As well as Everquest next SOE are also working on expansions for both current Everquest titles. The one I’m interested in at the moment is the Everquest 2 expansion Destiny of Velious, the return of the frozen continent which is due for release in February.
I have fond memories of Velious from the original Everquest, wandering through the frozen wastes and dodging ice giants. Now someone will have to remind me of the large tower on Velious which players could fight their way up. I remember fighting through the tower with a Gnome alt of Pandemic, an Enchanter who aided my character on many occasions.
Anyway enough nostalgia, the new expansion has the usual tons of quests, a couple of overland zones and more than a few raid zones. There are 10 instanced dungeon’s more HQ’s and a Signature quest line, a new battlegrounds area (I still haven’t played any of the existing ones) and something else…
Flying mounts are coming to Everquest 2! Yeah I know they are not new for MMO’s but I’m looking forward to seeing how they work. Ten Ton Hammer have reported that there will be no air combat on your new mounts and when on the ground they will operate as ground mounts which I would say is a given really. They also question what will happen to the Fae race as they have wings of their own. With the Fae I’ve always understood that their wings are only useful for slowing their fall and floating small distances (longer jumps), I doubt we’ll see them flying around the place alongside the new mounts. They are however, able to keep themselves floating off the ground though so I’m sure with some kind of Fae fitness regime they could manage short flights into the air.
The pleasing part about the news of the new mounts is that they will be available via a quest, though this does raise some issues for the none flying steeds and other beasts we ride around in Norrath. What happens to those poor beasts? Who’s going to care for them when they are left in their stables unloved and left to grow old? Maybe someone should start a campaign to find our old mounts new homes?
Seriously now, ground only mounts could be a far less common site in Norrath as everyone is going to want to fly. Will SOE make the flying mounts slower to combat this? Give ground mounts more stats? Make stick on wings available via station cash?
Whatever happens I’ll be doing the quest for my own flying mount, I’ll just make sure that my old ones comfortable in the outdoor section of our guild hall and I promise to take them out for a run on a regular basis. The quest itself will be interesting or rather the difficulty of it. If the quest is too easy everyone and their alt will be riding (or should I say flying) around on one of these mounts, if it’s too hard then only raiders will end up with one which will penalise casual players.
Oh I almost forgot, here’s a trailer link from Ten Ton Hammer, complete with flying mount of course.
Everquest 2 Destiny of Velious Trailer
What are your thoughts on the new expansion and the flying mounts? How will you look after your trusty old ground steed?
Related posts:
MMOYeti:
mmosymposium:
WodgeFTW:
MMOSres:
Some of the zones are not so large, so I don't think flying will be allowed in all places like in WoW. So that means ground mounts can still be useful in some places. I just hope I can get some demonic drake mount to brand and burn the skies above! Muahaha.