EverQuest Online Adventures

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EverQuest Online Adventures (EQOA) is a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for the PlayStation 2. EQOA is one of the few MMORPGs released on a video game console. It is part of the EverQuest franchise that is well established on the PC.

Popularity

Like other commercial MMORPGs, EQOA charges a monthly fee (currently $14.99) in addition to purchasing the game software. SOE had predicted 100,000 subscribers by March 2003, but they later reported having only 40,000 to 50,000 subscriptions. While the game's subscription numbers do not compare to Final Fantasy XI (another fantasy MMORPG available on the PS2), SOE has pledged that it will continue with updates and support as long as it is profitable. Although this statement still proves true, the majority of retailers that previously supply the pre-paid game cards (used in place of a credit card for those who cannot or do not wish to use one) have stopped stocking them, making them only available online; a great inconvienence for many.

Setting and gameplay

EverQuest Online Adventures is set in Norrath 500 years prior to the original EQ in the "Age of Adventure". The world features many places familiar to fans of the original and most of the differences were explained in the lore of EverQuest.

The gameplay is similar to EverQuest in its focus on character development, player versus environment combat, quests, exploration, grouping, and socializing.

There are fifteen playable classes, and eleven races.

Classes include Cleric, Druid, Shaman, Enchanter, Wizard, Alchemist, Necromancer, Magician, Bard, Ranger, Rogue, Monk, Paladin, Shadowknight, and Warrior.

Races consist of Dwarves, Elves, Dark Elves, Human (Eastern and Western), Gnome, Troll, Ogre, Barbarian, Erudite, and Halfling.

Development

EQOA was developed and published by Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and first released on February 11, 2003. A second edition, EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers, was launched later that year and replaced the original.

EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers, was launched on November 17, 2003. Frontiers added another playable race, the Ogre, and character class Alchemist, as well as many quests and items. The level cap was raised from 50 to 60. Also added was the continent of Odus and a newly-opened territory of Tunaria known as Rathe Mountains, as well as high-level raid-specific zones in other locations including Plane of Sky, Lavastorm Mountains, and a subset of the Plane of Disease known as Last Home. Certain portions of Tunaria itself that existed previous to the release of EQOA: Frontiers were also revamped for higher-level players given the increase in the level cap. Frontiers also added an alternate form of advancement by allowing players to dedicate a percentage of the experience points they received to obtaining Class Masteries (CMs). These CMs allow players to increase their power and gain new abilities. They also can purchase Master Classes with (CMs), further strengthening themselves in their area of combat.

In August 2004, Sony Online Entertainment introduced a new series of quests for players of various levels between 30 and 60 to partake in the ability to transform into lycanthropes (having a choice of becoming a werewolf, wererat, werelion, werebear, or weregator), or a lycanthrope hunter. In February 2005, the game was updated to allow players to redesign their character through Training Point and Class Mastery reallocation by Rehibilitator Anja in Muniel's Tea Garden. Items, such as the Rose of Renewal, can grant an additional reallocation. Since that time, many new quests and functionalities (including a new toolbar for switching out weapons) have been added. Most recently (July 2005), characters that have attained level 60 may complete new epic quests that will result in them obtaining high level weapons and new powerful abilities.

Game developers have brought class-balancing to live servers in April 2006. These changes were tested on the test server "Hagley", offering players the chance to help with the decisions of making the game "balanced". All players were reoffered a chance to be rehibilitated with training points and class mastery points to perfect their characters due to the several hundred changes in which class-balancing brought about.

"The Luck" quest, also was to allow those who may have lost CM's in the class-balancing process to have, after completion of the quest, three charges of a group buff increasing experience (XP) gained for the following forty-eight hours online. This buff is lost, like all others following death.

External links

• [SOE's official EQOA site]
• [Official EQOA Community Forums]
• [Allakhazam's EQOA Fan Site]
• [Caster's Realm EQOA Fan Site]
• [Hodstock.com EQOA Fan Site]
• [Ofthegods.com EQOA Site]
• [Singz EQOA Site]

 

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