EQ2 Latest Patch

[Lyion]

Build 1386 10/13/2004 5:40 pm

*** Headlines ***

- More content for soloers!

- Heroic opportunities return!

- New mounts now available for purchase!

- Open up a storefront in your home or apartment!

- Traps added to treasure chests!

- Player titles now available!

- Looking for someone? Ask a guard for help!



*** Content Updates ***

- Modified the appearance of many armor types.

- Certain NPCs will now attempt to flee when at low confidence or when they've been feared.

- Several new mounts are available for purchase from the stable hands in South Qeynos and West Freeport.

- Player mounts are no longer useable in cities, dungeons, or certain instanced zones.

- Some NPC uniforms have been updated.

- Guild Registrars in West Freeport and Qeynos Harbor sell mounts and player titles.

- Special quests have been added to lead players to the level 5 guild raids.

- Dynamic adventure camps have been added to Antonica.

- Shieldsmith NPCs in Freeport are no longer topless.

- Signs have been added to all banks in Freeport and Qeynos.

- Level restrictions have been removed from all epic zones. Standardized timers have also been applied to the zones.

- New harvestable items have been added to the Isle of Refuge, Sunken City, the Graveyard, the Sprawl, Oakmyst Forest, the Ruins, the Caves, the Peat Bog, and Orcish Wastes.

- Mariner's bells have been added to East Freeport and Qeynos Harbor which allow travel to distant lands once they have been discovered.

Player Merchants

- Player storefronts and city markets are now available. Note: For full details on how to buy and sell items, please see the sticky thread in the Beta Gameplay board on the official forums.

- To sell your wares you must purchase a market bulletin board from a furniture merchant in East Freeport or North Qeynos and hang it on your wall. Right-clicking on the bulletin board will open a window to view your inventory and set prices. You can only sell items in your personal inventory. You can only sell bags if they are empty. To begin selling your goods, press the "Start Selling" button. The "merchant" title will appear in front of your name.

- You must remain inside your home while selling as a merchant, but you are free to move about and interact with objects in your home as well as with any visitors you might have.

- To see items for sale in your city's market, visit broker NPCs in West Freeport and Qeynos Harbor. Right-click on the broker and you will see the option to browse their wares. All items for sale in that city's market will be listed, and you have the option to buy directly from the broker at a markup. Optionally, you can see in which zone the merchant is located and purchase from the seller directly.

- To purchase directly from a player merchant, enter the seller's home and right-click on the merchant. You will then be able to browse their wares and make purchases without the broker markup.

- Black market brokers offering goods from both cities are located in out-of-the-way locations in East Freeport and Qeynos Harbor. The full black market functionality is not yet in place, however.



*** Quests ***

New Quests

A Sandwich Affair

A Very Evil Idol

Amygdalan Snack

An Order of Orc Tongue

Ancient Kite Shield

Ashland Kneepads

Bark Like a Gnoll

Black Horn Ring

Blighted Heart Guard

Blood Ore Basher

Blood Ore Bracers

Blowing off Steam

Bolt-Streak Cuirass

Boots of Malice

Buzz Beer

Chain of Daisies

Claiming the Goblish Tongue

Conscripts Broken Shield

Cracked Leatherfoot Stein

Cruelty to Animals

Crypt Jerky

Deadeye

Deadly Stinger

Deepening Barrier

Deputy's Badge

Destroy the Undead

Double-Plated Breastplate

Dragoon Armbraces

Edgewater Needletooth Pudding

Elephant Hide Boots

Ethereal Tabard

Evol Bandoleer

Evol Machete

Eyeball Soup

Farmer's Hat

Fearful Words

Freedom

Fur Lined Gloves

Gauntlets of Hate

Gnasher

Gnawed Mail

Goblin Rotgut

Green Hood Ration Recipe

Greenswath

Groaning Bracers

Gut Ripper

Haunted Helm

Homemade Beetle Juice

Hundred-Fold Blade

Incredible Edible Egg

Iridescent Brooch

Jury-Rigger

Justice, Decades Too Late

Lion Mane Helm

Mancatcher

Meteoric Hoop

Orcish Manacles

Peacekeeper

Punish the Hunter

Rallosian Gold Teeth

Rallosian Steel

Ree Death Mask

Roll of the Dice

Rumble

Shadowed Heart Signet

Shadowlurker

Skull of Hate

Soul Wailer

Spiked Bracelet

Splat the Goo

Sprite in a Box

Starshine Pendant

Taking What's Not Yours

Tallon Reserves

Tapping the Torrent

Tempt Fate

Ten Gallon Boots

The Abhorrent Ring

The Chomper

The Eldritch Staff

The Patchwork Tapestry

The Starwisp Sword

The Sweet Taste of Fairy Dust

The Windrush Dagger

Through Another's Eyes

Thulian Belt Collection

Two Wrongs Do Not Make a Right

Vengeance

Vigilance

Virtue Belt

Vivid Foliage

Voices from Beyond

What Once Was Found, Now Is Forever Lost

Whispering Pines

Words of a Giant

Words of Pure Magic

Heritage Quests

- Obsid Boulderboom will now speak Krombal in the Polished Granite Tomahawk quest.

- The Journeyman's Boots have been modified to have a leather appearance.

- The Guise of the Deceiver will now turn players into Dark Elves.

- The quest for the Glowing Black Stone has been updated.

- Dialogue updates have been made to the Polished Granite Tomahawk quest.

- The quest for the Ghoulbane has been updated.

General Fixes

- The following quests now function on the evil Isle of Refuge: Aquatic Research Notebook, Fallen Pirate Map, Goblin Attack Plans, And the Old Salt Encrusted Cutlass.

- Modified/updated/added - Serrated Bone Dirk Heritage quest, Qeynos class quest, Journeyman Boots, Citizenship quest

- General updates have been made to the following quests: Far Seas Trading Co., Aboard the Far Talon, Far Side of Tears 1-4, Deep Marshes, History of Gnomes, History of High Elves, History of Half Elves, History of Humans, History of Iksar, History of Halflings

- A quest within Commonlands has been fixed. The zone should no longer crash at the end of the quest.

- The goblin mastery tome can now be purchased at a cheaper price on the Isle of Refuge.

- Titles have been added to each of the ranks with the Slayer quests.

- Tome quests are now scattered all throughout the world. They can be found on Sages in Freeport and Qeynos, as item drops in various zones, and as rewards.

- Freeport and Qeynos citizens' books will now explain additional quest opportunities when available.

- The quest journal entry for 'Ian's Forgetful Family - Part III' has been updated to make more sense.

- The bow icon used in "Bryson's Bow' quest has been modified.

- The quest 'A Rediscovered Shrine' should now be able to be completed.

- The inspection message for a grubby bone key has been updated.

- Players should no longer be able to share Chuggle's toolbox with others.

- 'In Search of the Feerrott' should now be updating properly.

- The quest reward in 'Oro Root for Lozoria' has been updated.

- The quest 'How Did Their Garden Grow?' should now advance properly.

- The quest 'History of the Ratonga' should now be working correctly.

- The quest 'Refill the Oakmyst Spider Silk Jars' should now be updating properly.

- The quest 'Recycling the Old-Fashioned Way' should now be updating properly.

- The quest 'Stolen Spell Pages' should now work properly.

- The quest 'ZaZa's Little Problem' should now update properly.

- The quest 'Gnome and Antignome' should now be working properly.

- The quest 'Now Hiring: The Far Seas Trading Company' should now be working properly.

- The quest journal in 'Rivervale Deputy Duties' has been updated to make more sense.

- The quest journal in 'Offering of the Faithful' should now update properly.

- The quest helper information has been updated in the 'Rivervale Deputy Duties' quest.

- The quest "How to Serve Mortals - Flowing Thoughts" should now be assigned correctly.

- Quest journal updates have been made to the quests that Colin Stoutfist grants.

- The quest journal in 'The Vermin's Plague' quest has been updated.

- The quest 'At Low Tide' should now be updating correctly.

- The quest 'The Oops Factor' quest should now be updating correctly.

- A counter has been added to the ' Isabella Cellus' History of Antonica' quest.

- Item rewards have been updated in the following quests: In Defense of the Flower Patch, The Last Straw, The Moppet Master, A Small Matter of Bristles, The Soul of Tarinax, Hearts of Ice, The Horn of Phrotis, Shrillers for Tillheel, Sea Food Stew, Essence Hunting for Obidudyn, and Valen's Stolen Books.

- A reward has been added to the access quest into Fallen Gate.

- A selectable reward has been added to the access quest into the Tower of the Drafling.

*** Zones ***

Private Adventure Areas

- The Trembling Lagoon, the Witches Cove, and Bloodskull Valley: The Training Grounds are now available for play!

Zone Modifications

Antonica

The Qeynos to Thundering Steppes griffin flight path has been modified.

Additional solo content has been added to the zone.

Baubbleshire

Rala Eurocarry no longer spawns in the zone.

The entrance to the tradeskill zone is no longer floating in midair.

The sign pointing to the Docks is now pointing in the correct direction.

Big Bend

Verathip the Fink is now a troll.

A waypoint has been added to the mariner's bell in the zone.

Castleview Hamlet

Shieldsmith Payge Menedor now uses standard merchant dialogues.

Scribe Bleemeb will no longer spawn as a pink box.

Merchant Kruuprum is now stationary.

Gukky Marrcap will no longer wander at such a quick pace.

Trainer Glumpa has been renamed to Trainer Bubbler.

Commonlands

Additional wisps have been added to the zone.

Additional solo content has been added to the zone.

Crypt of Betrayal

Two factions within the Crypt of Betrayal are now kill on sight.

Treasure has been added into the zone.

Deathly Scarab Hive

Treasure has been added into the zone.

Down Below

Treasure has been added into the zone.

East Freeport

Armorsmith Marcia Betto's VO and merchant list has been modified.

Armorsmith Octavia Rullus's VO has been modified.

Shieldsmith Vibius Vocula's VO has been modified.

Weaponsmith Carius Aruns's VO has been modified.

Bouncer Palak will no longer spin on the ground when hailed.

Slaughtergrott should be spawning again.

Signs within the zone have been updated.

Elddar Grove

Signs within the zone have been updated.

Enchanted Lands

Changed Overseer Ix to spawn ever 12-18 hours instead of every 12-15 minutes.

Additional solo content has been added to the zone.

Far Journey

The Captain's club will now match the appearance of the player's splintered club.

The Mariner's Coin has set to "No Destroy".

Firemyst Gully

Treasure has been added into the zone.

Graystone Yard

Leabua will no longer spawn in the zone.

Ragunk Everhot will no longer spawn in the zone.

Gerlof Crazy-eyes will no longer spawn in the zone.

Soothsayer Reynolds and Father Long are no longer a dancing duo.

Ubani and Brice Strongmend will no longer appear to be fishing when hailed.

Scribe Boomcast is now stationary.

Isle of Refuge

Proper uniforms have been placed onto Ambassador T'Kirr, Ambassador Saera, and Vladmin.

Evil players who die in the zone will no longer respawn on the good island.

Maid for the Mist

Treasure has been added to the zone.

Murkwater Nook

Treasure has been added to the zone.

Nektropos Castle

The zone should no longer crash when a player goes linkdead.

Nettleville Hovel

Dawn Tross is now the size of a regular human.

Armorsmith Ehuraa Rotherhamnow uses standard merchant dialogues.

Merchant Caryn Swell has been changed to sell general merchant wares.

North Freeport

Merchant Cipius Abito now sells food.

Speculator Montaus will no longer offer to buy or sell items from players.

North Qeynos

Merchant Harold Dunstan now sells water.

Frubbup Bogstomper now responds to hails.

Players should now be able to exit their conversations with Lilly Ironforge, Maid Patricia, and Penny Goodhearth.

Signs within the zone have been updated.

Oakmyst Forest

The waypoints in the zone have been corrected.

Marlen Oakeater is now male.

Orcish Wastes

Additional solo content has been added into the zone.

Qeynos Harbor

Boulden Smitestone is now responding properly to hails.

Rivervale

Additional solo content has been added to Rivervale.

The Ruins

Players should now be able to exit their conversation with Merchant Talia.

Ruins of Varsoon

Grayl Turfstrider and Thana Rumblehoof will no longer appear as a pink box.

Runnyeye

Population within the halls has increased. Roamers have also been added into some of the hallways.

Sanctum of Fear

Treasure has been added to the zone.

South Freeport

Madelyn Tarrad now has an option to be hailed.

Aldrevia Metilla has been moved near a bench.

Weaponsmith Lucilla Quietus has been moved next to a cart.

South Qeynos

The barmaid in the Wayfarer's Rest will no longer spawn as a male.

Sage Indis Surion will now purchase items from players.

Starcrest Commune

Alchemist Tanaira is no longer floating in midair or on top of the merchant tent.

Armsdealer Barrik will no longer float above the ground.

Stonestair Byway

Trainer Fomondulus will no longer spawn under the world.

Overseer Melkia is now female.

Sunken City

Treasure has been added to the zone.

Nektulos Forest

Personal treasure has been added to all named NPCs within the zone.

Additional solo content has been added to the zone.

The size of Gurndundl has been increased to match the size of other giants in the area.

Dedralium should now be spawning.

Temple of Cazic-Thule

Treasure has been added into the zone.

Temple Street

Regias Flutzrubble's dialogue conversation will no longer loop.

Thundering Steppes

Additional solo content has been added to the zone.

Centaurs within the zone have been resized and should be the proper gender.

Obsid Boulderboom's dialogue will now display correctly.

Vermin's Snye

Treasure has been added to the zone.

Vestibule

The teleporter into the zone has been fixed.

The height of NPCs within the zone has been adjusted.

Wailing Caves

Additional solo content has been added to the zone.

West Freeport

The fire pit in West Freeport is now less likely to kill those foolhardy enough to leap into the flames.

Merchant Mallius Otho now sells drinks.

Shieldsmith Portius Nepos now sells shields.

Trader Jansen will no longer spawn in the zone.

Commander Velin will now respond when hailed.

Willow Wood

Merchant Aelia Oakweaver no longer sells a "Freeport District Chair" to players.

Signs within the zone have been updated.



*** Mechanics ***

Items

- Tinting has been applied to certain armor sets.

- Additional spell/combat arts have been added onto existing treasure tables.

- The Pirate Earring should now have an appropriate icon.

- The skill ratings at which items can be used have changed. The max levels of the items remain the same, but you may have to wait a little longer to be able to equip them. This shouldn't affect quested items because they will be usable to you if the quest cons white.

Spells

Abilities (Spells and Combat Arts) and "Mini-dings"

- On profession levels that grant two or more abilities, the granting of these abilities will be spread across the incremental skill increases of that level.

- One ability is always granted during the initial leveling process.

- Additional abilities are granted during the course of the level at the "mini-dings".

Profession Spells

- Switched the Warlock: Dark Distortion spell line with the Warlock: Curse of Nil spell line.

- Warlock: Dark Distortion spell line is now granted at Level 23 for a Warlock

- Warlock: Curse of Nil is now granted at Level 28 for a Warlock

- This change does not affect existing version upgrades (i.e. you do not lose your Adept I version)

- Scribe merchants sell the correct Apprentice II versions

- Added Heroic Opportunity icons to recently revamped Priest and Mage subclass spell lines; they had been missing.

- Changed Cleric: Odyssey to be castable only on group members.

- NPC special abilities and innate spells

- Refinement and fine-tuning pass on NPC abilities/innates. This includes:

- Added spell visuals to all existing NPC special abilities and innate spells (that are visible)

- Added new icons and color backdrops.

- NPC special abilities and innate spells should be more in line with respective challenge.

- Some powerful NPC opponents had overpowering abilities; this has been rectified.

Combat Abilities

- The power cost for Focus Rage has been removed. This ability should now be usable more often.

- Taunt abilities now cost approximately 25% less power.

Tradeskills

- Furniture recipes have been added for levels 1-50.

- Increased level progression rate for tradeskills. You will now level faster.

Mechanics

- Made slight modifications to the success rate of the "Deflection" skill. It will now be easier to use against higher level opponents.

- Content that has been flagged as "Solo" has been made a little easier.

- All non-fighter double-up-arrow NPCs got a boost in power.

Assassin

- Cut Throat line has received an increase in damage.

- The Hidden Assault line's damage over time effect has been lowered.

Ranger

- The Wounding Arrow line's damage has been lowered slightly.

- The Rip line has been increased.

- The Trick Shot line had its damage reduced.

- The Triple Shot line's reuse timer has been increased to 60 seconds.

- The Hidden Fire line's damage has been reduced. Additionally, the reuse timer has been increased to 90 seconds.

Swashbuckler

- The Flamboyant Strike line's damage has been lowered.

Brigand

- The Shank line's damage has been lowered.

- Desperate Threat's damage has been lowered. Additionally, area of effect has been removed.

Bard

- The Lambent Shriek line's reuse has been modified to 10 seconds.

- The Piercing Shriek line's damage has been increased.

- The Alin's Lamentation line's damage has been increased.

- The Songster's Luck line's damage has been increased.

- The amount of hate generated from the Rousing Tune line has been lowered.

Troubadour

- Eli's Hymns reuse timer has been set to 15 seconds, damage has been increased, and the ability has been modified to be single target.

Dirge

- Lanet's Scream has had its damage increased. It has also been changed to single target.

Brawler

- The Thrust Kick line's reuse time has been lowered to 15 seconds.

- The Rapid Swings line's reuse time has been lowered to 30 seconds.

- Brawlers now get a higher "Deflection" skill.

Bruiser

- The Haymaker line's damage has been increased.

- Slightly increased Bruiser melee damage.

Monk

- Silent Fist's damage has been increased.

- Slightly increased Monk melee damage.

Crusader

- The reuse timer for Dogmatic Punishments has been increased to 90 seconds. The cast time has been increased to 3 seconds, the damage is now instant instead of over time.

- Righteous Anger line's damage has been increased.

Paladin

- Oath Strike's damage has been increased.

Shadowknight

- The strength gained from Siphon Strength has been doubled.

- Grim Sword's cast time has been lowered to 1 second, the damage has been increased, and the reuse timer has been reduced to 20 seconds.

Warrior

- Mangle's damage has been increased.

- Wound's damage has been increased.

- Cripple's damage has been increased. Additionally, the reuse timer has been increased to 60 seconds.

Berserker

- Fury's chance to activate has been lowered.

- Berserker Barrage's damage has been increased, the amount of damage that area-of-effect targets receive has been lowered, and the reuse timer has been lowered to 40 seconds.

- Frenzy's reuse timer has been increased to 60 seconds.



*** Stability and Performance ***

- More optimizations to increase server performance.

- Further server stability fixes.


*** Characters, Appearances, and Rendering ***

- Sewer Slimes should now show DoT particle effects.

- Halfling Female should no longer do the bionic strafe in combat.

- Fixed negative shadow bug.

- Fixed crash bug caused by Screaming Mace.

- There should no longer be rendering issues with players or NPCs standing over the bridge in Blackburrow.

- Statue of Antonia no longer blinks (it was creepy...)


*** Controls, Commands, and UI ***


- Long names should no longer get cut off.

- /who queries using names of archetype will now also return matching classes. e.g. /who Priest will return any Druid, Shaman, Cleric, etc.

- Chat: Chat windows should now save their default chat modes.

- Main UI: Guild names now use a smaller font and appear below your player name.

- Main UI: Attuning an equipped item now updates correctly on your inventory window.

- Main UI: Spell reagents now show their correct name in the examine window.

- Main UI: Zone selection window (Mariner's Bell) can now be moved and resized.

- Main UI: You can now destroy money with the right-click menu.

- Main UI: Fixed bug with radial window always staying onscreen even after receiving dynamic commands.

- Main UI: Death messages should now be displayed in their custom color.

- Main UI: Permanent effects should no longer show a countdown timer.

- Main UI: Upgrading a spell now overwrites the previous spell hotkey.

- Options: Fixed bug causing gamma to reset after game crash.

- Options: Guild names can now be toggled on/off with the 'Show Guild Names' option.

- Options: Added 'Show Titles' option with parameters of Never, Horizontal, and Vertical.

- Persona: New Lifetime and Current status have been added.



*** Audio ***

- Various surfaces throughout Norrath now have the correct footsteps sound effect.

- Doors now have a default sound for opening and closing.

- 'Tell send' sound no longer sounds like 'Tell fail' alert.



*** Gameplay ***


- New functionality for chests dropped as encounter rewards:

* The size of the chest will be based on its contents. The higher tier the item inside it, the larger the chest will be.

* BEWARE - Chests now have traps. The more valuable the contents of the chest, the greater the chance you may set off the trap.

* Scouts within the level range of the encounter will be able to 'Disarm' these chests without risk of activating the trap.

- Heroic Opportunities are active again.

- Now featuring In-House Storefronts and Brokers.

- Fired... err fixed Menders that were not charging for fixing 100% damaged items.

- Bug causing you to get stuck on objects in the world while logging in has been fixed.

- First person camera should no longer go through the ceiling while jumping into a low ceiling.

- You will no longer be able to bank or use merchants with whom you have negative faction.

- Female-specific emotes should be working again.

- Taking falling damage should now feel more responsive.

- You are no longer able to leave a group or raid while in a pocket zone.

- Going linkdead while in a group pocket zone should put you back with your group as long as they are still in that same zone.

- New functionality for chests dropped as encounter rewards:

* The size of the chest will be based on its contents. The higher tier the item inside it, the larger the chest will be.

* BEWARE - Chests now have traps. The more valuable the contents of the chest, the greater the chance you may set off the trap.

* Scouts within the level range of the encounter will be able to 'Disarm' these chests without risk of activating the trap.

- Guards can now help you find NPCs near their post. Right-click on the guard and select the 'Find NPC' option, then type in the name of the NPC you are looking for. If the NPC is nearby, the guard will point you in the right direction and create a waypoint to that NPC in your waypoints window in the "Directions" category. Asking for directions to a different NPC will create a new waypoint that overwrites the first one.

- Heroic Opportunities are active again.


*** Known Issues ***

- Still working on improving server performance.



*** Art ***

Characters

Fixed visual seams on player races

Fixed alignment bugs on many armor sets

Fixed LOD specular bug

FX

Optimized combat art visuals

Optimized spell projectile visuals

Optimized many environmental effects

Made "splash" effect for when lava "rain" hits ground

Made spells more adaptable for creatures without standard bones

Fixed the following artisan profession effects:

- Round Brilliant Cut

- Scratch Notation

- Hieroglyphic Lettering

Changed all flails to look heavier.

Put feather and scroll into the hands of the scribing tradeskiller.

Weapon is now automatically drawn if a combat art is initiated while not already in combat.

Effects added to Lucan and Antonia statues

Zones

Fixed stuck/collision issues in the following zones:

Qeynos Harbor

Qeynos South

Freeport West

Lavastorm

Solusek's Eye

Temple Street

Antonica

The Baubbleshire

Big Bend

Nektropos Castle

Nektulos Forest

Orcish Wastes



Fixed cosmetic issues in the following zones:

Qeynos Harbor

Qeynos South

Qeynos North

Freeport East

Freeport North

Solusek's Eye

Longshadow Alley

Sunken City

Permafrost

Vermin's Snye

Serpent Sewer


*** Audio ***


Fixed many text bugs associated with voiceover.

[10sun]

Fixed crash bug caused by Screaming Mace.

That makes me giggle.

-Adam