Changes Ahead for EverQuest II

New areas, new quests and easy pizza - oh my.

Massively multiplayer online games have boomed in popularity and numbers since EverQuest originally debuted back in 1999. The game's sequel, EverQuest II, has been out since November and it has already pulled in a large audience of online gamers. According to new numbers from Sony Online Entertainment, there are currently 325,000 gamers that call Norrath home on a weekly basis.

But there are still newcomers making their way in the game every day, which is why SOE has created a mentoring system to help new arrivals get up to speed as fast as possible. The mentoring system allows higher-level players to group with relative newcomers and to guide them during battle.

Mentors will temporarily be decreased in level but retain their equipment and still earn experience points, while apprentices benefit by earning experience points quicker. Up to five people can mentor one apprentice, so it's a good way to bring someone new into an existing group of players.

One of the biggest benefits of playing in an online world is that it's much easier for developers to continually tweak the game to better suit users' wants. SOE has already added thousands of new missions and items since the game's launch in November and the company is planning to release a story-based adventure pack titled EverQuest II: The Bloodline Chronicles later this year.

This new add-on was developed with level 30-45 characters in mind and allows them to experience a new vampire-themed storyline and quests filled with unique items and upgrades.

Not all the new additions to EverQuest II are serious though. Recently, SOE teamed up with Pizza Hut in the US to allow gamers to order pizza online from within the online world. Typing in the command (that would be /pizza if you just can't wait) in the game brings up a browser window, ready to order a pizza for delivery straight to your door.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games