SOE has announced that Game Update 48: Breaking Ground for EverQuest II is now live and offers insights into the game's upcoming expansion, The Shadow Odyssey.

EverQuest® II’s most recent game update “Breaking Ground” provides players with access to the new group zone Veksar. This dungeon is a preview to the launch version that will be available in the upcoming expansion The Shadow Odyssey scheduled for release on November 18th. Players are also called upon to help construct the nearly completed massive Guild Hall project and the Murder Mystery live event is transpiring, as theories abound as to who performed the dastardly deed.

“Breaking Ground” features:

Veskar – The ancient underwater city of Veksar has once again been discovered by the adventurers of Norrath. Veksar offers both new quests and treasures to those who wish to enter its dangerous chambers. Players level 80 can make their way to the outpost of Omen’s Call, to see if they can begin to unravel the mysteries of this risen ancient monument. Half of the new dungeon is available to current players and the rest will be available in the upcoming expansion.

Guild Hall Construction Event: The Guild Halls building projects are starting to run low on resources requiring the help of Norrath’s finest adventurers. Director Jasmine at the Antonica docks and Director Hezreal at the Commonlands docks are eagerly seeking workers willing to help alleviate the situation.

Murder Mystery Live Event: The Prophet of Healing has been found murdered and the main suspect is found dead shortly thereafter! It’s up to players of all levels to study the clues and figure out who the real murderer is. The progressive live event is schedule to run throughout this update. This prelude event holds significant importance to The Shadow Odyssey journey that begins this November.

Everfrost Revamp: Everfrost gets a facelift! Adventurers levels 40-50 will find dozens of additional quests, four new hubs, and a population friendlier to various play styles, along with a new tunnel to make it easier to travel around the zone.

Read more here.

If the game was seamless and not so unimmersive I would come back. No matter the expansion. Some good things here but I still think EOF was better. The only downside to EQ2 is the zones are so boxy and itemization seems to still be a problem after this expansion. Armors have not been upgraded in style since about launch time. Players are needed to get anywhere in this game with raiding to grouping. I don't see any of the remaining hardcore type raid guilds allowing new people to jump aboard and go back through content to gear them, the time sink is way to large.

However, as a solo player the game can be very fun but requires immense funds to purchase even the slightest upgrades in armor spells. The auction house is a total joke with the market in this game. The market got ruined way back and it never looked back. WTG gold farmers.

This game has way to many gold farmers and bots in every zone imaginable. Programs that let you pick paths and auto negotiate craft nodes, farming for rares and then selling them at outrageous prices. SOE sucks at stopping the gold farmers in EQ2.

To the OP,

I think "read more" is the wrong link as it takes you the preview page instead of the details of what's now live.

i.e. It goes to here:

http://eq2players.station.sony.com/news_archive_content.vm?month=current&id=1856

instead of here:

http://eq2players.station.sony.com/news_archive_content.vm?id=1872&section=News&locale=en_US

To Tyres100,

Your view about zones sizes/type are valid, in your opinion, so if you don't like how they are then certainly never come back (as they are not going to change much due to the game engine).

Your comment about armour is incorrect.  If you read the update notes you should have seen a whole section talking about upgrades to leather and cloth armour, which are the much-delayed response to earlier plate and chain upgrades (to looks and stats).

With regards to your "getting anywhere" comment: this game can be played solo all the way through to level 80 so is not forcing you to group or raid to play.  However, there are certain things that require groups or raids (or waiting until they grey out!) and the rewards from these actions "should be" (QFE) better than items you get solo.  Your point seems to be that a player should be able to solo everything and then walk into a "hardcore type raid guild", is that correct?  Why would any raid guild want a player who has no ideas about grouping and raiding?  There's a progression and a learning curve to these things ya know?!

Agree, solo can be fun.  You can also solo AND group occasionally!  You do need a lot of dosh OR patience (i.e. harvest the rares yourself), as there are rares involved for the upgrades to armour, spells, weapons etc. You can solo without using rares at all, as I see players doing this every day.  Personally, I would do it but it seems to be working out for them. 

There is no such thing as an "auction house" in EQ2!  In EQ2 there is a broker system, where players place their goods on the market at the price they wish to sell them (no auction, just the price given).

Yes, I agree there are cheats in the game and that SoE does not do enough to address the issue.  In fact, they appear to be introducing at least one the same cheats via their new alliance deal with the Allakhazam owners.  The point about bots and gold farmers is not that they spoil the market by pricing their goods too high, as any player can place their goods lower (if enough do this then the price comes down, eventually), but that they flood the market, which makes it harder for others to sell at the price they want.  What really badly affects the broker prices is (1) the greed of so many players and (2) game changes that make rares even more needed.

So basically, what I really meant to say is: just what game were you writing about Ty?

Originally posted by HeavySigh

So basically, what I really meant to say is: just what game were you writing about Ty?

Probably Age of Conan. Completely fits his post LOL.