BETA TESTING

Beta Basics... How To & Rewards.

If you want your say, then Beta is the way! -- Bonzz

Every year, around October / November, Beta Testing is opened up to players.

The EverQuest Beta Sever should not be confused with the Test Server, as they are two (2) entirely different things.

One is a temporary server to 'Beta Test' the new expansion before it comes out, while the other (Test) is a year round (permanent) server, where you can test whatever you want to test (things come out on Test before they come out on Live).

Watch for announcements on this in the EQ Forums, the EverQuest site and / or EQ Discord.

Beta does require that a second copy of EverQuest (Beta version) to be installed on your computer (explained below).

Beta Testing is your chance to help weed out bugs and other concerns, before the expansion is released to live servers!

In the old days, Beta was by invitation only. Later it was by application and approval only. Now, it is normally paid accounts and / or pre-order of the expansion.

NOTE: Beta can and / does vary expansion to expansion. Let me know of any data below needs updated, due such changes.

NOTE: Normally, you CAN play on Live & Beta at the same time.

NOTE: Cross server tells / e-mails are not allowed to / from Beta. However, you can join cross server channels. If you link something, it probably will not work for Players on live servers.

NOTE: Dying in Beta is not supposed to lose you any Experience, at all. So adventure on and don't worry about losing a Level!

NOTE: Beta is normally re-patched every morning (with little if any notes, and even then, only in the Beta Forums).

NOTE: Don't be surprised if Beta zones or NPC's or MoB's are re-popped with little to no notice.

NOTE: Don't be surprised if the Beta server is reset (Locked and off-line) with little to no notice. These are normally short-lived resets.

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NOTE: DID I MISS ANYTHING? ANY ERRORS / TYPOS? If you know of anything I missed, please send me an in-game message to let me know, so I can add it! Additionally, also let me know about typos, spelling errors, missing information and any other errors.

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!!!!!QUICK LINKS!!!!

GETTING STARTED          WHAT NOT TO DO          WHAT TO DO (Expectations)          HOW TO        HEROS FORGE  

INSTALL BETA          COPY CHARACTER          CREATE CHARACTER / BETA BUFF         COPY LIVE SETTINGS TO BETA

WHAT THINGS COPY OVER          BETA FISH & GEARING UP           MAXING LEVELS & AA          TRIBUTE          ANY NEW MAPS?

EARNING & CLAIMING BETA REWARDS          PAST BETA REWARDS          BETA ACHIEVEMENTS          IS THERE A BAZAAR?

GETTING TO THE NEW ZONES          KEEPING UPDATED WITH BETA PROGRESS          REPORTING BUGS & CONCERNS

I NEED PLAT!          THAT A DEV I SEE?

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GETTING STARTED

1) INSTALL EQ BETA: If you all ready have a version of EQ Beta installed on your computer from a past year, you can try to launch it and see if it updates to the current Beta, on it's own. If it does, you are set and can skip to Step 2.

However, sometimes this does NOT work. If it doesn't, you will just reinstall it from a new EQ Beta Set-Up download (see below).

To download the EQ Beta Set-Up, watch / look for the announcement that Beta is open to Players and any requirements for participation. Normally, the requirements to play on the Beta Test server are simply to pre-order the expansion and / or have a paid account.

The announcement should include a link to the EQ Beta download. Otherwise, it appears the Beta Install Program is always located here --> EQ Beta Set-Up (or, maybe, only when Beta is active).

As a note, this is NOT the same Install Program as for EQ Live. It is a Beta Download & Set-Up Installation Program.

Once you have it downloaded, click it and run it.

If you all ready have an old Beta installed, when it gets to the step to select an installation location, be sure to select the 'EverQuest Beta' folder that you all ready have created.

Otherwise, make sure it is installing into your existing Daybreak Games directory.

Running this installation program is necessary, because it will install of the new files (from the coming expansion) and all of the special Beta-only files.

In recent years, there has not been an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) attached to playing on Beta like there used to be... BUT... to be sure, read the announcements... just in case.

The installation process should have put an 'EverQuest Beta' icon on your desktop, to start up the Beta version of the game with.

If it did not, the name of the file, to click on and launch EverQuest Beta, is called 'LaunchPad.exe' (inside the EverQuest Beta folder).

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2) COPY OR CREATE YOUR CHARACTER(S) & SETTINGS: Next, you can either copy over any of your existing Characters (from other servers), or create a brand new Character on the Beta Server.

If you copy existing Characters over, they will start as is... for the most part (explained below).

You can also create a brand new Character on Beta, which is no different than creating one on a normal server. Just be aware that this brand new Character will take up one of the eighteen (18) Beta Server Character slots available to you.

NOTE: I strongly suggest, if you want to transfer settings, layouts and such from the Live Server to the Beta server (noted below), that you name this new Character after your Live Character (and be of the same class) to make the process easier.

If your Character is raid geared, you may want to just do the /beta copy, as, normally, the group gear of the new expansion is not better than the raid gear of the previous expansion.

If your Character is not raid geared, then you may want to create a brand new (Level 1) character, instead (skip the Tutorial and do NOT use a Heroic Boost, because your Character must be Level 1 and have gained no experience whatsoever).

Once the Character is created,  use the 'Beta Buff' command to boost it up. The command is /betabuff class level -- such as /betabuff Paladin 120.

NOTE: This command can be used to 'buff' to any 5th Level (5, 10, 15, 20 and so on to current game max Level).

Once you type the command, you will get a 'warning' window (see below image), to confirm your action (click the 'Yes' button if you want to continue, click the 'No' button if you do not want to continue).

If you click 'Yes,' you then be disconnected as the change takes place. Next, log back in and the character that you used this command on should now be Level 120 (or whatever Level you chose). You will also have Max AA's; most if not all Merc AA's; 1 Million Platinum; max language, combat, magic and other skills (except Tradeskills are 300 rather than 350); all your spells, discs and or songs (up to Rank II); two (2) forty (40) slot 100% weight reduction bags; max tradeskill trophies; fully geared up with new expansion Gear; and even some Marketplace potions (change race, change name...).

You will also notice, when you log in, that you are given a chance to change your Race, Deity and / or Starting City (you don't have to). This is because the /betabuff command does not necessarily retain the race of the Character you started with. Example, you may have made a Vah Shir Shaman, but after using the /betabuff command, the character became a Troll Shaman. Just keep in mind, changing races can negate the gear you have on, as it may not be usable by the race you change to.

My opinion? Just run with the character as is, to save time from having to re-gear with Beta Fish (noted later).

Next, you may want to transfer the look and settings from the Live Server to the Beta server, rather than setting it all up again, from scratch.

Otherwise, you have to set up your UI, to a degree of satisfaction, for Beta purposes.

If you know how to copy (not Move, not Cut, not Delete!) and rename your character files over... you can get back your UI, Hot Keys and the so forth.

The the files you may want to move over, to do this, are found in your your 'Live' EQ Directory:

• COPY (not Move, not Cut, not Delete!) (highlight and ALT C) any and all files that include you characters name;
• Paste those files (not move them!) in the same place in your EQ Beta Directory (ALT V).
• You may also want to do the same with your entire 'maps' folder, 'uifiles' folder, ''userdata' folder and your 'AudioTriggers' folder (if you use them).
• NOTE: These are the same files you may wish to back-up in case of a computer crash.

Now, try the 'Copy Layout' feature (Alt O -> General Tab -> Copy Layout Button) and select your 'UI_Charater_Server' file, check all the boxes and then click the Copy Button. This should make your Beta window look like your Live Window, hot buttons and all. If it doesn't, try renaming the two (2) files in your Main Beta Directory as noted next (below).

The next thing you need to do is rename files, in your 'userdata' folder. Example, any file that has your Character name and live server as part of it's name, you want to change the server name -- and the server name ONLY -- to 'beta.' Again, you are only changing the server name part, not the 'charactername' part.

If you do this right, your Beta set-up should look and work like your Live Server set-up.

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NOTE! Before you copy a Character to Beta, make sure any items you want to take with your character, are either on the Character or in the Characters primary bank (explained below). This includes Coin! I suggest you take ALL of your coin! Things in your houses, Tradeskill Depot, Dragon's Hoard, Guild Hall and Shared Bank do not copy over. So, if you want to copy something over with your toon, they need to be in you main bank on on your character. Things you may want to copy over, such tradeskill tools & tradeskill trophies!

When ready, to copy a Character over, you will need to log on to that Character (on the Live Server) and then use the /beta command. You can use this Command for up to eighteen (18) different Characters (which is the Character limit on Beta) on the same account, from any server you Play on.

The message you see after typing the /beta command is, as of this typing, a bit outdated. You don't have to be "selected" anymore, you just need to pre-order the expansion.

As a note, all Characters copied over from the same Account, despite the server they are actually on, will appear together on the Beta server.

Beta is normally updated every every morning between 5AM & 7AM Pacific time, so you Character(s) should show up on the Beta the next day (except maybe on weekends).

If you have more than one account, you can do this on both accounts and play both accounts on Beta, just like you can on Live Servers.

Keep in mind that a Beta Character is 100% temporary! Once Beta is over, it's over (you can try to log in, but will find that the server is 'Locked' and it will stay that way until the next Beta is activated)! In fact, all Player Characters are wiped from the Beta server once Beta is over (you will have to start anew with the next Beta, even if with the same Character).

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3) WHAT THINGS COPY OVER: You may notice, once you are on Beta, that any Characters that you copied over are 'generally' intact.

However, you will also notice that there is a lot that is missing.

Here is a quick run down of a few such things / settings....

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4) PLAY AS IS -- OR NOT:  Decide if you want to experience Beta realistically (as you are)... or you want to beef up your Character. Your call!

Playing 'as is' is a more realistic approach to Beta testing, since it will simulate what it will actually be like for you when the expansion goes live. It is also easier to get started, as there is less preparation... just head on out and start adventuring!

However, beefing up your character can help reduce your Beta adventuring frustrations, by making you more capable versus the new content. In fact, if you don't mind a little tradeskilling, you can normally gear yourself in 100% top level Raid Gear (if the raid gear is added in yet).

If you want to beef up your Character, look for Old Man Thorren (see image, below), in the Plane of Knowledge near the Plane of Tranquility portal.

He sells all sorts of goodies... some free, some not... that can help you in your Beta Experience. Be sure to browse and snag up items that you feel you might need (gate potions, distillers, house trophies...).

You may also notice that he offers several types of "Beta Fish" (see image, below). The Beta Fish are named for the Expansion they relate to and the Group / Raid Level they relate to. Normally,  "TS" (Tradeskill), is the best. The ones named for the new Expansion are the ones that you should look for.

Beta Fish, essentially, summon little robot Vendors that will sell you a laundry list of Gear, or a laundry list of Augmentations. Simply click the Beta Fish to Summon the Vendor. Click it again to dismiss the Vendor and immediately summon a new but different Vendor (offering different items... one sells Gear, one sells Augs).

You can do this as often and as many times as you like.

Buy what want in order to replace / upgrade your current gear. Don't forget, this server is Temporary... don't sweat over retaining your old gear! It has no sway (zero concern) whatsoever on your actual / real character on the Live Server.

You can even pull out a Veteran AA Personal Tribute NPC, and donate your old stuff for Personal Tribute, if you like, to use while adventuring! Or, if you decide to make a Beta Guild with a Guild Hall (or joined a Guild with a Guild Hall), you can donate it to Guild Tribute, as well. In fact, you can buy a pile of items for the sole purpose of donating them to fill up your Personal Tribute or Guild Tribute!

NOTE: You will notice that many items may not have an actual name yet (see image below). This is Beta! Items names will be added later. In fact, some are just a flat out placeholder item called an 'Invalid Item,' that needs not only a name, but other modifications such as it's relation to collections, tasks and so forth... that, or there is an actual bug to fix.

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5) HERO'S FORGE: You may also notice that Young Lady Analise is standing near Old Man Thorren.

If you don't all ready have access to using Hero's Forge ornamentations, she will give you free access to them (but only on the Beta Server).

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6) LEVELS & AA'S: In the same area, you will also see Lorekeeper Antonov (see image below).

Lorekeeper Antonov can help you out with certain things like a Level Boost, free AA's (Alternate Advancement) and / or Spells (to include Disciplines and Songs, up to Rank III)... but only if the Dev's have allowed or activated it. Just hail him and follow along, to see what he offers. 

As Beta progresses, he may, or may not, offer additional boosts, so check back with him on a regular basis.

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7) TROPHIES & TRIBUTE: As previously noted your Guild Tribute does not copy over.

However, all of your Personal Tribute should be intact! If you would like to use it, you can!

If you also want to use Personal Trophy Tribute, you can do that as well, by setting up a house and putting Trophies in it.... if you remembered to copy over your Trophies (see #2, above).

However if you did not remember to copy over Trophies, you might find some for sale by the Trophy Test Bot (in Ngreth's Den, aka Crafthalls) and / or by Old Man Thorren (in the Plane of Knowledge). You can buy the ones you want from either of those NPC's and then go set up a house and place them!

NOTE: You can also set up a Guild and Guild Hall, if you want. However, your Guild Tribute will be at zero (0) and you will have no Guild Trophies unless you also copied those over (see #2, above). Check Old Man Thorren for a Guild Hall Package!

ALERT!: You can, however, refill and max out both Guild Tribute & Personal Tribute! How? Well, just go to Old Man Thorren and buy a Beta Fish (noted above). Most, if not all the gear is FREE. Buy things and tribute them! If tribute hasn't been added to items yet, be patient. It will.

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8) OTHER: Hidden away on Erud's Crossing you might find a parsing warrior. I suspect this NPC is supposed to function like the ones in The Arena on the Test Server, however, as of 2022, it did not respond to me. If you attack it, you can simply back way to disengage and then lose aggro (it is rooted in place).

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WHAT NOT TO DO

9) MARKETPLACE (DON'T BUY!): This falls in the better-safe-than-sorry category!

If you see that you somehow have Marketplace Funds on Beta (you shouldn't), be warned! Do not buy anything from the Marketplace, because you will be spending real funds, if you do!

Marketplace funds are account wide. Beta is just like another server, albeit a special one!

In that Beta is temporary, you would be buying, for real money, items that will go poof with the server, when Beta ends!

In fact, you might even see a 'test' item in the Marketplace, that specifically tells you not to buy it.

Save your Marketplace Funds for the Live Servers!

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10) LOYALTY VENDOR (DON'T BUY!): This falls in the better-safe-than-sorry category, as well!

If you see that you have Loyalty Tokens on Beta, be warned! Do not buy anything from Loyalty Vendors, because you will be spending real Loyalty Tokens (aka Crowns), if you do!

Again, Loyalty Tokens (aka Crowns) are account wide. Beta is just another server, albeit a special one!

Save your Loyalty Tokens (aka Crowns) for the Live Servers!

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11) CLAIMS (DON'T CLAIM THINGS!): You will see all your claim items in /claim.

Just don't claim ANYTHING! If you do, they will be removed (or the count reduced) in you account wide Claims listings!

Remember, this is a Temporary Server and claim items are account wide and server wide. You do not want to claim and take anything away from your Characters on the Live Servers!

Save your Claim Items for the Live Servers!

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12) TRY NOT TO BOTHER THE DEVS: You are very likely to run into and / or see the EQ Devs on Beta.

If you do, remember, they are busy working on things!

Try not to spam them with feedback, concerns, issues or whatever. That's what the Beta Forums are for! While they may or may not respond (they may be working on stuff outside the EQ Window and not watching chat), let them do what they do!

If you have the need to wave at them or whatever, that's cool. Just understand they are busy at work, so do not expect a response, or any guarantee they will actually see (or read) your in-game comments (which may have long scrolled out of their chat window, by the time they look).

If you do a /who all gm, you can see what Devs are logged in (on Beta). In fact, it will tell you what they are 'in charge' of on Beta (GM-Areas, GM-Mgmt, GM-Tester, GM-Coder...).

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13) COLLECTOR OF TRANSFERRENCE: In some zones (particularly city zones) you may see a 'Collector of Transference' vendor NPC. Do NOT buy anything from these NPC's. They were originally set up for the now defunct Selo server, and they sold variant teleport items for Daybreak Cash ('DBC'). While you should have not have any DBC on Beta, just in case, do not buy anything from such vendors to avoid spending actual DBC!

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WHAT TO DO (Expectations)

14) WHAT TO DO: Just go play as you would on the live server!

Everything is here, just like on Live Servers, except it also includes the new expansion content and the special Beta-only content.

In particular, do Quests, Missions, join Raids, hunt Named (Rares) and so forth.

You can Solo, you can Molo, you can Group, you can box and / or you can raid.

You can even tradeskill!

Yes, you can also create / join Fellowships and Guilds on Beta.

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15) EXPECTATIONS: Look for concerns, bugs, issues and such, of any kind, as you play.

When adventuring, pay attention to as much as you can!

Pay attention to new spells / disciplines (do they function as advertised; are they better than previous versions as they should be; are mana / endurance costs appropriate; etc.); and items (spelling errors; description errors; lore errors; missing info; focus effects; click effects; proc effects; etc.) to make sure they work as you might expect them to work. 

For instance, a lot of things are cookie cutter / cut-and-paste upgrades of past things. Make sure the upgraded changes (stats, damage, etc.) are correct, the descriptions are correct / updated and so on.

With Quest NPC's, perhaps there are unintended faction concerns; they do not respond correctly; they give the wrong tasks; their Quest spam is problematic; where they located is an issue (not logical); and so on.

Do they need to tune up or tune down certain things? Are Achievements missing? Are Mercs properly updated, functional and able to deal with the new content? Are the Tradeskill combines sensible and do they work?

Anything!

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16) REPORTING CONCERNS: When you find something that you feel is a concern, in anyway, report it!

You can use the /bug command, or post it directly to the Beta Boards (Forums).

NOTE: Once Beta goes live, a new section will appear in the EQ Forums, specifically for, and about, Beta (you may, or may not, be able to see the Beta Forums, depending on if you joined Beta with a Character on a given account, or not).

These Forums have all sorts of info posted by the Dev's as well as by the Players.

When reporting concerns, be as detailed / specific as you can.

Here is what Dev Mepps said on this matter, in the below images.

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17) KEEP UPDATED & AWARE: Be sure review the Beta Forums everyday!

Dev's can post about new things they need testing, when test raids are planned, and so forth. They may even offer bonus Beta Tokens (see below).

Also, watch the General Channel and for System Messages. You never know when a Dev may advertise for assistance in testing something.

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HOW TO

18) TRAVEL: Right away, you may wonder how to get to the new zones.

While there is a real path to the new zones, the easy answer is by way of Old Man Thorren in the Plane of Knowledge.

Just hail him and follow along, and he can / will actually teleport you to any one of the new zones.

He can also erase lock out timers, so you can do a mission / raid again, right away.

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19) TRADESKILLS: If you like tradeskills, you can do that too.

Go to the "Crafthalls" (aka Ngreth's Den) by way of Old Man Thorren (see above).

The Crafthalls are not what they used to be, since they never seem to add "Tasks" to make the new items, anymore.

However, when you zone in, there are a number of NPC's around the zone-in area. They are all Vendors that offer to sell things for ridiculous prices. Do NOT be tempted to buy any of this stuff! They are not intended to actually sell you anything, in my opinion! They are just there for the browsing / preview. In fact, most of them appear to be "leftovers" from previous Beta's. Browse if you want, but there is nothing affordable to see!

There are also spell Vendors deeper in the zone, but you can probably get the Rank II and / or even Rank III spells from Old Man Thorren (if they allow it).

There is at least one NPC that sells a load of Tradeskill items, to include the new stuff.

Most Tradeskill devices are also in the zone as well, as are Bankers.

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20) BAZAAR: You may notice there are, likely, no sellers in Bazaar!

After all, this is Beta and Bazaar, on Live servers, is about making Coin. On Beta, making coin is pretty much not relevant, at all.

However, that does not mean some Players might like some shopping options in Bazaar, such as those who like to Tradeskill.

So, if you have a Bazaar Trader, you can copy them over as well, and then set them up in Bazaar to sell while you aren't playing. 

This is less about making Coin, than it is a service to help other Players, who may be in need of certain items for whatever reasons. This is a Temporary Server after all.

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21) MAPS: If you have a trusted source for Maps of the new zones, you may want to acquire and install them.

However, it may be week-plus before new Maps start appearing from your trusted sources.

Otherwise, it is a good idea to mark your Maps while playing Beta (marking things like Bankers, Vendors, Quest NPC's, Spawn locations...), so you can copy them to Live EQ, later.

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EARNING & CLAIMING REWARDS

22) EARNING YOUR BETA REWARD: Every Beta test grants a special reward to players (on the Live Server), if they earn enough Beta Tokens (aka Stone of Beta Adventuring).

As a note, 'Beta Tokens' are actually a 'Stone of Beta Adventuring.' They can be real items in Beta, or they can be fully virtual items in Beta (no item involved). Maybe even, sometimes, both. It all depends on how Devs set it up each go round.

In the past, these items dropped randomly from MOB's. These days they are 100% rewards such as from Task, Missions and maybe even Achievements. Be aware, however, that recent Beta Tests have not had them in place right away, so you may not want to complete certain non-repeatable Achievements and such, until they are.

The number of Beta Tokens you need, to earn your Beta Reward, has not usually been all that unreasonable (in the range of 5 to 10).

So, if you don't see any Beta Tokens being awarded, this is definitely something to report (see above), to remind the Devs about it!

You can see how many Beta Tokens you currently have by talking to Old Man Thorren.

As a note, if you watch General chat on Beta, and monitor the Beta Forums, Devs sometimes offer bonus Beta Tokens for assisting them with certain things and / or at certain times (i.e. raids, zones, items. missions...).

Lastly, Beta Tokens sometimes stop being offered towards the end of Beta, so be aware of that.

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23) BETA REWARD IN CLAIM WINDOW: If you earn the Beta Reward, you should see it on your Live Server (/claim) within a month or two after Beta is over (in February or March).

Don't expect too much. Normally, these rewards are familiars, illusions, ornaments, titles, mercenary types and the like.

When the reward is added to your claims window, it will be down near the bottom and you can identify it because it will tell you where it came from.

Beta Reward in Claim Window.

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24) PAST BETA REWARDS: Known rewards, for Beta have been:

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25) BETA ACHIEVEMENTS: All of your Achievements do transfer to Beta.

At some point, the Achievements for the next expansion (the one being Beta tested and will appear on Live servers), will normally also be added in to Beta, as well.

However, you may see some others that you do not see on Live Servers, that will not transfer to Live Servers.

Example, you may see an Achievement category for 'Quarm,' which is related to the old Quarm server events, but with no categories or Achievements listed.

There are also others (listed below) that may not even be possible to complete. In fact, they may be just remnants of Beta Tests of the past, that are still there... and may even disappear (be removed) in a future Beta.

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KNOWN BETA-ONLY ACHIEVEMENTS

These Achievements can often be seen on Beta. Most of them are clearly 'test' Achievements to help the Devs.

* This set never made it into Live, at least not by the name shown.

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25) I NEED PLAT!: Platinum is of little concern on Beta as most stuff you actually need is free.

However, if you are truly strapped for Platinum, you can get 1 Million Platinum pretty quick by making a Beta Buffed Character (outlined above), drop the money in the Shared Bank and go back to your main Character and grab it!

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If you note any errors, misspellings, item name errors, misinformation or anything that needs addressing on this page -- PLEASE let me know via an in-game EQ Message (Bonzz on the Bertoxxulous server), or post on Bonzz's Discord Server!

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This Page Last Updated October 14, 2023

This fan site is created and provided free (uncompensated, no ads, no sponsors, no registration / log-in), by Bonzz of Bertoxxulous. Images / graphics / sounds on this web site are in-game (EverQuest) captures, originate from Sony / Darkpaw / Daybreak Games (EverQuest) and / or with permission from others (if any). Some graphics may be modified (re-sized, cropped, etc.) from their original form. Any pages that play sounds / music, are intentionally set at low volume. Most of them are under two (2) minutes or less, and should play once and then stop. If any sound / music continues to loop (play over and over), let me know! EverQuest is copyright / trademark / owned / operated by Darkpaw Games, which is owned / operated by Daybreak Games, which is owned / operated by Enad Global 7.