Tag: EQ2

While I may have a good number of level 80 characters myself – there are still reasons to explore content aside from working up (yet another) alt. One main reason of course is friends. Kasul was 20% away from level 78, a huge accomplishment on his part. I offered to help him get the last 20% he needed, and gladly relogged to Petites, my 76 templar. Templars (as most people who play know) can rarely dps their way out of a wet paper bag, and that’s when the bag is wide open. Sure, it can be done, but it’s VERY slow. It’s better now that there are a few dps spec’s out there and some better gear, but I follow the age old tradition that a healer, heals (unless they’re morphed into some hybrid class such as the blood mage from VG or the disciple in WAR etc). Anyhow. 

We made our way through Fens of Nathsar, pinging off a few heroic quests each of us had. One attempt left us both dead and licking our wounds. Did you get the name of that truck? The mob may have been blue ^^^ heroic to us, but he hit like an epic. After clearing out a few simple quests we headed to Kunzar Jungle – where I had not finished a single quest in the entire zone. I grabbed some sokokar posts, and thankfully Kazul was patient while we ran around getting various updates that I needed. 

Petites managed 20% of experience in the same amount of time that Kasul got his, which was great. I really didn’t want to linger in RoK for too long, those quests still bring back horrid memories. Hey, it can hardly be blamed, I do have an 80 warden dirge coercer, 78 illusionist, 76 templar, 61 necromancer and 47 monk. Not to mention 5 level 80 crafters. I’m so eager for the next expansion just so that I have something to do other then leveling alts. Oh, and I’m eager about those guild halls, too. Kasul and I managed to complete a few writs while we were adventuring, although now 15,000 personal experience (1,500 guild) is barely moving us .8% each time. Ouch. Going to have to get back to grinding out those last two levels!

There was no way Stargrace wanted to go back to Kunark. Not yet at least. Last time she had ventured out that way she ws promptly chased down by everything with legs it seemed – and a good deal of creatures with no legs. She had a contract to fulfill though and was so exceptionally close to completing it. Never one to simply give up, she looked for an alternative means of accomplishing it. 

A friend had mentioned that they’d been spending the majority of their time in Everfrost lately. It had been literally years since Stargrace had bothered to venture into the frozen Tundra, she simply hadn’t felt the need. Who wanted to get all bundled up anyhow. The more she thought about it the more she thought it may just be the place for her. So, gathering her heaviest clothing and a good supply of food and drink (which was rare for her as a provisioner, typically she kept everyone else fed while she herself starved) off she went. 

The landscape had changed slightly since last she had been there. Tunnels burrowed deep within the snow walls radiated a certain warmth, and the pioneers had settled into the Bitterwind alcove. She lept up at the chance to help Li Ning Ventur, who had lost her husband (how does one lose such things?) in her travels. Stargrace braved the icy water to recover Mr. Ventur’s ring (to return to his grieving wife of course) and along with it – his entire hand. No doubt the sacred monument graces the top of some fire place or perhaps a dining table at this very moment. Feeling proud of herself, Stargrace continued on to see who else she could help while she collected parts for various other contracts. 

She practically stumbled into the Bitterwind camp, the snow was so thick. She did not remember it blowing quite so hard before. Once there she was informed that wolves had been bothering the camp, and she was sent to quickly dispatch them. Their furs would make wonderfully warm pelts for those living in the camp. She did a few other menial chores for the folks gathered there, one of which she foolishly fell into. Thala Rohquilin wanted to ward the wolves away from the camp which Stargrace did eagerly enough – however then it came down to placing a bucket of meat in the snow which called forth a great white bear such as Stargrace had never seen before. She thought she would be surely eaten! It gnashed it’s teeth together and rose up on its hind legs, trying to frighten Stargrace.

Thankfully, she was brave and took down the creature without too much issue. Thala thanked the woman for her help, clapping and going on about how the pelt would make wonderful furs for the camp. All the while Stargrace braved a smile thinking to herself that it would have been nice had the camp WARNED her about the giant ice bear first. 

She packed up her belongings after that.. incident and decided it was best if she continued on her way. 

 

(( Ding, 78! Managed to get Stargrace the remainder of her level by doing grey quests in Everfrost. It was nice to step away from the typical RoK quest grind, even if only briefly, to work on something a lot more fun. Now just two more to go… hrms, just like the Nostalgia guild levels. ))

Only two more levels to go! Thank you everyone for all of your hard work in getting Nostalgia (2.0) this far. We only need two more levels before we’ll be able to purchase the T1 guildhalls which has been my goal for the guild for quite some time now. The levels are getting more difficult of course but I’m confident that it won’t be too long before we’ll reach it, even if it is slightly after the halls themselves are released.

I didn’t play nearly as much as I wanted to yesterday, mostly due to a very sore mouth and a few extra strength tylanol but I did get some time in. I wanted to try to get Stargrace to level 80 before the expansion comes out in November, but I’ve said a few times now I just can’t stomach the RoK quest grind any more. I decided since I was only 40% away from leveling, I’d try to put up with it just long enough to at least hit level 78. I headed off to Jarsath Wastes to complete the quests I’ve had for about three months now that have just sat there. 

I did manage to die three times, and with a little help got to 90% experience before I just decided to call it quits. I just really dislike the grind THAT much. I figure now I’ll either do one of two things. Forget about Stargrace until the expansion comes out and try to level her to 80 with the new content (some of it should be mid 70’s range I hope) or go through old world content and level at the pace of a snail. I haven’t decided which. Or I’ll just level someone else and work on her gradually like I have been. The 100% experience bonus made no different to my level 77 character because the experience you gain from kills is so insignificant. 

I did get a LOT of crafting levels though. My tailor went from 21-30 in an hour thanks to vitality and the bonus experience. My alchemist went from 41-47. I’m hoping to get her to 50 today, but I’m out of vitality and things are crawling a little more. Plus I’m not certain if I want to be so eager to hit T6 which is the dreaded harvest tier that uses supplies from Sinking Sands. 

Hope everyone else is having an awesome weekend!

I’ve never owned top of the line computer bits, though I’ve also never really had any reason to complain. I’ve used my 7600 GeForce for a few years now without issues. I ran EQ2 on balanced (minus flora and fauna because I just disliked the way I could never see anything laying on the ground) and was quite happy with the graphic performance. 

With a little extra money kicking around I decided it was time to start getting some upgrades. Even though I could use a new processor and motherboard, I think those can wait until February – today it was time for a new video card. 

I didn’t go all out like a lot of people would have. I wanted an upgrade but not something that was super expensive. So, when all was said and done I went from my trusty 7600 to the 8800. 

Instillation went smooth, and I loaded up EQ2 right away switching my settings to the highest possible ones. Of course I still had some lag, the change for dual core isn’t in quite yet – and the highest possible settings really are that. I know people who have the best of the best and still can’t play on those settings. So I tweaked things some, and set them to the 2nd highest settings. Turned down the fauna so I could actually see the ground, made it so I don’t see 10 spells per person and will only see two, and turned down shadows slightly.

It still made a HUGE difference. I can see all the nice little texture details now that I had missed before unless I played on the highest settings. I typically leave my lights off due to lag – and have no issues at all with them now. It’s great.  I logged over to Vanguard and noticed a great improvement in frame rate, but didn’t turn my settings up any higher because the game is pretty enough on balanced. The screenshot above is on my new settings, and I can tell the difference from my previous screenshots easily.

So that’s how my weekend has gone thus far. Gotta love getting new toys to play with!