EverQuest Online Adventures

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EverQuest Online Adventures
Developer(s)	Sony Online Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Sony Online Entertainment
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release date(s)	USA February 11, 2003 PAL October 24, 2003 Frontiers USA November 17, 2003
Genre(s)	MMORPG
Mode(s)	Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Teen (T) PEGI: 7+
Media	DVD-ROM
Input methods	Gamepad, keyboard (optional)

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.^{[citation needed]} It is part of the EverQuest franchise that is well established on the PC.

Popularity

Like other commercial MMORPGs in the West, in addition to purchasing the game software, EQOA charges a monthly fee (as of October 2007, US$14.99/month). SOE had predicted 100,000 subscribers by March 2003, but they later reported having only 20,000 to 30,000 subscriptions^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]}

Previously it was hard to find pre-paid game cards for EQOA from retailers which made paying for a subscription to the game difficult for many.^{[citation needed]} Prior to October 2007, SOE made a new Game Card available to retailers that may be used to pay for one month on any of the games developed by the company, including EQOA. This new game card is widely available at electronics retailers but requires a monthly fee (as of Oct. 2007, at a price of $14.99).

Setting and gameplay

EverQuest Online Adventures is set in the fictional world Norrath 500 years prior to the original EQ in what the game designers have called 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 focuses on character advancement, environment combat, quests, exploration, grouping, and socializing. It also contains a simple dueling system for 1 v. 1 player action (not counting player pets), but it has had many criticism and has been involved in many item duping glitches.

There are fifteen playable classes, and ten 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. A third expansion was in the works, but was cancelled due to 'lack of interest of the original game.'

The lead game designer of EQOA: Frontiers is currently Sam Parra (Daemaas), who replaced Leah Ruben (Sapphyra).

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 Rehabilitator 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 offered a chance to be rehabilitated with training points and class mastery points to perfect their characters due to the several hundred changes which class-balancing brought about.

In order to allow those players who may have lost CMs in the class-balancing process to regain their CM points, "The Luck" quest (activated originally on St. Patrick's Day 2005, and then again on March 17, 2006) was changed from its previous duration of 1 hour to be 48 hours. After completion of the quest, the player received three charges of a group buff that doubled experience (XP). On August 1, 2006, the buffs code was changed to be self only, but the item itself was still tradeable. This buff is lost, like all others following death.

The development team has released a new zone for the game the morning of December 18, 2006. The zone, Zaoran Plateau, also known as the Plane of War is currently home to three unique factions you can align your character with. The three factions are: Soldiers of Rallos Zek, whose deity is Rallos Zek, the Honor Guard, followers of Mithaniel Marr, and the Akessan, mysterious, dimensionless beings who worship an unknown deity.

External links

• Official EQOA website
• Official EQOA community forums