How thriving is the game [Vanguard refugee here]

gannonreid

Alright, well for me, Vanguard is a huge bust. Too many issues to get into.

But anyways, I remember that this game is still in existance, but I am wondering how this game is doing with terms of player population.

I am considering playing this game again. I tried it once, but didn't get too far with it, and it eventually faded out of my mind, cancelled account. Since Echoes of Faydwer is released, I hear they have added a ton of great stuff and am considering trying this game again (downloading trial atm).

But my question, how has this game been recently? Is it still popular or will I enter the game only to feel almost completely alone (like I do with Vanguard)? Will I find groups when I need to? Are people still generally interested in this game?

I don't know what it is, but seeing that EQII icon just feels right, can't explain it...

Amatal

Plenty of people of all tiers running around and spamming the chats with LFG requests. Unlike Vanguard, where the size of the world in relation to starting areas was a big downfall for the new player gaming experience- EQ2 has it much more streamlined and in my opinion better: there are 3 different newbie zones wich slowly take you to bigger more versatile areas to explore.
EoF was a great expansion, wich infused the game with new strenthg and you could see a lot of new players joining in the past few months (i was one of them ), it is just so bloody fun!

cupertino

From what Ive seen it got a subscriber boost with the fae expansion.

Vecchia

It's certainly one of the more fun MMORPGs on the market. I think they have a 7-day trial for you to try.

DarthHoob

Plenty of people playing. New players and new alts being started everyday. I've got 6 characters ranging from 10-70 and never have a problem grouping on any of them on my server (EU Runnyeye). I've got toons on the US Unrest server too and that is always busy, no matte what time of day or night it is.

The EoF expansion is brilliant. It is predominantly for good classes though. Evil classes can certainly go to all the zones, but the Fae city of Kelethin is off limits to them, so they miss out on a lot of questlines.

I dare say the good classes will miss out on a lot in expansion 4 though!

lomiller

It’s reasonably doing well, but the rush of lower levels players that started around EoF has faded somewhat. This, combined with the fact that you can get through the first 45 levels quickly means it’s a little more difficult to find a group at these levels. 

 

While more difficult then it was a few months ago, finding groups at these levels certainly isn’t impossible by any means.  If you have good networking and group finding skills you will have no trouble either and you can also solo this stage fairly quickly yourself.  I prefer to group after level 20, so I still recommend playing with a friend or two or searching out a guild that is active in the lower levels as the best way to enjoy the game.

 

Despite the minor difficulties some people have finding groups at lower levels, it’s certainly more then viable for a new player to enter the game and do well. One interesting thing about EQ2 is that in some ways the economy is upside down from what you would expect in a mature game.  Low level drops sell quickly and for very good prices, and while this can make these items a little harder to get player made items are very affordable. Play it smart and you can actually keep up with the twinks in gear quality, but even if you don’t you will not feel gimped.

Enigma

Originally posted by gannonreid


Alright, well for me, Vanguard is a huge bust. Too many issues to get into.
But anyways, I remember that this game is still in existance, but I am wondering how this game is doing with terms of player population.
I am considering playing this game again. I tried it once, but didn't get too far with it, and it eventually faded out of my mind, cancelled account. Since Echoes of Faydwer is released, I hear they have added a ton of great stuff and am considering trying this game again (downloading trial atm).
But my question, how has this game been recently? Is it still popular or will I enter the game only to feel almost completely alone (like I do with Vanguard)? Will I find groups when I need to? Are people still generally interested in this game?
I don't know what it is, but seeing that EQII icon just feels right, can't explain it...

From the last time I logged in, the population felt more "thin."

I think, right now, they are currently loosing subscribers.  Who knows, though. In a few months it may go up.  If you just cancelled this game, you're still not going to like it.  They really haven't done increadible changes in a few weeks. You may want to wait three months.

 

EDIT:  Jeebus, I thought you were talking baout Vanguard LOL. Damn, I need more sleep.

Lemme rephrase this....

Since the Vanguard subscription rate is dropping in Vanguard right now, EQ2 is reexperience a surge in Server numbes.  There are still many servers that are "Heavy" (I think seven of them) and the rest are medium during any given time.

The newest expansion pack has content for all 70 lv lvls so youll find a lot of people there plus in the old world too.  I am a Guide for EQ2 and I can tell you for certainty, the starter islands are PACKED with new or alts

Moirae

Put it this way... I haven't seen any of the servers with less than a medium population almost since the game opened. Usually, it has a heavy population at any given time, especially evenings.



Alot of people are finding Vanguard a bust and coming over as well as the new expansion is something most people are loving.



The game is going strong.

Niber

Judging population based on "medium" or "heavy" indicators is crazy. Nobody knows the numbers behind the rankings and SOE is obviously more inclined to lean towards fudging these numbers upward than downward.  If servers were really medium and heavy most they would have added at least one new server since launch -- they haven't.



You're going to see populations gaps between 1-65. Mostly in the 20-45 range.  When the raiding guilds login at night the populations spike to "heavy" but that doesn't mean EQ2 has a thriving population. I play on both Blackburrow and Permafrost and I can tell you even during high population times I often find FG/Varsoon/TS levels to be very barren.



That said, in comparison to Vanguard.. the population is indeed HEAVY.

bes3rk

I played EQ2 for a while when it came out and thought it was okay, but my computer wasn't really able to run it well. Then I began playing WoW on and off and just a couple days ago got back into EQ2. This game is hands down incredible, SOE has really done well with turning this game around and made it much more fun. Give it a try!!

nakuma

i gotta admit that vanguard aint blowing me over as i thought it would, crafting is a bust, and adventuring at best is a pain when trying to get groups even in Khal, I am basically to the point I may just go abck to eq2, cause i ahe a lvl 56 paladin and a lvl 40+ warlock on 2 servers so may give it another go. now that i have a stellar system I can run it at full yay!!!! but i hear of problems with the 8800 which might cause issues so im not happy with that. anyone can confirm eq2 8800 issues?? well I may go back in next week or so not sure if money and time permits.

 

vanguard was a bit of a let down hate to say, though it was fun to some degree just not what i thought it would be. oh well crap happens and you move on :P

Haruto

I still have most of a month left on my Vanguard subscription here, but I am also considering finally trying out EQ2 beyond a mere trial. Quit WoW a while ago and stuck with Eve alone for a good while, then started needing a break from there as well and found Vanguard. I still believe Vanguard has promise... But I will not be getting another month on it. I will need to see quite a few improvements, and at least getting to where it should have been released retail. Between the horrible performance, which seems to be mostly within its coding, as it should not run as porly as it does at minimal settings, as well as the constant problem of windows not opening when you need them too. I have had it happen to all windows, including map, exchange and even quest windows. Hell, on more then one occasion opening my map actually froze me. But the gameplay is great. It just needs at least 3-5 months to actually be worth playing, and by that time it may implode in on itself by poor choices in changes, which may include massive nerfs.



Now, enough on what I have to say about Vanguard.



I started playing EQ1 somewhere within a few months after release, the exact date eludes me but I know it was a good bit before the release of Kunark. How much of the original style is left in the game? And do actual camps and camp checks still exist? I have missed this from EQ1 and never really seen it again since.



Also, how are tanks fairing up in EQ2? I quit EQ1 shortly after PoP as my Warrior was getting more and more useless in comparison to Pallys and SK's. Nothing kills your experiance more then getting a group offer that was merely how high is your HP. And the Hybrids taking over a Warriors only job more and more completely killed my experiance there.



So, what I would really like to know most of all from this point...



What class seems to be the most sought after for tanking, in the mid level to end game range, and what is the most sought after DPS melee class. I never have been much into casters, I prefer the front lines, taking hits, and getting my hands dirty.

diknak

The tanks that are sought after the most for tanking are Beserkers and Guardians.  Beserkers do the most DPS, but guardians have the most defense and can take some real heavy hits.  Tanks are real easy to find groups, but I don't find the warrior class very exciting (but I never have in any MMO).  I always play a DPS type.

Eiae

Also a Vanguard refugee

I've played EQ2 on and off since release and have tried most other games in between. EQ2 is by far the best game available at the moment.

Downloading updates take forever, though. Hope I can find a guild that can help keep me in the game this time

Haruto

Well at least I know that the Warrior classes aren't being beaten at thier own game. ^_^ But what Melee DPS classes seem to be very welcome to most groups?