Requirements to Join Pak’Cafan: EverQuest Shard

Comments: With the launch of EverQuest “Free-to-Play”, there is a lot of excitement as well as valid concerns.  Over the years, Pak’Cafan has proved to be a very active and helpful guild to all members and non-members.  We continue to surround ourselves with dedicated players who swell our ranks with pride.

A strong majority of our members box multiple characters or used to box characters in the past.  With the doors opening at the launch of “Free-to-Play”, several of those valued characters will be able to return to the battlefield once again.

“Free-to-Play” will also open the door for returning players who once shared the same passion of EQ, however with financial hardships in the past may have interfered with their gaming community.

The concerns dig deep regarding the mass surge of young and immature players who tend to flock towards the “Free-to-Play” games.  Free games also tend to attract players who do not have dedication to any one game, however require constant attention or assistance.

Pak’Cafan is always looking to add exceptional players to our ranks.  We are currently recruiting individuals with good personalities and who enjoy grouping and helping others.  Members in Pak’Cafan are always willing to help, however we will not be taken advantage of for the sole purpose of gearing up returning characters, assisting players who have a poor commitment to the game, blasting players through the progression content, or spring boarding characters so that they can move on to raiding guilds.

In the EverQuest Shard, we are a “mature” casual style family guild. Pak’Cafan continues to maintain its esteemed reputation of the highest class.  We will not tolerate vulgar or excessive swearing in /gu chat, /ooc, /general chat, or TeamSpeak (EverQuest Channel).

Because of the new changes in EverQuest with the “Free-to-Play”; the requirements to join Pak’Cafan will be increased to ensure healthy future of dedicated players who share a passionate interest in the game and their fellow guild mates.

Updates: (Effective 3/1/12)

- All approved applicants for “Cub Status” will have a 60-day trial before being accepted in Pak’Cafan.  Guild Tags will not be displayed until promoted to “Pak Hunter” (Full status). Cubs are encouraged to spend time with their guild mates, have an active role in EverQuest (log at least a few times a week), and demonstrate a level of independence in the game.  Cub members who have an extended absence during their 60-day trial will be removed.

- Players must be level 80+ before applying to Pak’Cafan. We are looking for players who enjoy the game at a casual pace, however can show that they have a commitment and understanding with the game.  A strong majority of the guild is level 90-95 which makes grouping with low level applicants difficult.  Do not worry; experience in the game is quick with a little bit of effort on your part.

- “Cub Status” Alts must be level 70+ before asking for a Guild Invite. With the Free-To-Play accounts, players typically have an overwhelming amount of alternate characters which is very time consuming with constant requests to the guild officers.

- “Pak Hunter” Alts must be level 50+ before asking for a Guild Invite. With the Free-To-Play accounts, players typically have an overwhelming amount of alternate characters which is very time consuming with constant requests to the guild officers.

- “Cub Status” Players will refrain from asking for assistance with Progression Flagging Missions from the Guild Officers.  The officers in Pak’Cafan are always willing to bend over backwards to assist the needs of other players, however the requests have been increasingly overwhelming. 

The Pak’Cafan officers do a lot of behind the scenes work that most players don’t realize so that we can keep the guild running smooth for everyone’s enjoyment. They manage the guild bank, frequently juggle 4-5 conversations in tells at a time, plan events for the guild, handle any issues that arise, run missions, and so much more.  Please keep in mind, the officers also need time to enjoy the game with their own goals.

Click HERE for a list of our officers.

Cubs can always ask other guild members for assistance, however we are trying to reduce some of the work load on our officers.

When a new Cub has reached “Pak Hunter”, the officers will do their absolute best to assist a main character with the mission. Remember, we are here to lend support, not power level or blow through content that should be enjoyed.

- Multi-Guilding is NOT allowed. Players are welcome to have their alts tagged in Pak’Cafan or leave them deguilded. Having characters in 2 different guilds will result in your removal from Pak’Cafan.  (If you have your own personal guild on an alt for additional bank space, that is allowed).

- “Retired Pak Members” who are guilded in EverQuest need to adhere to the current guild charter policies. Once they agree with the rules/requirements of the guild charter, their status will be updated to “Pak Hunter” without needing to complete the Cub Trial.

- “Pak’Cafan Members” from a different shard (Rift, WoW, Star Wars, etc) who wish to join EverQuest need to adhere to the current guild charter policies for EverQuest.  They can skip the Cub Trial if they can prove Pak Membership via past forum posts or have another Pak Member/Officer vouch for them.

*** Any Cub Member invites prior to 3/1/12 can adhere to the 30-day trial policy ***

Sincerely,

Barbadis Grimstone <Pak’Cafan>
[EverQuest Shard: Guild Leader]

News: Bonus Experience Weekend and a Sale in the Marketplace!

This weekend only*, we’re giving you up to 30% off services available in the EverQuest marketplace. (Check out the list below to see the items that qualify for this sale)

Spend your three day weekend filling up your experience bar! From 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 17, 2012 through 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on February 20, 2012, we’ll dramatically increase experience gains from mob kills to make your holiday weekend extra special! Make sure you log in during Bonus Experience** and enjoy the extra ding!

*Promotional offer valid from 4:01AM PST 2/17/12 to 11:59PM PST 2/20/12 only

**Experience awarded per kill will increased by up to 50%; please note that other modifiers and caps will still be in place and will affect experience gain normally. As a result, total experience gains may vary slightly, depending on each individual’s situation.

EverQuest Goes Free To Play!

Click HERE for Full Details and it will hopefully answer all of your Questions.

Sincerely,

Barbadis Grimstone <Pak’Cafan>
[EverQuest Shard: Guild Leader]

Overview of the past several weeks

Hail Pak!

Pak’Cafan has been quite busy over the past several weeks!  We have done T3 and T4 Mini-Raids in the Veil of Alaris expansion, Attempted a Real Argath Raid for some fun, Destroyed Anguish for Epic Orbs, Continue to gear up in VoA, Promoted members and officers in rank, Laughed endless nights on TeamSpeak and Guild Chat, Hammered out the VoA, HoT, and UF progression content, and Welcomed new members with open arms.

T3 VoA Mini-Raids

We’ve tried to keep an even balance with the Mini-Raids in Beast’s Domain and the Resplendent Temple.  Several of the named mobs in T3 prove to be quite a challenge for a single group of casual players to take down, which makes our mini-raids perfect for these zones.

In the house of thule expansion, players were able to Taskadd through the content and pay for the upgrade to wear Tier 4 Gear (skipping all the other content and challenges).   In the Veil of Alaris Expansion, SOE didn’t make it so easy to gear up.

In order to skip straight to the T4 visible armor you need to have a VoA language of 91 (which is incredibly time consuming and challenging).

However it is much easier to get your T3 gear (language 71 required) and then do the upgrade to T4 (no language needed if you already have the T3 gear).

Because of this, we will spend a great deal of time hammering the T3 zones in our Mini-Raids to help gear our members and ensure a smooth transition to their T4 gear without the pain of getting our language to 91.  Most high end raiders are even following this plan.

T4 VoA Mini-Raids

As always, we want to challenge and enjoy ourselves in the tough content while having some laughs.  Our first Mini-Raid was in Windsong for a chance to test our skills at a popular camp for a pet focus earring and a very nice AC Aug.

The Pet Focus earring is a very nice upgrade for the Mage, Beast, and Necromancers which will allow them to use their pets for tanks.  Several members are now able to use their Pets efficiently as tanks even on the tough T3 and even T4 VoA named mobs. Shesh!

We will continue to do Mini-Raids in the T4 Zones, however a strong majority of our focus will be in T3. Most of our players still need the T3 gear so they can make the easy upgrade to T4 without needing 91 language. Sooo much to do with this expansion.

T1 VoA - Argath Raid

I received word from several players that the T1 Argath Raid is definitely possible for a casual guild.  Well, for giggles we wanted to give it a shot.

We had lower numbers than usual when we attemped the raid but still wanted to give it a go.  With an average of 19-20 characters in raid (several boxers) it proved to be too few in numbers for the “W”.

The first attempt was to test a tanking technique with the Static Raid Mob (Catch aggro, back away, get summoned, rinse and repeat).  Needless to say that trick didn’t work as well as others boasted and everyone ended up on the bottom of the “Avatar of Steel’s” Shoe. =P

The second attempt was to see if we could keep our main tank (Keshua) alive if we straight up tanked the boss and kept our healers out of the AE range.  We executed it beautifully and kept the tank up, however just didn’t have the numbers in raid to handle the extra adds and other dynamics.  Even though it was a second wipe, we still had a great time and enjoyed learning some new techniques.

Anguish Epic 2.0 Orb Runs

A few of us have been clearing Anguish for the Epic Orbs and for a chance at the BP clickie off of OMM which still holds a strong value in the game today.  Because of the long lock-out timer (4 days), the Raids have been on Friday afternoon.  If you are in need of the 2.0 orb, please let an officer know.

EverQuest Officer Promotions (Pak Guardian)

Welcome Didgar to the Officer Circle! Didgar has been a strong influence in the Pak Community, has helped countless members, and upheld the Pak honor in the very highest.

If anyone needs help with their J5 flagging missions, needs an alt invited, help with the guild bank, class related questions, has questions or any problems please don’t hesitate to ask him.

You can also catch Didgar on TeamSpeak most evenings.

Update on Speedbumpp (Gankerr): I spoke with Speedbumpp on the phone a few days ago and he is still settling into his new house.  It should only be a few more weeks before he returns in full force!

Update on Sevaril: Sev is going to be taking an extended leave from the game to focus on Real Life, Family, and Kids (as should we all sometimes). We will really miss his in depth mechanics of the game, grouping, assistance with the guild, and of course his SOE conspiracy theory.  =P.  We wish you the best and hope to see ya soon.

Pak’Cafan on TeamSpeak

If you don’t have a TeamSpeak3 loaded up you are “missing out!” lol.  The Pak officers, members, and even cubs are logging into TS every night and having an absolute blast.  It really brings us closer together and of course saves a TON of typing.  There are so many stories we share that you just couldn’t type or read the emotion in text.

If you haven’t loaded up TeamSpeak we strongly encourage you to do so!  Even if you don’t have a microphone, you can still listen in.

We just ask that all players be respectful and please refrain from swearing since most players have children in the room while they are playing EverQuest.

Welcome to our Newest Members!

Pak’Cafan stays healthy with a new batch of Cubs every month.  As players retire or focus on real life, new ones come in.  We pride ourselves in Pak’Cafan for getting to know everyone and helping out when possible.

If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to ask.

Interested in Joining Pak’Cafan?

Pak’Cafan is always looking to grow and extend are arms to new players who are mature, independent, and understands the basics of their class.

Pak’Cafan is a large multi-gaming community that  was brought to life by a group of friends and allies in 1999. The guild began in EverQuest, but as other gaming worlds were created, Pak’Cafan introduced shards to meet these new challenges. There are three primary virtues around which we, the members of Pak’Cafan, set our beliefs: Honor, Courage, and Family. This set of core values can be found in our guild and our members in every game Pak plays. We are a tight-knit community that enjoys playing together and raiding in a fun way. Pak is filled with people from all over the world, but our members primarily reside in North America.

Over the years, Pak’Cafan has taken on many rolls.  We are currently a Causal Style Gaming Guild amongst friends and family in the land of Norrath.  If you are looking for a guild with mature players who enjoy sitting back, kicking off their shoes, and enjoy groupable content without the pressures of raiding… this could be a great home for you.  We have a large variety of members with different play styles and many of them enjoy grinding in end-game zone content.  Pak’Cafan also has several boxers and a strong majority of us enjoy learning the various classes with alt characters.

If you would like to learn more about Pak’Cafan or Make an Application, Please Click HERE.

Sincerely,

Barbadis Grimstone <Pak’Cafan>
[EverQuest Shard: Guild Leader]

EverQuest is getting a new LaunchPad!

EverQuest is getting a new LaunchPad!

During the week of January 30, 2012, EverQuest will be upgrading to LaunchPad 4! LaunchPad 4 offers many advantages over previous versions of our LaunchPad software, in that it handles data quicker, more efficiently, and takes less time to update your game.

So what do you need to do to get LaunchPad 4, you ask? It’s very simple. Just continue to use your current launcher for EverQuest as normal, and when EverQuest upgrades it will be automatically downloaded to your computer and installed.

We know there are bound to be a few questions about this upgrade, so we’ve created this handy FAQ. If you don’t see your question answered, please feel free to ask.

• Why are you upgrading to LaunchPad 4?

There are two reasons for our upgrade to LaunchPad 4. This way we’ll have one version across all our games and this launcher comes with a myriad of technical improvements. This should lead to better stability, quicker changes, faster patching, and fewer errors.

• I like my current version of LaunchPad. Why do I have to switch?We understand change isn’t always easy, but the improvements with LaunchPad 4 will far outweigh the problems created by maintaining several different launchers. The upgrade should be seamless and provide a better experience for everyone.

• I regularly log in more than one account at the same time. Will I still be able to do this with LaunchPad 4?Yes. Logging in multiple times with separate accounts is very easy to do in LaunchPad 4. Because LaunchPad 4 does not exit once you have started the game, simply switch back to the LaunchPad 4 application and log out of your account. Then log in again with any other account you would like to use and click the Play button again. A second instance of EverQuest will open and you can continue as normal.

• With LaunchPad 3, I had some compatibility issues. How have you addressed these with LaunchPad 4?One of the downsides of LaunchPad 3 was it had some file dependencies and required Adobe Flash to be installed. With LaunchPad 4, we have moved away from these external dependencies. We’ve already successfully rolled out LaunchPad 4 to a number of our other games.

• What Operating Systems does LaunchPad 4 work on?LaunchPad 4 works on Windows XP with service pack 3 installed and later versions of Windows.

• Can I download LaunchPad 4 early?Unfortunately, you cannot. The upgrade will happen automatically for everyone at the same time.

• If I need to download a copy of LaunchPad 4, where will I get it?Once EverQuest has upgraded to LaunchPad 4, Launchpad 4 will be available via EverQuest’s normal link and at www.soe.com/getthegame.

Double Nameds AND Double XP!

Increased Rare Spawns December 23, 2011 to December 26, 2011

Who do you want to see coming down the chimney of your Guildhall this year – Santug Claugg? Only if he’s dropping phat loot! The rare mobs of Norrath have decided to make the rounds this year and will appear quite a bit more often for a limited time! From 11:00 a.m. Pacific* December 23, 2011 until 11:59 p.m. Pacific* December 26, 2011, we’ll turn up the spawn rate, so get out there and work on your Hunter Achievements!

Double Experience** December 30, 2011 to January 2, 2012

New Year’s Eve is the time to make resolutions… and great experience gains! From 11:00 a.m. Pacific* on December 30, 2011 through 11:59 p.m. Pacific* on January 2, 2012, we’ll dramatically increase experience gains from mob kills to help start the new year with a ding! Make sure you log in during Double Experience** and reap the rewards of EverQuest at New Years!

*Convert To Your Local Time Link

**Experience awarded per kill will be doubled; please note that other modifiers and caps will still be in place and will affect experience gain normally. As a result, total experience gains may vary slightly, depending on each individual’s situation.

Tier 3 Mini-Raid (VoA – Resplendent Temple)

Hail Pak!

Mini-Raid was scheduled on Wed 11/30/11 at 9:15pm EST in the “Resplendent Temple” – (Flagging was Not Required – Level 85+ Raid).

Level Requirement: There are no level requirements to zone in.  For our Mini-Raid in a Tier 3 VoA zone, we require Pak Members to be level 85+.  Cubs are welcome and all standard loot rules apply.

Goal for Tonight: Visit a new zone for the mini-raid and test out the new named boss mobs.  Most of the named mobs are too difficult for a single group to manage at level 90; making the Mini-Raids perfect!

Some of the loot that dropped tonight:

Comments: The pulls were very tricky and it took us working as a team to get the deep ones from the tunnels out to the raid on the bridge.  Having a Bard, SK, and Ranger working together on TeamSpeak really helped! Great Job!

We only had one issue with another group that moved in close to our camp and tagged a few of our pulls. However, rather than making a big issue about it we let them have the mob.  After a few tells, they gave us the loot that dropped and we enjoyed the rest of our evening.  See! It pays to be the good guy.

Oh, I almost forgot! One of the Named (forget which one) tossed players, which was quite interesting considering we were on a bridge! Hahahah.  I can honestly say we had an absolute blast!

GREAT JOB EVERYONE! Definitely makes me proud to be a member of Pak!

Sincerely,

Barbadis Grimstone <Pak’Cafan>
[EverQuest Shard: Guild Leader]

Don’t Cheat in EverQuest: Over 700 Accounts suspended

Notes from SoE: On Friday, December 9, 2011 the first wave of accounts were suspended as a result of the new anti-cheating code in EverQuest. This included suspensions on more than 700 accounts for a number of days by way of a first warning.

After substantial review, we determined a small number of individuals who may have been mistakenly identified in the initial wave. We always give our players the benefit of the doubt and consequently, the affected accounts were unsuspended and received an apology along with additional time credit. Cheating is a huge concern that affects the entire community and therefore, must be addressed accordingly. Moving forward, we will continue to review and revise practices to make sure that our processes are efficient and precise.

Remember that these suspensions are merely the first wave, and further action is on the horizon. We will not rest, but will instead continue to gather data and take action as necessary on behalf of the entire player base.

Don’t cheat – it’s not worth it.

Comments from Pak’Cafan: There are three primary virtues around which we, the members of Pak’Cafan, set our beliefs: Honor, Courage, and Family.  Any Pak members caught using 3rd party programs that fall under the SOE Cheat guidlines will be reported to the Inner Council and earn you an instant Ban from the guild (All Pak’Cafan Shards).

I am sure that everyone who plays this game has one time or another, worried that something they are doing could be considered cheating. I spotted a recent 9 page thread on the recent topic of “Cheaters beware” from SOE. I combed the posts last night for direct answers from Devs on what is considered cheating:

Anything that gives you an unfair advantage over another player, is considered cheating. Using the unique abilities of a mix of classes together, is not cheating. Many people were concerned on how SOE feels about parsing, item collection programs etc…

Pietro answered:

“You know who you are, we know who you are, and you now have your warning. We strongly advise you to take heed and reform your ways immediately. There will be no second chances.”

“You have been warned.”

“I’m not gonna create a list of approved programs, however I will say that common sense is more than enough to tell if you are cheating.”
-Parsing – Not cheating
-Item Collectors – Not cheating
-Program that has autofire button (and you are still in the general vicinity of the keyboard) – Not cheating
-Swimming on auto-run into a corner to raise up swimming – Not cheating
-Pietro even specifically OK’d Logitech programmable keyboards and the macros you can create as OK.

“If it’s reasonable and not unfair it’s not cheating. If it gives you an unfair advantage and allows you to do things that can’t be normally done in game it’s cheating.”

Sincerely,

Barbadis Grimstone <Pak’Cafan>
[EverQuest Shard: Guild Leader]

Legends of Norrath: The Jasarth Destroyer

We are very happy to announce the release of Legends of Norrath: The Jasarth Destroyer on Tuesday, December 20, 2011!

We are very happy to announce the release of Legends of Norrath: The Jasarth Destroyer on Tuesday, December 20, 2011! Legends of Norrath: The Jasarth Destroyer is an all new pack for the Legends of Norrath Trading Card Game featuring 11 brand new cards, including a loot card for either EverQuest or EverQuest II! The powerful gameplay in this mini-set whets your appetite for the full set coming in early 2012 that wraps up the story of the Anarchs.

In addition to the 11 cards available in The Jasarth Destroyer, with your first purchase you will receive a new generic deck built with cards that should stay in the Standard environment for a long time. It features cards like Fippy’s Paw, Young Wyvern, Misdirect, and Surprise Attack. It’s a great way to explore the special challenge of building a quality deck that has no archetype cards.

Also with your first purchase you’ll obtain a new Avatar: Dallyn Estarim, the patriarch of the contentious family that is the focus of the LON Anarchs block. He has a simple exert action that exchanges the top card of your deck for one of the cards in your hand. It’s always nice to have options!

Legends of Norrath: The Jasarth Destroyer will retail for $9.99 via the LON Store and will be available from the EQ and EQII Marketplaces as well. Keep an eye on the Legends of Norrath website over the next week as we continue to show you more about the exciting contents of this pack!

SoE 12 Days of Christmas

It’s time to celebrate the Holidays with us!  Starting December 14, 2011 at 12:01 am PST through December 25, 2011 at 11:59 pm PST, (get daily offers and deals when you login to participating games listed below.*)

These could be new items, sales, or new features. You’ll need to log in to find out what’s happening in your game!

Make sure to obtain all 12 free daily items via the Marketplace in EQ for a special achievement and reward!