EverQuest: Underfoot Preview

After receiving a guided tour through SOE's EverQuest: Underfoot expansion pack, Ten Ton Hammer has returned to tell us all about it.
Underfoot includes all 15 previously released expansions. That's right - every single one of them is included. So, if you're behind by just one expansion, or all fifteen, it doesn't matter. In the past, SOE (Sony Online Entertainment) has had a habit of releasing an EverQuest compilation set shortly after a new expansion releases. The compilation would include all of the previous expansions *minus* the latest. It was a good deal if you'd been away for a while, but it still stung since it felt as though you had to make a substantial investment in the game again. Fortunately for everyone, it looks like they've seen the error of their ways and have taken care of new and veteran players alike this time. Let's hope this trend continues into the future.

The Underfoot expansion may not be designed with the new player in mind, but the EverQuest veterans will find a lot to be happy about. The expansion will introduce two new systems, a plethora of crafting items, twelve new zones to explore, and new races to encounter. The quest progression throughout the zones will throw the players directly into the middle of a conflict of godlike proportions literally.

EverQuest's Underfoot expansion will bring one major new feature to Norrathians everywhere--the achievement system. Similar to those found in other games, this system will track the progression of explored zones, gained AAs (Alternate Advancement abilities), quest completions, and more. When Underfoot launches, players will be able to track their General Achievements along with their progression in Underfoot. The team intends to bring all the old EverQuest zones into the Achievement system eventually as well. Once it's finished, those of you that are completionists can say goodbye to any spare time you had in the past because the number of zones alone in EverQuest is staggering.