EQ2 test server : EverQuest 2 General Discussions

"We are pleased to announce that the EverQuest II Test server is now available! Just like the Test server in EQ, our Test server provides an environment where players can help us test the latest updates and additions to the game before they are distributed to the live servers. Players in the Test community play a direct role in helping improve the EverQuest II experience for all players.

The Test server is a completely separate environment from the live servers, since the Test server runs a different version of the game code. For this reason, we recommend you run the Test client out of its own directory.

The next time you run EverQuest II and update the game through the launchpad, you will be downloading the TestServer folder into the directory where you installed EverQuest II. The TestServerHelp.txt file in that folder contains complete instructions on how to set up the Test client. These instructions are also included below.

Testers will be pleased to know that you are given four separate character slots to play on the Test server. None of your character slots on the regular servers will be taken up by your Test characters. You cannot play on the Test server with characters that exist on other servers.

For complete details on how the Test server operates, please see the Playing on the Test Server guide in our FAQ section.

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How to Install and Run the EverQuest II Test Server Client

Connecting to the EverQuest II Test Server requires that you run a version of the game that is slightly different than the one used to connect to our regular live servers. If you want to keep the option of playing on both the live and Test servers, we HIGHLY recommend that you run the Test client from its own folder. For this reason, we have created a folder in your EverQuest II directory called TestServer which contains the Test launchpad and this help text file.

The following steps will guide you through our recommended Test client setup process.

1. Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the TestServer folder in your EverQuest II directory. Create a shortcut on your desktop for the TestEQ2.exe file, which is the launchpad used to connect to the Test server. You may rename the shortcut if you wish, but don't double-click it yet. If you do, you will end up downloading the entire Test client, which would be a long and unnecessary process.

2. Highlight all the files and folders in the EverQuest II root directory EXCEPT the following: the cache folder, the logincache folder, the TestServer folder, and the eq2_default.ini file. (You can use Control-A to highlight all the files and folders, then hold down the Control key and left-click on those folders and files to de-select them.) Right-click and drag the selected folders to the TestServer folder. Select the option to COPY the files and folders, NOT move them.

3. When the copy is complete, double-click the desktop shortcut you made in Step 1. This will run the Test server launchpad and update the client to be able to connect to the Test server.

Using this method, you can use your regular EverQuest II shorcut to connect to the normal servers and the Test launchpad shortcut to connect to the Test server. Keeping the Test client in its own folder takes up a significant amount of hard drive space but will save you a lot of time updating both clients in the future.
For more information on the Test server, please read the thread titled Playing on the Test Server in the FAQ section of the official EverQuest II forums.
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Moorgard
EverQuest II Community Guy"