.
- Tradeskill UI: You can now close the tradeskill window while in creation mode.
*** Gameplay ***
- 'Friends' can now sell from your house. The number of sellers allowed per house is limited by house size.
- Your Store should now close correctly when camping, quitting, dead, zoning, teleporting, going linkdead, etc.
- Pet's pathing should be more responsive.
- You should no longer get moved to the top of the door when a door closes on you.
- Targeting arrows should now always display above NPCs.
- You should no longer take falling damage while jumping on teleporters.
*** Known Issues ***
- Still working on improving server performance.
*** Art ***
Characters
Fixed alignment bugs on many armor sets.
Fixed issue with female Ogre, Halfling, and Dwarf skin tints not displaying correctly.
Fixed weighting issues on several types of gloves.
FX
Optimized combat arts
Optimized spell projectiles
Optimized many environmental effects
Zones
Fixed stuck/collision issues in the following zones:
- Fallen Gate
- Antonica
- Stormhold
- Freeport Graveyard
- East Freeport
- West Freeport
- Wailing Caves
- Orcish Wastes
- Commonlands
- Beggar's Court
- The Feerrott
- Thundering Steppes
- The Peat Bog
- Qeynos Harbor
- The Down Below
- Runnyeye Citadel
- Stormhold
- Graystone Yard
- Nektulos Forest
*** Audio ***
Sound
Assigned correct footstep sounds to many surfaces.
Added music to zones that were missing it.
Voiceover
Fixed voiceover text bugs on the following characters:
- Mender Brera Pinthumb
- Gretta Steinberg
- Velena Weezlecog
- Zlata
- Master Rysian Gladewalker
- Master Eldin Necrosis
- Delacar Mithanson
- Bartender Julia Florens
- Cornail Stormwrath
- Ashilda Machinry
- Missionary G'Zul
- Dasicar T'Lys
============================
Moorgard
EQII Community Guy
I logged back on tonight and I am pleased to see I have already started to see MANY of the promises they just released to ocme true.
So, who knows..all of this will be ready for release
People who have to create conspiracy and hate threads to further a cause lacks in intellectual comprehension of diversity.