If you have logged on to EQ2 Players lately, then you have realized that they have substantially changed the look of it.

What you may not realize is that it still has most of the same functionality, albeit harder to find.

Say, for example, you are a guild leader, trying to determine the stats of a player who has requested to enter your guild. As long as the person in question does not have their account set to private, you can still view a player.

Here is how you do it:

First, take a look at the picture above. On the right side the words, “Log in to your Profile” is the word, “Search”. Click that. it will take you to the following screen:

Then you enter the info for the player for whom you are trying to search. I’m entering Necrotherian, and selecting Najena server from the drop down menu. (You will note that the drop down menu is not aligned with the server box, but I think that is just a bug that didn’t get caught by QC,) :

Next you hit the button labeled, “Search Characters” and it gives you a list of available options:

Then you click on the players name from the options you are given. (In this example, it only shows one option. However, had I not specified the server, it would have given two options: My toon on Najena server, and my toon on AB server.) It will then display the following screen:

And there you go, it is that easy.

As of yet, I haven’t found a way to check another players alts. When I figure it out, I will post it.

Until next time,

Necrotherian Facepalmer

It seems like these days, you can’t turn on a TV or fire up a website that isn’t talking about our “shrinking dollar”. Either prices are rising or you simply get less of what you used to for the same price.

Walk into your local grocery store and you’ll find that the cereal box costs the same as it did a year ago, but the amount of cereal IN the box is now less. That bad of premade salad you used to buy for $1.99 is still the same price, but now there’s 25% less salad in the bag.

It’s not just food producers who are trying to sell us a smaller bill of goods for the same price – if you’re still paying SOE for access to their EQ2Players site, you’re paying the same as ever, for less of what you used to get.

One way SOE has reduced your monthly payment has been to add in rotating ads. Whether or not you pay SOE to use EQ2 players, you’re subjected to the ads. There is no way to turn these ads off. You can’t even pay SOE to turn them off – there’s simply no option. The ads weren’t there a year or two ago…and yet the price you used to pay for an ad-free site is the same price you’re paying today. Interesting, eh?

Well, if you think that’s something to think about, realize this: Within the last year, without any real fanfaire or announcement, SOE started letting players turn off their profiles completely. If you’re paying access to SOE because you’d like access to different player profiles, you’re out of luck if that player decides to switch their profile off. No more looking at the gear of top players to see what you might want to try for yourself. No more checking out possible applicants for your guild. No more following up on old friends who switched servers. If someone wants to shut off their profile (even if they aren’t currently paying for the service), then you can’t look at them (even if you do pay). This wasn’t always the case, but it is now.

Remember when you could look at a guild roster in EQ2players and get a quick look at everyone’s join date? Remember when you could see a guild of the day? Player of the day?

Sure, they added some new features here and there along the way, but they also yanked quite a few as well…and most of the time, there wasn’t much notice that it was going to happen.

So, while you and I and the rest of us keep paying SOE the same $1.99 a month as you always have, the truth of the matter is that you’re slowly paying for less and less and time goes on.

I was checking out the EQ2 Players webby today and noticed their latest zone review request is listed, encouraging the community to do a review of the zone of Everfrost.  Well, I’m going to do something a little different as I am sure a whole lot will be letting SoE know their views on the zone and submitting a review.  What I aim to do, is everytime SoE ask for a zone review on a specific zone I am going to give a review of my memories and experiences of the ‘old norrathian zones’ – if a direct correlation exists of course.  In this case one does!  Obviously Everfrost was originally a zone just off Halas and Blackburrow.  For those struggling to recall the layout…

 So what was the zone like? Well, the very first time I ever ventured to Everfrost was when a friend had a created a Barbarian Shaman.  From what I recall Udrath my Dwarvern Warrior was only about level 12 or 13 and just getting across Norrath from Freeport was somewhat of a challenge. At the time I couldn’t quite believe the distance I had to run on my stumpy little legs and I started to get an appreciation as to how large Norrath actually was.  I hadn’t even been to Qeynos at that point.  Zoning in from Blackburrow you are first met with the fairly restricted view of the chasms that populated the area North of BB and head all the way towards Halas.  I can recall my frustration as I kept getting lost in the gullies and chasms that seemed to always guide me to the open area to the east. 

After meeting up with my friend, we decided to do some hunting and headed out in to the plains.  From what I can recall we didn’t head that far out as the mobs were generally too tough for us the closer we got to the frozen river.  Later on in levels I remember quite clearly camping the temple (#9 on map) and hunting Redwind.  I spent a fair amount of time there on my Druid kiting and having fun.  Overall, because of it’s remote location I didn’t use Everfrost too much. As such I am trying to recall what parts of the old Everfrost resemble the new..and I am coming up with a complete blank.  Apart from the snow obviously.  I do recall a mob or two that can be found in both, such as Karg Icebear and Miragul (The Menagerie guy), but aside from that I am struggling to recall any resemblance.  Which is strange as in other EQ2 zones the tribute to EQ1 is quite apparent..just look at Unrest..almost a carbon copy.  From what I remember though my times in Everfrost were happy, just not memorable with clarity. I wonder what that says about the zone?  I mean looking at other zones in EQ1 I can remember everything about them. Maybe it was the small amount of time spent there?  It never did seem to be an over populated zone with very few hunting there as I recall.

Redwind at the Temple, Everfrost, Everquest.