f13.net

 Free with the Station Access account you just cancelled.  (http://everquest2.station.sony.com/adventures/fallendynasty/)

Holy crap they hired some talented model builders!  When did that happen and when are they remaking the player characters?

I really hate god-damn flash sites.  I had to update my despised flash player to version eight, the big text where the flash was supposed to be told me so.  Of course the text underneath it said I only needed seven.  So I install it after lying to Internet Explorer - "yeah, it's safe to install, I promise".  It promptly crashes IE and tries to send an error report.  That other SOE flash site you linked to played music without letting me turn it off until it had finished loading, clicking the volume off button was difficult because my cursor turned invisible as soon as it entered the flash area.

All that for a dozen crappy screenshots, only one of which was interesting enough to click on for the larger version, that link didn't work.  I wanted to see if that thing was supposed to be a mermaid or a Shissar, instead I got a picture of a couple guys standing in a rice field.  Edit: that link was fixed while I typed this.

And what have we done to deserve your latest string of avatars?  :|

According to the press release (http://www.warcry.com/scripts/news/view_news.phtml?site=15&id=54022), this was developed in conjunction with their Taiwan studio. It definitely has a very different feel to it from the staid stuff ingame. I was very glad they made SOGA models available, but even that didn't ultimately improve than bland "realistic" world.

Looks like SOE has given up on trying to grow their NA/Euro market and are trying to emulate the success of WoW by going after the Asia market now.

They dropped EQ2 for Asia though.

EQ2 doesn't have great artistic style to it. I think they may be in a position to finally do something about that. This expansion has been in development for some time I'm sure, and perhaps the work that was going to go to Asia got redirected here as an expansion (or it was global launch anyway). Regardless, anything is an improvement. Their graphics engine is certainly powerful enough. They just need a much better way of showcasing it in this age of heavily stylization.

Umm...okay, I guess they're just grasping at straws then. This reminds me of when EA added ninjas to UO.

Or when Guild Wars released Factions. Just because something is Asian in general theme doesn't mean it's aimed at just an Asian market.

That's true but ninjas and samurais are much more popular here in the US compared to ancient Chinese warriors (the Dynasty Warriors series being one of the rare exceptions). If you are going to spend that much money building an expansion targeted at North American and European audiences you are better off basing it on ninjas and samurais in my book. And Guild Wars already had Asian influences in it a la the Monk class so Factions is just a continuation of that (yes I know it's an entirely new campaign).

The price of the next expansion was upped to 40$.

That's all my eyes have noticed.

If I get a free copy, I might re-sub at that time.  Maybe I won't be so pre-occupied by then. 

Oh, and what's wrong with my new avatar?  You lot are always asking for boobies... it has boobies.  It's a woman.  You know you would do her if you could.  You internet people will do anyone.  You're probably doing her right now in your mind, in the bathroom.  God, you're so sick.

#lies

You're just spoiled because you married the prettiest woman in the world!

You damn right.

This isn't an expansion. It is an adventure pack for levels 55-70.

The next expansion is the continent Faydwer with Kelethin and a new race. Level cap will remain 70.

Yeah, but I was never all that impressed with the Asia player models.  They were too spindly-legged.  Probably due to the requirements of the armor modeling system.  Everything has to  have the same rough proportions, so what looks good on one race will look asstastic on another.

Eww, don't remind me how my ogre looks with the asian models.

Also, SOGA models suck imo, keke.

I like some of the soga hair styles.

Well, I guess I'll have to get this one.
(http://yegolev.com/images/uncover.jpg)

Yes, Ma'am.

It looks like her secrets are already well uncovered.

How do those stay on? Glue? Magic?

Piercings? :-o

It seems like they could have saved money on art costs by going with the cover that I submitted.

(http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/3a174e1340.jpg) (http://www.uploadfile.info)