Neither WoW nor EQ2 do it for me, and I'm not holding out for Vanguard.
No it will never happen again. EQ didnt have that affect on you because of how good of a game it was. It had that affect on you because that was your first time experiencing something like that. If eq2 or WoW were released when eq was then this post would be titled "Will there ever be a game that recaptures of the magic of classic WoW?" Nobody seems to understand this though. I have a few friends who never played EQ. They entered the MMO world with FFXI. About a year ago they both decided to play EQ just to see what it was all about. Now if it was the actual game that gives people this mmorgasm then both of those friends would have been mezmerized by the game and would still be playing....but they tried to play it and just couldnt do it because it was so bad (compared to todays games). Go back and think about all of your firsts. The first time you do anything that you find amazing will always be the best time and it will NEVER happen again. Geez im really venting, I just hate this topic so much. None of this is an attack at you by the way, I just dont understand why people insist on reposting this same thought over and over again
Originally posted by Scagweed22 is it the graphics? the repetativenesses? i mean what is the point? you could be so much more productive in real life Real life brings repetition and pointlessness too. The only thing real life offers is Great graphics. Its kinda expensive too and way to dependent on the cash shop. Totally pay to win as well. No thank you. Ill stick to my games.
Neither WoW nor EQ2 do it for me, and I'm not holding out for Vanguard.
No it will never happen again. EQ didnt have that affect on you because of how good of a game it was. It had that affect on you because that was your first time experiencing something like that. If eq2 or WoW were released when eq was then this post would be titled "Will there ever be a game that recaptures of the magic of classic WoW?" Nobody seems to understand this though. I have a few friends who never played EQ. They entered the MMO world with FFXI. About a year ago they both decided to play EQ just to see what it was all about. Now if it was the actual game that gives people this mmorgasm then both of those friends would have been mezmerized by the game and would still be playing....but they tried to play it and just couldnt do it because it was so bad (compared to todays games). Go back and think about all of your firsts. The first time you do anything that you find amazing will always be the best time and it will NEVER happen again. Geez im really venting, I just hate this topic so much. None of this is an attack at you by the way, I just dont understand why people insist on reposting this same thought over and over again
Your point isn't really valid because EQ1 has changed so much since the early days, it's not recognizable anymore. Only the people who played EQ1 pre Planes of Power understand.
Sadly I suspect no game will capture that early EQ1 experience, but I'll still keep looking.
Neither WoW nor EQ2 do it for me, and I'm not holding out for Vanguard.
No it will never happen again. EQ didnt have that affect on you because of how good of a game it was. It had that affect on you because that was your first time experiencing something like that. If eq2 or WoW were released when eq was then this post would be titled "Will there ever be a game that recaptures of the magic of classic WoW?" Nobody seems to understand this though. I have a few friends who never played EQ. They entered the MMO world with FFXI. About a year ago they both decided to play EQ just to see what it was all about. Now if it was the actual game that gives people this mmorgasm then both of those friends would have been mezmerized by the game and would still be playing....but they tried to play it and just couldnt do it because it was so bad (compared to todays games). Go back and think about all of your firsts. The first time you do anything that you find amazing will always be the best time and it will NEVER happen again. Geez im really venting, I just hate this topic so much. None of this is an attack at you by the way, I just dont understand why people insist on reposting this same thought over and over again
Your point isn't really valid because EQ1 has changed so much since the early days, it's not recognizable anymore. Only the people who played EQ1 pre Planes of Power understand.
Sadly I suspect no game will capture that early EQ1 experience, but I'll still keep looking.
Well then allow me to validate that. My first MMO was Ultima Online--pre-Renaissance, mind you. I remember my first character, my first kill, my first guild, my first server war, etc. In my opinion, that was the best ever. I then tried my hand at EverQuest, pre-PoP, and it wasn't very flattering. Sure, the graphics were a nice touch, as were the races, but it didn't capture my heart like UO did. I found the game to be a bit too... Straight forward and treamill-ish. Several of my friends played the game then, and we had some fun, but I never really felt much for the game.
However, one other game brought me much joy. I bet you can't guess what it is. Want to know? It's Shadowbane. I loved Shadowbane so much... It was large and different and captivating. This is all pre-Gold though. I beta tested the U.S. version and loved it, and then beta tested the Korean version because I couldn't get enough of it. Unfortunately, by then I couldn't afford to pay for the game, so I had to hang my accounts and never had the chance to play it again since then.
I'll agree though, the older MMO's are things I truely miss. These newer MMO's don't exactly present the simplicity or entertainment that they used to, bar Guild Wars, in my opinion. (Before the expansions, of course)
AC was my first MMO and there will never be a First time again. That is the point people try to make. No matter how good the game it will always pale to the first time.
AC was my first MMO and there will never be a First time again. That is the point people try to make. No matter how good the game it will always pale to the first time.
Except for someone coming from Runescape to something like EQ, 'cause Runescape is just complete crap, heh.
Neither WoW nor EQ2 do it for me, and I'm not holding out for Vanguard.
No it will never happen again. EQ didnt have that affect on you because of how good of a game it was. It had that affect on you because that was your first time experiencing something like that. If eq2 or WoW were released when eq was then this post would be titled "Will there ever be a game that recaptures of the magic of classic WoW?" Nobody seems to understand this though. I have a few friends who never played EQ. They entered the MMO world with FFXI. About a year ago they both decided to play EQ just to see what it was all about. Now if it was the actual game that gives people this mmorgasm then both of those friends would have been mezmerized by the game and would still be playing....but they tried to play it and just couldnt do it because it was so bad (compared to todays games). Go back and think about all of your firsts. The first time you do anything that you find amazing will always be the best time and it will NEVER happen again. Geez im really venting, I just hate this topic so much. None of this is an attack at you by the way, I just dont understand why people insist on reposting this same thought over and over again
Your point isn't really valid because EQ1 has changed so much since the early days, it's not recognizable anymore. Only the people who played EQ1 pre Planes of Power understand.
Sadly I suspect no game will capture that early EQ1 experience, but I'll still keep looking.
Well then allow me to validate that. My first MMO was Ultima Online--pre-Renaissance, mind you. I remember my first character, my first kill, my first guild, my first server war, etc. In my opinion, that was the best ever. I then tried my hand at EverQuest, pre-PoP, and it wasn't very flattering. Sure, the graphics were a nice touch, as were the races, but it didn't capture my heart like UO did. I found the game to be a bit too... Straight forward and treamill-ish. Several of my friends played the game then, and we had some fun, but I never really felt much for the game.
However, one other game brought me much joy. I bet you can't guess what it is. Want to know? It's Shadowbane. I loved Shadowbane so much... It was large and different and captivating. This is all pre-Gold though. I beta tested the U.S. version and loved it, and then beta tested the Korean version because I couldn't get enough of it. Unfortunately, by then I couldn't afford to pay for the game, so I had to hang my accounts and never had the chance to play it again since then.
I'll agree though, the older MMO's are things I truely miss. These newer MMO's don't exactly present the simplicity or entertainment that they used to, bar Guild Wars, in my opinion. (Before the expansions, of course)
Don't mean to hijack the thread here, this isn't totally on the OPs subject, but I'm letting fly anyway. What are they gonna do, perma-ban me? This is for:
Xuljester:
Shadowbane's free now. I had wanted to try it when it was new, but was deeply involved in the High-End of EQ, and had no time for any other game, was just having too much fun on a nearly daily basis for 4 or more hours every evening after work. That's how EQ was for me for 5 years. Too much fun to bother trying anything else. Then I went away someplace no American belongs, and couldn't come home for 18 months, and I got far behind in EQ.
Recently I downloaded and gave Shadowbane a try, and.... well, I'm not going to tell you any more. Hopefully you have the time now to try it yourself.
Kalmenicus the Reluctant "to give his opinion on Shadowbane"
Neither WoW nor EQ2 do it for me, and I'm not holding out for Vanguard.
No it will never happen again. EQ didnt have that affect on you because of how good of a game it was. It had that affect on you because that was your first time experiencing something like that. If eq2 or WoW were released when eq was then this post would be titled "Will there ever be a game that recaptures of the magic of classic WoW?" Nobody seems to understand this though. I have a few friends who never played EQ. They entered the MMO world with FFXI. About a year ago they both decided to play EQ just to see what it was all about. Now if it was the actual game that gives people this mmorgasm then both of those friends would have been mezmerized by the game and would still be playing....but they tried to play it and just couldnt do it because it was so bad (compared to todays games). Go back and think about all of your firsts. The first time you do anything that you find amazing will always be the best time and it will NEVER happen again. Geez im really venting, I just hate this topic so much. None of this is an attack at you by the way, I just dont understand why people insist on reposting this same thought over and over again
Actually, UO was my first. I still think there was something special about EQ.
depends what you mean. Some of the appeals that first attracted me to EQ was something as simple as exploring/or being in a virtual world which can easily be replicated in other mmorpgs, alike rpgs(Morrowind for instance). Additionally discovering a load of other people in the world is another appeal. This is still there though not so high as it's become more of an expectation to have other people playing. (Though its also become more of a chore in a way as you come across certain stereotypes- eg. WoW and it's cited community)
In way of perhaps the mechanics and tendencies of mmorpgs they have become more tiresome now than when it once was. For instance, the old kill creature-upgrade equipment, or get quest-complete quest or just something like levelling up or grouping. So, a new mmorpg won't have the same impact in this regard unless it is sufficiently innovative so that it gives that feeling of freshness upon playing. Customs such as heavy time-investment is an example of a mmorpg custom that may need reinventing to keep old players playing.
All I have to say is if you want to recapture that feeling just start playing everquest again. Its really not "dead" from what ive been told its only hibernating and to tell you the truth ive never played it I played EQ2 for about a year and gave up on mmos for a while. But soon I will try EQ just to get the full effect.
in all the search of the best game made the fack still remains, everyone is looking for soming diffrent ive played EQ when it fist came out, i thought it was freaking sweet, then i looked for somting new and played SWG before the first Jedi even came out but then the change happend, that game was freaking sweet, i played Guild Wars and i dont like it at all, its too diffrent. and i also played WoW i think its too cartoony and im still looking for a good game , to be honest im looking forward to Conan and too Stargate, and i might take a dab into Warhammer but i think i might not like it b/c it might be too cartoony. well i would love to hear from you what do you think are your top 3, and worst ones ever. BTW OZ i thing that was a great artical you wrote. the first one that is.
my opinion... they should just re-make EQ... not the same exact thing of course... a new world... updated graphics... pre luclin classes/races... most important... same pre luclin system... luclin was defnitly the beginning of the end of EQ
Many things that made classic EQ so fun for me are being discarded by next gen MMOs. Here are a few things:
1) True interdependency. People need to be brought together. Soloing needs to be limited, or a goal to attain. Everyone shouldn't be able to solo right out of the box.
2) TLC. God, I hate TLC. I really had fun farming greens, and selling the loot.
3) Level required gear. Sorry, but I love twinking. It's good for the economy, and rewards people who further their toons.
4) Raids. EQ fell victim to this. Games are too heavily reliant on raids. Groups is what made classic so fun. Not the lame raids. EQ was able to build a 500k subscriber base, because we all grouped together. Not because we all raided together. Look we they are now. Less than 175k subscribers.
5) Exploration. EQ rewarded you for exploring areas. Some areas had better exp. than others. Some had better loot. That rare wandering mob dropped something neat.
6) Too much emphasis on the "end game". Since when is the "end game" the most important part of a game? Very screwed up concept.
All I have to say is if you want to recapture that feeling just start playing everquest again. Its really not "dead" from what ive been told its only hibernating and to tell you the truth ive never played it I played EQ2 for about a year and gave up on mmos for a while. But soon I will try EQ just to get the full effect.
Trust me. EQ is dead. EQ is nothing like what it used to be. Nothing. Not even the same game or same principles of what made it a great game. You'll be very, very alone.
Many things that made classic EQ so fun for me are being discarded by next gen MMOs. Here are a few things:
1) True interdependency. People need to be brought together. Soloing needs to be limited, or a goal to attain. Everyone shouldn't be able to solo right out of the box.
2) TLC. God, I hate TLC. I really had fun farming greens, and selling the loot.
3) Level required gear. Sorry, but I love twinking. It's good for the economy, and rewards people who further their toons.
4) Raids. EQ fell victim to this. Games are too heavily reliant on raids. Groups is what made classic so fun. Not the lame raids. EQ was able to build a 500k subscriber base, because we all grouped together. Not because we all raided together. Look we they are now. Less than 175k subscribers.
5) Exploration. EQ rewarded you for exploring areas. Some areas had better exp. than others. Some had better loot. That rare wandering mob dropped something neat.
6) Too much emphasis on the "end game". Since when is the "end game" the most important part of a game? Very screwed up concept.
Very Nice post. I can't help but agreeing.
I also feel that EQ was more of a vessel for what people play MMORPGs for and that is COMMUNITY~! or People! (i could play a single player rpg and it isn't the same b/c no one else is there).
In old school eq you could go into any zone, any area of any place and see someone there... RARE was the occasion that you didn't see someone. It was how you could be running in the freaking karana's and still see people zipping by, killing the odd griffon, or even fishing in teh river... anything.... it was the sheer amount of people that were playing that made old school eq the gem it is in all of our hearts.
I feel that now the populations of mmorpgs are too spread out... once that group of people level out of a zone you're alone again... and who wants to play a mmoprg by themselves?
Population and community in old school EQ1 were amazing. Like you said you felt like the world was alive because you would often run into people. That is why I hate all the instancing in games now. Instancing just ruins immersion and voids the presence of others. There is nothing wrong with a little competition for resources, it's actually good for the economy, and if you have basic mechanics in place, you can prevent much of the griefing aspects of sharing the same geographic space.
Realistic traveling times in old school EQ1 also created situations where you would see and meet people. All the instant gratification players who cry about lengthy travel times don't appreciate the immersion.
Originally posted by brostyn Many things that made classic EQ so fun for me are being discarded by next gen MMOs. Here are a few things: 4) Raids. EQ fell victim to this. Games are too heavily reliant on raids. Groups is what made classic so fun. Not the lame raids. EQ was able to build a 500k subscriber base, because we all grouped together. Not because we all raided together. Look we they are now. Less than 175k subscribers.
Just a bit of trivia here, it wasn't SoE that made it a "raid" game. It was the players. Vox and Naggy. Vox and Naggy weren't supposed to be killed when they were introduced into the game. It was my understanding that they had a future plot use and SoE placed them as an intro, then before SoE could move on this - the player based discovered that neither Vox nor Naggy could be group killed. OUt of this, your first player organised raid was formed and Vox was killed.
SoE just saw what the players were doing and read the writing on the wall - if they put one groupable targets in the game, then multiple group players will triviliaze it. They needed something for everyone in the game - and raids were the answer.
---------------------------------------- My dog barks some. Mentally you picture my dog, but I have not told you the type of dog which I have. Perhaps you even picture Toto, from "The Wizard of Oz." But I warn you, my dog is always with me.
Its unlikely that there will be another game like the "original" EQ. It will take a bold move on a game designer or game maker to introduce a MMORPG, that has the subtleties of a true "RP" game. The RP element is what adds the sense of community, interdependence, social structure and brings life to the game. Now days people are in a "hurry up and have fun" mentality, racing to reach the higher levels so they then can "enjoy" the game. Its a race to the destination instead of enjoying the ride.
The Old Timers Guild Laid back, not so serious, no drama. All about the fun!
www.oldtimersguild.com An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it. - Jef Mallett
Neither WoW nor EQ2 do it for me, and I'm not holding out for Vanguard.
Well, about every 2nd or 3rd day I can read on some of the hardcore guild forums how Vanguard is the first mmo to bring that magic back to some of the hardcore EQ1 fans...
Neither WoW nor EQ2 do it for me, and I'm not holding out for Vanguard.
Well, about every 2nd or 3rd day I can read on some of the hardcore guild forums how Vanguard is the first mmo to bring that magic back to some of the hardcore EQ1 fans...
So yes, Vanguard does it for many.
Not at all , i loved early EQ but Vanguard is craptastic. If you want to relive the early EQ see this link -->
I completely agree, as an old eq vet, that zerg raiding ruined the game. However, I stuck with EQ from beginning until recently because I had several accounts and was able to "duo" with a friend of mine (who also played three accounts). So, we were able to do so many things and see so much content without having to "depend" on others to do it. So, I would say in addition to the zerg raiding, the forced grouping was fun if you could easily find a group (with competent players) but not so good when you would "LFG" for an hour. Corpse runs and mobility were also issues.
I loved EQ and I am happy I played it. My only regret was putting in so much time to progression server, which in comparison to all of my time on other servers, was maybe 1/7th of my total gaming EQ exp.
When I played EQ, I felt I was in a world, played three accounts so I had few limitations, played on a variety of servers with different characters at max level (so I was able to raid various places). I really loved EQ.
However, to be clear, direct, and leave no room for misunderstanding: if EQ were released today, it would be a complete and total failure as it should be.
You are very right. EQ1 was an RPG come to life for many. To those people, it was the culmination of how gaming should have been for a decade. Those fond memories and feelings cannot be recaptured simply because EQ1's success is much more about its timing in regards to the available technology then and the growth of the dialup world of the internet. That simply can't be repeated.
But yes my friend I can remember rushing home from work with a smile on my face knowing my new online "friends" were waiting for me to group together.
I will say this, when EQ2's Echos of Faydwer expansion came out I felt a little of it then. Revisiting Orc Hill, Crushbone and other places was stirring. I haven't gone to Unrest yet as its a lvl 50 zone but i understand they did a very nice job on it.
I will say this, when EQ2's Echos of Faydwer expansion came out I felt a little of it then.
ME TOO!!
However, I cannot get my friend (who played 3 accounts with me) nor my brother and his rl friend to play with me! I might be stuck in WoW because they are the people I play with. I also lost credibility when I persuaded my friend with three accounts to quit EQ and join Vanguard then to quit Vanguard to play WoW. I wish I had gotten ahold of the trial for Fae earlier!
Anyway, I am considering still playing; it truly has the eq feel without the frustrations, and THAT is what I am looking for. =D
Edit: I find the EQ music so endearing... I cannot explain it.
Comments
No it will never happen again. EQ didnt have that affect on you because of how good of a game it was. It had that affect on you because that was your first time experiencing something like that. If eq2 or WoW were released when eq was then this post would be titled "Will there ever be a game that recaptures of the magic of classic WoW?" Nobody seems to understand this though. I have a few friends who never played EQ. They entered the MMO world with FFXI. About a year ago they both decided to play EQ just to see what it was all about. Now if it was the actual game that gives people this mmorgasm then both of those friends would have been mezmerized by the game and would still be playing....but they tried to play it and just couldnt do it because it was so bad (compared to todays games). Go back and think about all of your firsts. The first time you do anything that you find amazing will always be the best time and it will NEVER happen again. Geez im really venting, I just hate this topic so much. None of this is an attack at you by the way, I just dont understand why people insist on reposting this same thought over and over again
Originally posted by Scagweed22
is it the graphics? the repetativenesses? i mean what is the point? you could be so much more productive in real life
Real life brings repetition and pointlessness too. The only thing real life offers is Great graphics. Its kinda expensive too and way to dependent on the cash shop. Totally pay to win as well. No thank you. Ill stick to my games.
Great point Oz.
It is a labored topic heard every other day.
Your point isn't really valid because EQ1 has changed so much since the early days, it's not recognizable anymore. Only the people who played EQ1 pre Planes of Power understand.
Sadly I suspect no game will capture that early EQ1 experience, but I'll still keep looking.
Your point isn't really valid because EQ1 has changed so much since the early days, it's not recognizable anymore. Only the people who played EQ1 pre Planes of Power understand.
Sadly I suspect no game will capture that early EQ1 experience, but I'll still keep looking.
Well then allow me to validate that. My first MMO was Ultima Online--pre-Renaissance, mind you. I remember my first character, my first kill, my first guild, my first server war, etc. In my opinion, that was the best ever. I then tried my hand at EverQuest, pre-PoP, and it wasn't very flattering. Sure, the graphics were a nice touch, as were the races, but it didn't capture my heart like UO did. I found the game to be a bit too... Straight forward and treamill-ish. Several of my friends played the game then, and we had some fun, but I never really felt much for the game.
However, one other game brought me much joy. I bet you can't guess what it is. Want to know? It's Shadowbane. I loved Shadowbane so much... It was large and different and captivating. This is all pre-Gold though. I beta tested the U.S. version and loved it, and then beta tested the Korean version because I couldn't get enough of it. Unfortunately, by then I couldn't afford to pay for the game, so I had to hang my accounts and never had the chance to play it again since then.
I'll agree though, the older MMO's are things I truely miss. These newer MMO's don't exactly present the simplicity or entertainment that they used to, bar Guild Wars, in my opinion. (Before the expansions, of course)
Except for someone coming from Runescape to something like EQ, 'cause Runescape is just complete crap, heh.
Your point isn't really valid because EQ1 has changed so much since the early days, it's not recognizable anymore. Only the people who played EQ1 pre Planes of Power understand.
Sadly I suspect no game will capture that early EQ1 experience, but I'll still keep looking.
Well then allow me to validate that. My first MMO was Ultima Online--pre-Renaissance, mind you. I remember my first character, my first kill, my first guild, my first server war, etc. In my opinion, that was the best ever. I then tried my hand at EverQuest, pre-PoP, and it wasn't very flattering. Sure, the graphics were a nice touch, as were the races, but it didn't capture my heart like UO did. I found the game to be a bit too... Straight forward and treamill-ish. Several of my friends played the game then, and we had some fun, but I never really felt much for the game.
However, one other game brought me much joy. I bet you can't guess what it is. Want to know? It's Shadowbane. I loved Shadowbane so much... It was large and different and captivating. This is all pre-Gold though. I beta tested the U.S. version and loved it, and then beta tested the Korean version because I couldn't get enough of it. Unfortunately, by then I couldn't afford to pay for the game, so I had to hang my accounts and never had the chance to play it again since then.
I'll agree though, the older MMO's are things I truely miss. These newer MMO's don't exactly present the simplicity or entertainment that they used to, bar Guild Wars, in my opinion. (Before the expansions, of course)
Don't mean to hijack the thread here, this isn't totally on the OPs subject, but I'm letting fly anyway. What are they gonna do, perma-ban me? This is for:
Xuljester:
Shadowbane's free now. I had wanted to try it when it was new, but was deeply involved in the High-End of EQ, and had no time for any other game, was just having too much fun on a nearly daily basis for 4 or more hours every evening after work. That's how EQ was for me for 5 years. Too much fun to bother trying anything else. Then I went away someplace no American belongs, and couldn't come home for 18 months, and I got far behind in EQ.
Recently I downloaded and gave Shadowbane a try, and.... well, I'm not going to tell you any more. Hopefully you have the time now to try it yourself.
Kalmenicus the Reluctant "to give his opinion on Shadowbane"
I have been married 20 years. I choose the game memories.
Actually, UO was my first. I still think there was something special about EQ.
depends what you mean. Some of the appeals that first attracted me to EQ was something as simple as exploring/or being in a virtual world which can easily be replicated in other mmorpgs, alike rpgs(Morrowind for instance). Additionally discovering a load of other people in the world is another appeal. This is still there though not so high as it's become more of an expectation to have other people playing. (Though its also become more of a chore in a way as you come across certain stereotypes- eg. WoW and it's cited community)
In way of perhaps the mechanics and tendencies of mmorpgs they have become more tiresome now than when it once was. For instance, the old kill creature-upgrade equipment, or get quest-complete quest or just something like levelling up or grouping. So, a new mmorpg won't have the same impact in this regard unless it is sufficiently innovative so that it gives that feeling of freshness upon playing. Customs such as heavy time-investment is an example of a mmorpg custom that may need reinventing to keep old players playing.
<a href="http://www.l33tsig.net/"; title="L33TSig"><img src="http://www.l33tsig.net/sig/geemanjr.png"; alt="geemanjr's L33TSig" /></a>
my opinion... they should just re-make EQ... not the same exact thing of course... a new world... updated graphics... pre luclin classes/races... most important... same pre luclin system... luclin was defnitly the beginning of the end of EQ
anyway just my two cp's
qwr
1) True interdependency. People need to be brought together. Soloing needs to be limited, or a goal to attain. Everyone shouldn't be able to solo right out of the box.
2) TLC. God, I hate TLC. I really had fun farming greens, and selling the loot.
3) Level required gear. Sorry, but I love twinking. It's good for the economy, and rewards people who further their toons.
4) Raids. EQ fell victim to this. Games are too heavily reliant on raids. Groups is what made classic so fun. Not the lame raids. EQ was able to build a 500k subscriber base, because we all grouped together. Not because we all raided together. Look we they are now. Less than 175k subscribers.
5) Exploration. EQ rewarded you for exploring areas. Some areas had better exp. than others. Some had better loot. That rare wandering mob dropped something neat.
6) Too much emphasis on the "end game". Since when is the "end game" the most important part of a game? Very screwed up concept.
I also feel that EQ was more of a vessel for what people play MMORPGs for and that is COMMUNITY~! or People! (i could play a single player rpg and it isn't the same b/c no one else is there).
In old school eq you could go into any zone, any area of any place and see someone there... RARE was the occasion that you didn't see someone. It was how you could be running in the freaking karana's and still see people zipping by, killing the odd griffon, or even fishing in teh river... anything.... it was the sheer amount of people that were playing that made old school eq the gem it is in all of our hearts.
I feel that now the populations of mmorpgs are too spread out... once that group of people level out of a zone you're alone again... and who wants to play a mmoprg by themselves?
Population and community in old school EQ1 were amazing. Like you said you felt like the world was alive because you would often run into people. That is why I hate all the instancing in games now. Instancing just ruins immersion and voids the presence of others. There is nothing wrong with a little competition for resources, it's actually good for the economy, and if you have basic mechanics in place, you can prevent much of the griefing aspects of sharing the same geographic space.
Realistic traveling times in old school EQ1 also created situations where you would see and meet people. All the instant gratification players who cry about lengthy travel times don't appreciate the immersion.
SoE just saw what the players were doing and read the writing on the wall - if they put one groupable targets in the game, then multiple group players will triviliaze it. They needed something for everyone in the game - and raids were the answer.
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My dog barks some. Mentally you picture my dog, but I have not told you the type of dog which I have. Perhaps you even picture Toto, from "The Wizard of Oz." But I warn you, my dog is always with me.
The Old Timers Guild
Laid back, not so serious, no drama.
All about the fun!
www.oldtimersguild.com
An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it. - Jef Mallett
Ahh memories, I doubt for me there will ever be a first run from Freeport to South Karana , and the awe of crossing over the bridge into N K.
There was just something really appealing about it, but not as stated above its hurry up and get it done, no time to even look around while doing.
So yes, Vanguard does it for many.
So yes, Vanguard does it for many.
Not at all , i loved early EQ but Vanguard is craptastic. If you want to relive the early EQ see this link -->
http://www.shardsofdalaya.com/
I loved EQ and I am happy I played it. My only regret was putting in so much time to progression server, which in comparison to all of my time on other servers, was maybe 1/7th of my total gaming EQ exp.
When I played EQ, I felt I was in a world, played three accounts so I had few limitations, played on a variety of servers with different characters at max level (so I was able to raid various places). I really loved EQ.
However, to be clear, direct, and leave no room for misunderstanding: if EQ were released today, it would be a complete and total failure as it should be.
I cherish my EQ memories. =D
You are very right. EQ1 was an RPG come to life for many. To those people, it was the culmination of how gaming should have been for a decade. Those fond memories and feelings cannot be recaptured simply because EQ1's success is much more about its timing in regards to the available technology then and the growth of the dialup world of the internet. That simply can't be repeated.
But yes my friend I can remember rushing home from work with a smile on my face knowing my new online "friends" were waiting for me to group together.
I will say this, when EQ2's Echos of Faydwer expansion came out I felt a little of it then. Revisiting Orc Hill, Crushbone and other places was stirring. I haven't gone to Unrest yet as its a lvl 50 zone but i understand they did a very nice job on it.
ME TOO!!
However, I cannot get my friend (who played 3 accounts with me) nor my brother and his rl friend to play with me! I might be stuck in WoW because they are the people I play with. I also lost credibility when I persuaded my friend with three accounts to quit EQ and join Vanguard then to quit Vanguard to play WoW. I wish I had gotten ahold of the trial for Fae earlier!
Anyway, I am considering still playing; it truly has the eq feel without the frustrations, and THAT is what I am looking for. =D
Edit: I find the EQ music so endearing... I cannot explain it.