New Expansion is Announced

The suspense is over. Here is the press release I just received from SOE regarding the new expansion:
The Planes of Power
The launch of EverQuest® in March 1999 changed the world of massively multiplayer online gaming forever. Since then we have brought you a new playable race of lizard men called the Iksar in EverQuest: The Ruins of Kunark™, ancient enemies and new adventures on the frozen continent of Velious in EverQuest: The Scars of Velious™, and a completely graphically overhauled world, the enchanting moonscape of Luclin, mounts, and a new playable race of noble cat people, the Vah Shir, in EverQuest: The Shadows of Luclin™. Now players will soon be able to access the most powerful deities in all of Norrath. We are pleased to announce the next installment in the best-selling, critically acclaimed EverQuest series, EverQuest: The Planes of Power™. An arcing storyline takes players on an epic adventure through the Planes of Power, home of the Gods of Norrath. Veteran players will face new challenges in each of the 18 newly discovered planes. Players of all levels will benefit from the Plane of Knowledge that hosts scores of new quests and opens portals to Norrath making travel easier than ever. Hundreds of new items, quests and encounters will keep even the most revered players challenged and enthralled. Battle the minions of Rallos Zek in the Plane of War; help Karana regain control of the Plane of Storms; overcome vile pestilence in the Plane of Disease! You're in their worlds now! EverQuest: The Planes of Power Features List:
  • 18 new planar zones that push your teamwork abilities to the limit
  • Hundreds of new items and monsters
  • Exciting new quests and challenges await even the most experienced players
  • Two planar cities that provide a hub for travel and player interaction
  • A central storyline links the content from every zone into one compelling quest.
  • Further character progression making players even more powerful
  • Included with the press release were two screen shots:
  • POP Number 1
  • POP Number 2
  • Also, the official website for the expansion is now live. To get to it, go to http://everquest.station.sony.com/power/

    Comments

    Post Comment
    Expansion
    # Mar 25 2002 at 6:11 PM Rating: Default
    I don't really think that VI is faoviring the level 55+ characters like a lot of the people who posted seem to think. There ARE tons of places for lower levels to fight.. and not enough high level places. And there are more level 60 characters out there than you would think.. you don't stay level 30 forever.. but once you hit 60 the only thing you have left to do is to get AA points. The number of level 60's in the game is growing fast, and the very few zones that there are for em are getting crowded fast... So I'm all for this expansion.

    51 Crusader of Greenmist
    Down with CT!
    Expansion
    # Mar 25 2002 at 6:11 PM Rating: Default
    I don't really think that VI is faoviring the level 55+ characters like a lot of the people who posted seem to think. There ARE tons of places for lower levels to fight.. and not enough high level places. And there are more level 60 characters out there than you would think.. you don't stay level 30 forever.. but once you hit 60 the only thing you have left to do is to get AA points. The number of level 60's in the game is growing fast, and the very few zones that there are for em are getting crowded fast... So I'm all for this expansion.

    51 Crusader of Greenmist
    Down with CT!
    Liking the Idea
    # Mar 25 2002 at 5:20 PM Rating: Default
    I must Say after Reading Through all the Stupid People Posts and The Ones That People Put in Their Info For this Thread I Like the Idea of The PoP.
    I like the Idea that There will "hopefully" Be Less Fighting over Spawns and What Not For Raids. And The Idea of Going up to Meet and Maybe Greet the Gods....Fasinating. heh....But I do Agree With one Post I read...I hope they Don't make all the Stuff that drops in these's Zones are Not For the Followers of The specific Deity Out there...Yes I was Stupid On My First Character and Went Agnostic But Hey...There isn't any turning around Unless they Decide to Put Something In here where I can Claim A God As my Own...Hrmmm....Something to Think about at least )

    Tinian Arklane
    53 wizardress
    Terris Thule Server
    last gm event
    # Mar 25 2002 at 4:37 PM Rating: Default
    so that last gm event when there were no real evens and no gm's were on, im gonna be led to think they were all playing this on the test server.
    oook
    # Mar 25 2002 at 3:49 PM Rating: Default
    This conversation is degenerated from the topic here. The idea of a whole expansion focused on high lvl players is a great one. There is so much lvl 1-55 content in everquest that it's almost sad. This should really give people a chance to go put all these hard-earned AA points to the test. I just hope it is not just a bunch of silly ring type encounters. ToV is a joke...and ssra is poorly designed with mobs getting complete heals from their friends on different floors. Planes...big challenging planes with new types of difficult characteristics is just what the high end powergamers need.

    To all of those who are not in a strong guild and see the expansion as a waste to you: It is important to note that with the right stragegies and overall game plan that improving a guild really isn't that difficult. Start on dwarf faction...get suits of thurg armor...move to skyshrine...get suits of SS armor...etc etc. Make sure your rogues have epics...make sure you clerics have epics. Take it one step at a time and any guild can get to the high end game.

    Basically some will benefit from PoP more than others at first...but in time anyone can get there and experience it. This isn't a radical new expansion with massive game engine changes like SoL. This will just be new zones that should eliminate spawn conflicts and nights where temple of veeshan has 250 players. If you play EQ long enough you too will eventually seen what a huge help it will be. My two main characters are level 60 and are both itching for something new to fight. Personally, I can't wait =).
    *giggles*
    # Mar 25 2002 at 3:35 PM Rating: Default
    Well...

    VI adapt to the mass majority of players and theirs wishes...

    Players levels 1-55 are not excluded, but they already have many many many place to hunt...

    All those 60ish fighting for 1 or 2 place, well it will widen the options...this is all.

    VI is only trying to see what the players want :)
    More end game, less game
    # Mar 25 2002 at 2:23 PM Rating: Good
    I'm dissapointed that Verant has chosen to focus so much on the end game to the detriment of levels 1-55.

    PoP appears to be aimed at level 60 characters and so-called uberguilds. Perhaps most palyers fit this description, i dont know. I do know that for the rest of us with main characters around level 54, in small family guilds or **gasp** UNGUILDED are getting more and more left out of verants' efforts with this game. This is part of the reason alot of us are leaving, and you see more and more 49-55 accounts for sale.

    Its also kind of sad since the game is so damn good until around level 55 when getting any sort or decent xp starts to require only certain types of groups, ie war, cleric, chanter, rogue, etc. and getting good loot requires uberguilding, with 30 melees beating on a mob that hits for 500, with clerics combat rezzing, necros reduced to being twitch ******** mages reduced to mod rodding, basically long BORING fights. - So THIS is what verant thinks is SO entertaining to pple that they devote a whole expansion to it?

    18 zones of long, boring, class-distorting Uberguild fights?

    they should rename it Planes of Suckinguberguilds
    #Anonymous, Posted: Mar 25 2002 at 1:31 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) i have read both sides of the arguement for porting and i have come to 2 conclusions:
    for donations?
    # Mar 25 2002 at 7:35 AM Rating: Decent
    Well here is an interesting thought....take a minute to think about this one....What does "for donations" mean to you?

    Well, as a 53 enc, and clarity in such high demand...this is what i expect for donations...anything you can spare...as a roleplayer or even just a casual player....be happy that you get anything!!! think about it there are at least 30 more people just like you with the same abilities and in the same proximity, that can perform the same duty... remember the life and times we live in...you are out hunting..your food and water run short..what better way to replenish supply, than to turn to the one gift you can give the fellow traveler....sure platinum is healthy for the wallet...but it does you no good if you are dying of thirst and hunger...ease of travel is a luxury given to 2 classes, not just one...there is a boat to everywhere, just takes time(a concept lost in the microwave genereation) and a wizard that more often than not, with a less than equal trade will be happy to TL or drop ya somewhere.

    So with that said, i hope you can see that money isnt everything in this world we live/play in....and help a lower Norrathian out...dont charge out tha wazzooo for a sow or port..let them sometimes pay with food and water or run a tab....who knows you may just gain a powerful ally someday....Bad news travels faster than good....but in the end that good deed will always come back to you 3x what you gave.

    Edited, Mon Mar 25 07:37:21 2002
    druids
    # Mar 25 2002 at 2:13 AM Rating: Default
    I dont mind paying for a port, and if i get a no reply, thats fine. What makes me mad is the 50 lv 29 halfling druids that sit in WC /ooc porting for donations pst! You send them a tell offering 50pp, and they say is that it?

    Playability
    # Mar 24 2002 at 11:02 PM Rating: Default
    Not everyone plays all the time, or chases levels and items. My wife and I have played 3 years and still languish in our mid 40s ( like in real life!). We love to play when can free the time from busy work schedules, and love to keep in touch with in game friends.

    We have explored less than 70% of zones, and have Alts to explore some we missed at ler levels when rushing through for experience. What we would like is bit more 'playuabilit', some mission based experience or experience from making things and going up levels. It would be nice if uber items didnt kill off the trades - it would be nicer still if Verant delivered on promises like the Bazaar!

    Verant could given the player density per server "sell' merchants NPC to Guilds for use, and maybe sell houses or halls or even taverns to be renamed by Guilds.

    I hope too that chat channel changes might support Guilds entering alliances - it would be nice to have minor guilds be members of larger guild groupings?

    just a few ravings of a non power gamer.
    plz
    # Mar 24 2002 at 8:16 PM Rating: Default
    if the up the req im gonna get really apre **** pissed. wtf just make gameplay better graphics are great now good enuf
    I don't know..
    # Mar 24 2002 at 7:40 PM Rating: Good
    I don't know how long this will last, but VI has already stated that they are not raising the needed system requirements for P.O.P.
    Gripe all you want, but they HAVE lowered the requirements for Luclin since it came out.(Keeping in mind it somewhat limits the advances that Luclin gave)
    I for one am not going to go crazy wondering if they are or are not going to raise the requirements for P.O.P. It won't be released until Christmas time this year.
    Worry then.
    As for people complaining about druids and their porting/not porting, charging/not charging... relax. don't get your knickers in a knot if someone doesn't want to port you or wants to charge you for a port. They pay the same amount a month you do.
    druids porting
    # Mar 24 2002 at 4:55 PM Rating: Decent
    WHY should any any class stop what they are doing to give FREE services? i am a 30 lev shammie if you want sow ask nice~~may i please have a sow when you have time~~not gimmie SoW plz.
    RE: druids porting
    # Mar 25 2002 at 6:32 PM Rating: Default
    I know how you feel buddy, its just as bad for shaman as it is for druids. When i go to Gfay, QH or any other newbie zones i feel like i have to run because of the mass amounts of tells for buffs, so etc. DO I mind buffing? no. What really gets to me is when i get a guy that comes up to me and says " sow plz" and goes afk right then and sits there, then later walks away with not even recognizing i just buffed him. So please, the only reason casters will ever refuse to do anything or charge you for it, understand please. And be a little more polite.

    Bertoxxulous Server

    Galiden lvl 48 shaman
    Torkild lvl 48 rogue
    Danelorn lvl 23 Shadowknight
    RE: druids porting
    # Mar 25 2002 at 11:24 AM Rating: Default
    Ditto. I am a half elf druid and I'll tell you the easiest way to get a port or buff from me is to ask in the way of chivalry or offer an exchange of spells. My existence is not to port you where and when you want to go somewhere. Try asking politely and you may get what you need at the time. I have ported people for free and I do SoW people for free as well but only when I can and have time and mana for it.

    Half Elf Druid of Tunare
    RE: druids porting
    # Mar 25 2002 at 10:38 AM Rating: Decent
    Agreed! Just be nice, I am always happy to sow but I usually just ignore the rude idiots...like when a level 28 paladin a few days back asked me what class I am when I was not anon and in bearform...gee, I wonder...LOL!! (Ok, so that story was a bit offtopic, but it still makes me laugh)
    Another Thing
    # Mar 24 2002 at 3:51 PM Rating: Default
    I read down a bit about druid's verses porting... now some of the things said was a huge put down to druids on the porting issue... such as greedy driuds and so on... time and time again I see that message in a zone but people forget that wizards can port as well... why don't I ever see "Greedy Wizards?" My druid ports people more often than not for free if I am not busy doing something... and yes it is nice to be having fun in a group instead of just sitting around porting people my whole time being on. I choose the druid to play for the fun of her not for the porting issue... although that is a plus... but when I get a tell if I can port someone and I say I am in a group, sorry... then they send a tell back saying "Well I am donating <put dollar sign here> I have to say it is not the money issue... it is the fact I am in a group... then I get a tell "You druid's are all alike" That is hurtful. Just because I play a druid doesn't mean I have to drop everything, quit leveling, to port someone.... I mean let's give everyone a bit of respect here... all classes have thier specialty but people need to respect every class and everyone playing the game.

    Frenzywolf Snowstalker
    52 Wanderer of Tunare
    Bertoxxulous
    RE: Another Thing
    # Mar 25 2002 at 2:50 PM Rating: Good
    **
    374 posts
    Well, I flamed the druid below because he was whining about Verant trying to ***** the "poor" druids. Now that I think of it, wiz's ARE really greedy. Most druids will port me for free if I just ask nicely. But I have NEVER been ported by a wiz without having to pay a donation. Some wiz in Gfay agreed to port me WC; didn't say a word about donations. When I met him and grouped he said "25pp donation please". I was on a CR, so I told him sorry I don't have any cash, and he kicked me out of the group and told me to get some! So I replied no thanks I'll get a nice druid instead. So thanks to you druids out there that DON'T whine about not getting donations. You're the exact kind of players I WILL give donations to.
    RE: Another Thing
    # Mar 31 2002 at 2:08 PM Rating: Default
    One sad thing about that is the way they say it: "DONATION". i.e.: "25pp DONATION please..." Doesn't that sound stupid? it should be: "25pp surcharge please. Not including the mana regen I have to do. 1pp per second I have to Fing sit down and friggin wait!!" This is so stupid, I can understand making a donation, and saying like some do: porting for free, donations accepted to those who have the money. And the people that make a living by porting and getting tips. Thsoe are the people that I remember and help them out whenever I can. Not the butt monkey retards that demand payment for porting. Once again, unless they have really bad loading time like my friend, but really.

    Sorry for the flame, but that is how I see it, make money off of nice people that have money, but don't demand payment from people on CRs, or are too poor to pay you.
    Grrr So Typical of Verant
    # Mar 24 2002 at 3:26 PM Rating: Default
    GRRRR.... well now... isn't this wonderful? Another expansion and Verant still hasn't fix all the problems since Kunark.. then Velious comes along... more problems compounding the problems with Kunark... ok maybe they will fix all the problem... nope... in comes Luclin where they make sure alot of ppl have to spend more money on comp equipment just to run the game that they spend money on to play.... NOWWWWWW... another expansion?? How lovely... ok ppl get saving because the way Verant is going with all the "expansions" we will have to own Cray Super Computers to run the game... and of course we will still have Patches, and patches to fix the patches and more patches to fix the patches... and after they patch the patches there is still more to patch... so I am beginning to call Everquest, Everpatch or better yet Evercostingthe consumer. Don't get me wrong... I love the game... just wish they would fix stuff and get the game running smoothly first before they add additional zones and expansions and not make the game difficult to play for the average player on the average computer.

    Frenzywolf Snowstalker
    52 Wanderer of Tunare
    Bertoxxulous
    RE: Grrr So Typical of Verant
    # Mar 25 2002 at 12:22 PM Rating: Decent
    GRRRR... so typical of the general population to just arbitrarily blame someone else for their problems. I really don't get all the problems some people have with running EQ. I've been playing for over 3 yrs, on the same PC the whole time. It's a pentium II 400mhz with a 10g hard drive. not exactly a super computer. Had 128mb ram originally, added a 256k card when SoL came out, so total is now 384mb - more than required, less than recommended. Got my recommended 10 new models turned on, clip is high, blah blah blah. Basically I probably run EQ with almost the crappiest machine that can support it, and I have no problems. If you're having so much trouble with it that you're wasting your day pissing and moaning, then my theory is that it's user error. Uninstall your old drivers before you download new ones. Put the drivers on in the order they recommend. don't have background apps running. they also recommend disabling anti-virus software, though I don't do that. But check the mirror before you start crying that everything is someone else's fault. (oh yeah, 2 more things: 1) check for Yajaria on Rodcet Nife if you need a port somewhere anytime; and 2) Knights of Eternal Chaos on RN are a buncha rectums!!!!!
    RE: Grrr So Typical of Verant
    # Mar 25 2002 at 7:04 PM Rating: Default
    U lose again... I had a pentium II 200mhz....
    with 64mb ram and an ATI LT Rage pro AGP...
    after my little six month break i log only to find the requirements raised... so i buy more ram like they "require" only to find out that the gfx are completely compressed in-game, so even with my 192mb ram i STILL cant see jack... then I have to buy a new gfx card and begin playing smack into a blinking screen on inv... talk about slow to fix...
    RE: Grrr So Typical of Verant
    # Mar 26 2002 at 5:52 PM Rating: Decent
    blah try the rock in my corner, windows 3.1 ram? not sure ram was around back then and flopy drive thats it =p
    RE: Grrr So Typical of Verant
    # Mar 25 2002 at 1:40 PM Rating: Decent
    Nope I think I have the crappiest computer running EQ. Pentium II 350Mhz 256MB and an 8gb hard drive. I only have trouble with Luclin zones running a bit crappy.
    RE: Grrr So Typical of Verant
    # Mar 25 2002 at 4:25 PM Rating: Default
    lol. well, I did say almost... :P
    bahh dog lovers...
    # Mar 24 2002 at 2:12 PM Rating: Default
    wolf form wolf form wolf form.. the shamans get bear form.. chaters get illusions... now its werewolves... there are still places in the old world not open... cough umkeptwoods cough.. now me id like to see druids get the charm line redone. better pet controls. the pet classes brake down later and they had to give CoH to mages and summon corps to necros.. but still the high game necro job< litch get regen give mana > is not with in the orgiginal feel of the class.. mind you i know i know necros got nerfed.. GOOD a 29th necro soloing a 35+ griffin was way to much. but i see the need to grow again.. VI orgiginal plan was to make RoK and that was it.. the players spoke and VI listened we saw SoV again we spoke VI has given up SoL.. personly i like that cats my warr is a blast to play.. keep it comeing.. but kick the team incharge of fleshing out the old world !! SB and WAR was not enough!..

    Paden Faine
    Cleric 50
    Sol ro
    you can ban me but i still live and grow
    RE: bahh dog lovers...
    # Mar 25 2002 at 1:52 PM Rating: Default
    *cough*paineel*cough*the hole*cough*
    #Anonymous, Posted: Mar 24 2002 at 1:18 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) Taco's smell funny
    Binding
    # Mar 24 2002 at 8:24 AM Rating: Default
    Hey all you who keeping asking about the binding issue, there are the soulbinders now so you can just use them.
    A passing thought
    # Mar 24 2002 at 4:10 AM Rating: Decent
    I had a passing thought at work about Everquest and expansions. Then I read the entry about from Noxoh about alternateing between expansions for new races. Anyway, here is the passing though. They have expanded the planet, gone to the moon and are now opening up the planes... There leaves an option open for the next expansion... To take Everquest under the seas. Can you imagine an entire expansion underwater? Dome citys, under ground grottos and who know what else. As for the race, I'm sure some sort of fish headed being would be in line.

    Now, mind you, I have no idea what they are acutaly cooking up over there and am realy kind of new to EQ, but it was a funny Passing thought I had.

    Best of luck to all and merry part.
    Level Increase
    # Mar 24 2002 at 12:06 AM Rating: Decent
    One of the members of my guild made a great poit on our board today so I thought I would post it to see if you folks agree....

    "From what I've heard the Alternative advancements will be expanded. Im pretty sure there will never be a level cap increase. Doing so would trivialize certain encounters that right now cannot become totally trivial. While many fights are considered "easy" or "routine" by many people and guilds, they still require multi-group raid forces. This is because no matter how well you know the fight, there is no way to take down the level 65 mob without sufficient force. Making a level limit of say 70, would let people become more powerful than current high end encounters. The high end soloers, such as shamen and necros would be able to kill boss mobs alone. I realize that some WW dragons are already soloable, but consider what would happen if a necro could solo the Queen of Chardok. With the reliable, predictable 2hr respawn on the royals, an individual could spend 4-6 hours in Chardok and kill all the royals... heh and then sell MQ rights to the epic pieces.
    Id guess that VI has thought about all this, and has ruled out increasing the level limit again. Remember when they did this before there were two main terran epic encounters, Vox and Nagafan. Now those guys are level limited and the planar bosses have been upgraded (immensely). With all the high level mobs that have been added since Kunark it would be ridiculous to start limiting encounters. The alternative advancement skills seem like a pretty cool solution, and creating encounters that require the archetypal and class skills is the same as creating mobs that require high level.
    Just my guess though. " Quoting Ejkas

    I tend to agree with my guildmates reasoning =)

    RE: Level Increase
    # Mar 25 2002 at 1:55 PM Rating: Default
    um, that would all mean something had verant not already upped the level limit in the past, when RoK came out, they just buffed the planes and gave the old uber mobs the ability to gate people of too high a level out away from them.
    RE: Level Increase
    # Mar 25 2002 at 10:44 AM Rating: Decent
    You are making the assumption that VI would not ALSO increase the high end mobs' level to match level 70 characters.

    A big assumption to make.

    However....I really dont see the level cap going away anyhow.

    Edited, Mon Mar 25 10:42:14 2002
    calm down
    # Mar 23 2002 at 10:53 PM Rating: Default
    some of you guys need to chill some guy wants to be a werewolf or talk about porting or give an opinion, and you guys jump all over them like starving wolves. Druids are cool, and so is everyone else


    this is a game right? maybe i missed something
    RE: calm down
    # Mar 24 2002 at 6:04 PM Rating: Default
    wait what? a game? dammit i didnt get the memo again
    PoP
    # Mar 23 2002 at 10:47 PM Rating: Decent
    Any one know when you can Pre order Plane of Power?
    RE: PoP
    # Mar 24 2002 at 5:46 AM Rating: Default
    You can preorder it right now at Gamestop.com, it's release date looks to be somewhere in mid October.
    new patch
    # Mar 23 2002 at 4:39 PM Rating: Default
    This explains the reason behind the new patch... That being the reason to eliminate the hell levels up to 50... probably just for this expansion so they could have enough level 60's to do some damage and survive here...
    RE: new patch (youre wrong)
    # Mar 23 2002 at 6:01 PM Rating: Good
    they previous patch didnt eliminate any experience needed to get to 50, it just evened it out so it isnt concentrated in one place (like lvl 45)
    High Level Fighting
    # Mar 23 2002 at 12:16 PM Rating: Default
    These Verant folks need to watch some more sci-fi, fantasy movies. The thing is, one of the dudes (characters) has to have this one sword or a special power he was born with or something to defeat this big enemy guy. So here's my idea - monsters that can only be hurt/killed by like certain special named weapons or you'd have to wear a certain armour or get killed like right away. Or they could have it so certain race/class/diety combinations would have to kill it. This, I think, would be very fun. Imagine a bunch of Enchanters whooping Vulakk(sp?) with special staffs or certain spells. Since with all these new planes they'll have tons of new high-level mobs, they could do this and have it so everybody would still be able to kill special mobs even freaks like gnome clerics 8). These mobs would be involved in quests that would start with you getting a special weapon to kill em with (maybe no rent so people can't just take it) and when you finish it, you keep the sword and get a ******** of xp. Another cool idea is group quests so that whoever helped kill the mob or somethin would get a secondary reward too, like Chewbacca in A New Hope. As for mid and low levels, I agree with others that said there is plenty of that in the game so far. I would like to see some more bugs worked out *cough*whiteogres*cough* but other than that I have to admit its a pretty cool game, I can't wait to get Plane of Power!!!

    Soontar Cerulien lvl 36 WE Ranger - 27days playing time and counting....(I waste so much time dying...)
    PEACE BRUTHAS (and sistas)!!!
    RE: High Level Fighting
    # Mar 25 2002 at 2:16 PM Rating: Default
    erm 16 days playing time to get 46 (before they took the Hell Levels out), geeee and mastered so many of them trade skills too, no PL'ing, no twinking, all the boring epic drops done (woot time for the plane drops), heh don't even belong to a guild yet, and the only person i know in EQ, is a lvl 30 druid (which can't help me much). huh by the time i get to 27 days played i'll be what? 52? 53? 60? just hope i get them 3 planar drops by that time so i can have my epic (looks like i am LFG-Looking For Guild).
    Post Comment

    Free account required to post

    You must log in or create an account to post messages.