Feldon EQ2 Designer Aaron “Gnobrin” Bisnett has tweeted a few screenshots of the upcoming Siren’s Grotto zone which hits the EQ2 Beta server next Tuesday, and goes live at the end of April:
For those still thinking Siren’s Grotto will take place underwater…
Siren’s Grotto is *NOT* an underwater zone. You’re fighting sirens, there’s seaweed everywhere… no water. #EQ2
— Aaron Bisnett (@Gnobrin) March 28, 2013
These are being posted during the Game Update 66: Scars of the Awakened Lore Webcast:
I was kind of hoping this would be an underwater zone, actually. But then again, I guess like half my guildies seem to have never figured out how to swim in this game, so meh.
More Combine content of some type? I hope this means we can finally get those armor and weapons, I like the look of them.
Think they already stated that underwater zones wouldn’t work out well for EQ2 a long time ago.
Aside from that, hyped for this update. Glad Cobalt Scar is looking completely different and shows the effects of the cataclysm/shattering of the remaining sections of Velious!
Makes sense that this isn’t an under-water zone. Siren’s Grotto in EQ1 wasn’t, although it did have some water areas and it was common to camp in one of the pools and pull mobs to that spot.
I hope they do an under water zone at some point. I’m still disappointed that they didn’t include Kedge Keep as one of the zones in EoF. It was one of my favorite zones in EQ1.
Given the inability to ‘strafe’, non-functionality of ‘auto face target’ and various other moving oddities, I already hate fighting in water. While I agree that the idea is nice, the combat and movement in it would be a nightmare.
Kedge Keep: loved and hated it. It was sort of a dungeon maker or dungeon finder of zones… tons of potential and upside that could have served as a great model for other areas and divergent storyline and alternative mechanics. But left for dead, mostly due to z-axis and pathing problems… a tough thing in a vertically oriented zone, swimming aside. Also why it wouldn’t work here, since this engine just doesn’t handle non-ground based combat.
I was not a fan of either of the upcoming zones from EQ1. By far the least favorite areas of that whole expansion. Who likes a roomful of NPC enchanters? Not I.. stun, stifle, charm, dot, dot, dot.. Being a seemingly traditional role for sirens, sea nympths, and merfolk, I expect we’ll see a lot of that kind of interaction.
A rediscovered/unearthed Dragon Necropolis that we had to swim to would have been fun… and would have been an easy fit lore wise with the current story line, but oh well.. at least it looks to be visually compelling.
I love the last landscape shot — nice colors and vistas!
The siren looks a little trampy in that outfit, but I suppose they make them wear clothes for the visitors, or something.
Looks very cool. I finally learned how to swim, so I like underwater zones now, but they can be difficult and so probably just as well it’s out of the water.