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In anticipation of the upcoming release of EverQuest II, Sony Online Entertainment has put out a pre-order starter kit which allows you to reserve your full copy of EverQuest II when it comes out and also lets you create characters in advance. EverQuest II is expected to be the staple for the next generation of MMORPGs and precedes Everquest, which is the most successful massive multiplayer online role-playing game to date. Bridging the gap between the EverQuest and EverQuest II game worlds, the storyline takes place 500 years in the future in a parallel EverQuest universe. A lot of things have changed yet many of the unique character races, mythological gods and ancient cities retain enough similarity to their EverQuest counterparts that players of the original EverQuest game will be pleased to recognize them.
 
Set in a medieval style environment mixed with magic and mythical creatures, EverQuest II brings an entire online world to life using the most advanced game creation technology available. For example, character movements have been created using live motion capture so motions are fluid as in real life. And each NPC within the game has their own individual voice, making the player experiences and interactions more realistic than ever. The graphic details are also just as amazing to the point where it's easy to completely immerse yourself into the game environment. The starter kit allows you to sample the stunning in-game graphics and also unveils another level of depth in the character creation tool by providing enough customizable options so that you can create a completely unique looking character. This adds additional dimension to the game by allowing you to recognize other players just by looking at them instead of reading a nametag above their head, and of course it allows you to match a characterfs looks to the role-playing persona of your character.
 
The character creation tool allows you to choose from the 16 different races listed below: Character traits, including male or female, good or evil, and the race can be initially selected and then the real fun begins when you move to the next part of the character customization process. The second part of creation is the character looks where you can customize facial and body features such as the look of different facial parts like ears, eyes, mouth, nose, clothes colors, tattoos, jewelry and also skin color and pattern. The character can then be named and saved so it's ready to go as soon as you get your full copy of EverQuest II. Further character development such as the character archetype (fighter, mage, priest, and scout) is done from within the game so you'll have to wait for the full game before you can continue further character development.
 
Aside from the character creation tool, the starter kit also includes several other teasers that you'll want to look through. There are a few sample songs which are beautifully orchestrated and let you get a feel for how the soundtrack enriches the play experience. There are also two videos, the official trailer and "Making of" video, and a game play video. Watching those two videos gave me the chills and had me drooling to play the game. Lore is also included for fans of the game who will want to catch up on the storyline and get some intriguing background on the EverQuest II world. Lore and story telling has been an important part of the EverQuest game and it is certainly carried over and well connected with EverQuest II. Wallpapers for your desktop and a fan site kit for building your own EQ2 fan website are also on the starter kit CD.
One of the coolest things you'll get from this starter kit are the Journeyman Boots which is an in-game bonus item that you can give to one of your characters once you get a full copy of EverQuest II. These boots, nicknamed "Jboots" in the original EverQuest game, are magically imbued to allow the wearer to run faster. These boots are rockin' and will ensure that you can get started exploring the world of EverQuest II a lot faster, so they're definitely worth having. Just by going through the starter kit, one thing is for sure - EverQuest II is very impressive and looks massively fun. Like all MMORPGs, the best time to start playing them is as soon as they come out so you can get in on the ground floor of the economy and also grow your character from the start of the game. The starter kit is the best way to ensure that you can start playing EQ2 the day it comes out without any hassles or having to worry about not being able to get a copy from a local store because it's sold out. I'd definitely recommend picking it up now.
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