Filed under: The Tattered Notebook

The Tattered Notebook: Mask of the betrayer

by Jef Reahard Jul 26th 2010 at 1:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

You know, there's something decidedly ironic about playing a rat in an MMORPG, particularly in a themepark grinder like EverQuest II (and before anyone burns me at the stake, it's a good themepark grinder, I'm positively in love with it). The parallels are almost too perfect. Rats chase cheese and players chase digital carrots, running around a pre-defined maze with numerous boundaries, roadblocks, and invisible walls just like your average lab rodent. Luckily EQII camouflages these minor irritations better than most games, even on fairly grinderific content like the city betrayal quest series.

Yes, I've returned to playing my ratonga after a week of cheating on him with a shiny new shadowknight, and I've finally managed to move his furry little butt away from the abusive stylings of Freeport to a comfy little four-room rat hole off the side streets of South Qeynos.

Turn the page for more on his journey and thumb through his gallery below.

Gallery: EQII Ratonga Betrayal

The Tattered Notebook: Through the Darklight

by Jef Reahard Jul 19th 2010 at 1:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, The Tattered Notebook, Guides

Welcome, wandering adventurers, to another chapter of The Tattered Notebook. This week, we'll take a crack at our first guide for Sony Online Entertainment's EverQuest II. Actually guide is probably a strong term; this will be more along the lines of a chronicle, since we'll examine the path I traveled through one of the game's many starting zones and offer a bit of commentary along the way.

Why the change in direction, you may be wondering, and whatever happened to my exiled ratonga wizard? Well, I've spent the last couple of weeks betraying him and have hit something of a roadblock, both on his betrayal quest and with regard to his leveling pace. Consequently, I figured, what better time to roll up what is likely to be the first of many alts and take a small break from my main? Character attention spans have never been my strong point, I'm afraid. Never fear, though; more ratty adventures are in the offing. For now, your captain (and mine) as we navigate the treacherous terrain of newbville is a dark elf shadowknight. Not the most original combination, I'll grant you, but he sure looks cool.

Without further ado, turn the page and let us dive deep into the Darklight Wood.

The Tattered Notebook: Worth your time?

by Jef Reahard Jul 12th 2010 at 12:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, PvE, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

"EverQuest II, that's the crappy Sony game with five-year old graphics and a bunch of RMT isn't it," said a friend of mine as we ran around the chilly slopes of Dun Morogh in Azeroth a few weeks back. Even though he phrased it in the form of a question, his delivery implied a mind already made up. Such is EQII's reputation among a decent chunk of the MMORPG-playing population it seems.

Since taking over the Tattered Notebook, I've been asked more than a few times what it is about EverQuest II that makes it worth playing, aside from the Massively paycheck of course. From friends and family, to commenters, to colleagues, it seems many people are curious about SOE's long-running fantasy flagship, but relatively few take the time to learn more about it in order to make an informed go/no-go decision.

Regrettably, I'm a somewhat slow leveler, due to the fact that I've got a lot of demands on my time and I enjoy running around willy-nilly exploring the nooks and crannies of Norrath. So, I won't be level 90 with 250 AAs, raiding, or able to tell you about endgame any time soon. That said, is it worth playing through the early 30s?

Indeed it is. Turn the page for some reasons why.

The Tattered Notebook: What's a sandbox guy like you doing in a themepark game like this?

by Jef Reahard Jul 5th 2010 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

You'll have to forgive my enthusiasm this week, as there's just no way to be completely objective about the fact that I'm having a blast in EverQuest II. That said, this is an opinion column, so objectivity isn't exactly a requirement, but I do normally like to highlight the good and the bad whether it be Norrath, Hyboria, Atreia, or wherever else my wandering MMO eye casts its withering gaze. For the first time in a long time though, I'm thoroughly enjoying my MMORPGs.

I know right? Who'd have thunk that you could have fun playing games?

More to the point, and because I like to repeat lengthy, borderline run-on column titles, what's a sandbox guy like me doing in a themepark game like this?

Sneak past the cut to find out.

The Tattered Notebook: A loremaster's dream

by Jef Reahard Jun 29th 2010 at 1:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Lore, PvE, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

I have a confession to make. Well now that I think on it, I have two confessions to make. One, I'm your new EverQuest II columnist. Two, I never played the original EverQuest. If those two facts haven't turned you off already, congratulations, you might just make it through the rest of this week's Tattered Notebook, and hopefully future editions as well. Now before you go summoning your fellow villagers and rounding up all the torches and pitchforks in your neck of the Darklight Wood, allow me to elaborate on the EQ virgin bit.

I have in fact logged into Sony Online Entertainment's EverQuest on multiple occasions over the years, both on full paid accounts and various trials. I've also toodled around the earlier version of Norrath long enough to be slightly above complete and total newb status. For whatever reason though, the title never grabbed me like it did many gamers. So, while I've played the game, I haven't really played it as many of you no doubt have, and it's my hope that you'll forgive me for this little oversight so we can all get along. Why do I bring this up when writing about EverQuest II? Well because the earlier title informs the later, and of course they share fans. More importantly for purposes of my first column, they share lore.

Turn the page for more of The Tattered Notebook.

The Tattered Notebook: Farewell, but certainly not goodbye

by Seraphina Brennan Jun 23rd 2010 at 2:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

Heyo there readers. Seraphina here this week, stepping in for Seccia to announce some unfortunate news. While our Tier'dal reporter is dedicated to her mission to spread disease and death across the face of Norrath, she unfortunately has a few... character flaws.

In short, Seccia has decided to pursue new opportunities blogging about kittens. She's left Massively.com very unexpectedly, leaving only a short note and her favorite purple stapler. Unfortunately, she also forgot to write a farewell column in her rapid exit towards balls of yarn and inevitable allergy problems. So that leaves me sitting here, filling in for her, and delivering my final thoughts on my return to EverQuest II.

I just wish her desk chair wasn't so... short.

The Tattered Notebook: I'm in ur community, stalking ur threads

by Seraphina Brennan Jun 8th 2010 at 5:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Culture, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

Last week's small little interview was fun, but this week it's time to get back to business. I haven't stalked threads in the forum for a while now, and I'm afraid that I'm losing my touch.

So this week I've dived back into the official EverQuest II forums to bring up the most recent discussion topics -- many of them centered on the changes made during Halas Reborn. Freeport and Qeynos still dominate the hot topic list, suggestions for things Dave Georgeson should fix in the game are being collected, and one thread muses on the past and future of the game.

In short, don't miss out on this week's entry in my Tattered Notebook. Do not disgrace the power of the Tier'dal, as the Community Manager Dark Elf has done! Otherwise I will have to invent stern punishments, like withholding lolcats from the internet. Do not force my hand!

The Tattered Notebook: Post-Halas Reborn interview with producer Dave Georgeson

by Seraphina Brennan Jun 3rd 2010 at 4:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Culture, Events, in-game, Patches, Massively Interviews, The Tattered Notebook

Hello there, brave Norrathian adventurers! It is I, Seccia Ravenloft, back again from my recent excursion to track down "The One Final Truth." While I didn't find "The One Final Truth," I did run across Dave Georgeson again, and that made the whole excursion totally worth it.

Last week, I noticed a fair number of you had some problems with Shader 3.0 in EverQuest II. I'm sorry to hear that your pathetic non-Tier'dal computers cannot handle the wonderous onslaught, but I certainly brought that up with Dave in this interview, as well as the controversial decision to remove the starting areas of Freeport and Qeynos. Plus, I may have even weaseled a small detail or two on the next expansion out of him, thanks to my incredible interrogation techniques.

But why shall we delay the inevitable any longer? To the interview, quickly!

The Tattered Notebook: Nerding out on Shader 3.0

by Seraphina Brennan May 25th 2010 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Patches, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

"Hello nerds. Look at your game, now back to me, now back to your game, now back to me. Sadly, your game isn't me, but your game could look like me if it stopped using that crappy 2000s-era shader and started using shader 3.0."

That's what she would say if she could say things other than her pre-programmed voice-over. With the release of Halas Reborn today, many players will be undoubtedly checking out the frozen north's new content overhaul. However, Halas Reborn didn't just stop with a simple content update. The storyteller system was introduced in this update, and the game's graphics had new life breathed into it via Shader 3.0.

So today, in honor of nerd day, let's take a look at what exactly Shader 3.0 does with the game's graphics and if it's worth all the hype.

Gallery: EverQuest II: Shader 3.0 versus 1.0

The Tattered Notebook: The forum thread round-up

by Seraphina Brennan Apr 27th 2010 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

Greetings fellow Norrathian travelers! This week, right on the heels of the Dave Georgeson interview, we're back to investigating the issues in the community.

So far, this Tier'dal investigator has uncovered some community gold! Plus, we've got some big events coming up for the EverQuest II community, including the annual Fan Faire registration and the Mr. and Ms. Norrath contest! And, of course, I'm still looking for great tip threads for all of the new (and old) players who are wondering on how to play their MMOs better.

So come along and check out what's been documented in this week's notebook entry!

The Tattered Notebook: A moment with Dave Georgeson

by Seraphina Brennan Apr 20th 2010 at 5:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Interviews, MMO industry, Massively Interviews, The Tattered Notebook

Foolish and pathetic mortals! It's another week of adventuring and mystery here in Norrath, as I, Seccia Ravenloft, have once again braved the depths of Sony Online Entertainment's inner sanctum. And by "I," I mean I sent Seraphina Brennan to do my work for me. Now who is the master and who is the slave?! Ahahahahahahaha!

For this week's column, Seraphina was able to speak with Dave "Avatar" Georgeson, the brand new EverQuest II producer. Dave is stepping in for Alan "Brenlo" Crosby, as he has moved onwards, away from my might. (Little does he know that I pursue him still with powerful Tier'dal magic, but that's a story for another time.) Some of you may know of Dave Georgenson's works, as he has been producer of SOE's PlanetSide as well as Gaia Online's ZOMG!

So come along, listen to Sera as I force her to ask questions of Dave, and listen to Dave as he answers to the avatar of my will! No producer is safe from the Tier'dal might!

The Tattered Notebook: The importance of storytelling

by Seraphina Brennan Apr 6th 2010 at 5:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Culture, Game mechanics, PvE, Opinion, Roleplaying, The Tattered Notebook

Hey Norrathian travelers! Seccia is off for the week, undoubtedly soaking up the rays on the shores of the Sinking Sands to welcome the warmer months. I, on the other hand, am stuck inside writing her column. Sheesh, I wish I had accumulated as much vacation time as she did...

Anywho, I want to tell you a story about telling stories this week. As many of you may have heard, one of the newest features coming to EverQuest II in the near future is the storyteller system -- a simple window that will visualize your travels from one zone to the next. It's a UI element that will help link quests together, aiding the game in telling a continuous story as you travel around Norrath. Plus, if you wish, you can follow the Storyteller window as it takes you down the game's "Golden Path," a series of quests that will become a "main storyline" of sorts for the game.

Out of all of the new things coming with the next set of updates (New Halas included), it's the storyteller system that I've been looking forward to the most. So why do I choose a simple UI addition over a brand new city? Simply put, I want to be engaged with my gameplay experience.

The Tattered Notebook: Mail time

by Seraphina Brennan Mar 23rd 2010 at 5:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Classes, Tips and tricks, Grouping, PvE, The Tattered Notebook

Ah ha! Finally! Freedom from the human reporter, Seraphina! She is going to PAX East, leaving me to my own devices! Now, finally, I can enact the plan I've been waiting so long to do!

...answer one of your e-mails. Muhahahahahahaha!

Ok, ok darlings. I know that perhaps this is not quite the same as world domination or the destruction of Qeynos, but it's special for me, yes? Usually I have to be somewhat pleasant in these weekly scribblings. But, with my oversight gone, I can let you experience the wrath of a true Tier'dal!

...with helpful advice along the way, of course.

The Tattered Notebook: No one is left behind

by Seraphina Brennan Mar 2nd 2010 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Guides, Leveling, Tips and tricks, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

'Allo again, lovelies. Last week has been a week of danger and intrigue as I battled through Nektulos Forest and worked on getting my unique Shadowknight armor. During all of this, though, I thought to myself -- how can I apply any of these experiences to my notebook entry for this coming week?

Then of course, it hit me. Why not just explain what I've been doing to get through the areas in a short amount of time? A few tips and tricks for playing the level game? Sure, I've been up and down with grouping and preparations for Sentinel's Fate, but many players are always intimidated when entering a game and "being behind."

Well, don't worry about being behind. You're not entering the game late at all when it comes to EverQuest II, especially thanks to the recent additions to the game in Sentinel's Fate. Interested in catching up and experiencing some great content? Then click on through after the break!

Also, I'm still looking for questions anyone has on EverQuest II, so I can answer them in an upcoming Tattered Notebook. Ask me anything, from EverQuest II questions, guild leadership and raiding questions, and even questions on my Dark Elven heritage. Send them over to seraphina@massively.com, and she'll be sure to forward them on through the Norrathian Express mail to me.

The Tattered Notebook: Sentinel's Fate aftermath and advice

by Seraphina Brennan Feb 23rd 2010 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Expansions, Tips and tricks, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

Hrm. After a brief vacation, darlings, I am back at the reigns of my column. Neriak was lovely this time of year -- I encourage you all to stop by for a visit if you have the time.

But who has the time these days, right? All of your are off exploring Odus as if you haven't seen the place in 500 years. I hear that some adventurers are already tackling some of the most dangerous dungeons on that continent already! My, my, my, how you all tackle your challenges so quickly.

Many of you have had some very interesting things to say about Odus, and I've been silently watching and taking some notes. I've got them all right here, tucked away in my notebook. I've even amassed some answers for a few of your more common problems, just in time for the digital download release today. But, all of you can never say that Seccia Ravenloft was a secretive elf. I'm more than happy to share my findings so come closely, gather around the campfire, and listen here.

Massively Features

Events Calendar

Name	Date
GenCon Indy	Aug 5-8, 2010
SOE Fan Faire	Aug 5-8, 2010
Xsyon Prelude Launch	Aug 15, 2010
GamesCom Expo	Aug 18-22, 2010
Earthrise Launch	Q3 2010
Dragon*Con	Sep 3-6, 2010
PAX Prime	Sep 3-5, 2010
Final Fantasy XIV Launch	Sep 30, 2010
GDC Online	Oct 5-8, 2010
LEGO Universe Launch	Oct 26, 2010
DCUO Launch	Nov 2, 2010

Massively Staff

Name	Title
Shawn Schuster	Editor-in-Chief
Seraphina Brennan	Senior Editor
Brianna Royce	West Coast Editor
Dan O'Halloran	Features Coordinator
Brendan Drain	Contributing Editor
Eliot Lefebvre	Contributing Editor
Jef Reahard	Contributing Editor
Justin Olivetti	Contributing Editor
Krystalle Voecks	Contributing Editor
Rubi Bayer	Contributing Editor
Tateru Nino	Contributing Editor
Beau Hindman	Columnist
Edward Marshall	Columnist
Greg Waller	Columnist
Jeremy Stratton	Columnist
Larry Everett	Columnist
MJ Guthrie	Columnist
Patrick Mackey	Columnist
Ryan Greene	Columnist
Lisa Poisso	Columnist