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How many people still play EQ2?
I played EQ2 back when the game was first released, but got bored with it pretty quickly. I've heard here and there that the game is kinda dieing due to other games like WoW and Age of Conan. I was just wondering if this was true. Anyone know how many people still play?
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I'm not sure in terms of overall accounts, but anecdotally it's been quite busy, with a lot of new players coming over from other games in the last 18 months+. There's plenty of people in game, depending on your server (at least on Antonia Bayle it's pretty crowded.)
Honestly, not again.
Look, there's enough that its fairly busy but not insanely so. Play or not, but don't base your idea of a good game on what other people say about how busy the servers are.
Some people will tell you that the servers are dead (because they think that just because people don't automatically jump to group with them, it must be the game is dead and they can't understand that if they're rude or childish, no one will want to play with them).
Others will say its busy like me because they have no problem finding groups.
Its entirely up to you. Asking the same question that gets asked every other day will do no good.
It depends on your server. But the server I'm on with my main, it's about dead as it can be even at night -- not more than 10 players I see a night, and most are only at the broker and leave.
Biggest complaint I have with EQII is on my server then isn't even enough players to get a PUG together. Then if a group is starting, they want only the best classes and/or pretty high levels (which is about anyone playing the game now, especially with the Living Legends campaign).
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
I would have to say servers have always seem to have enough people to form groups pretty quickly and with the promo going on now there are a lot of returning players giving it a try.
Best thing for you would be to log in and check it out. If you played before your account should be active with all expansions for free until the end of July as part of the Living Legacy promotion. So log in and check for yourself!
It's dead. Don't believe me? Listen to these opinions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJQwHwP0ojI
.....
False. Totally false. At 8pm I can count the AFKers on both hands (and they're always the LoN types, with their tricked out steeds and stacked illusions -- i.e., level 80 rerolls).
EQII really needs to merge servers, as the population is split among 20+ of them. About the only active ones are the plat trading PvP ones (where the kids who need money to keep accounts goto). I can play for 10hrs, and encounter less than 20 non-NPCs (and most will be AFKers, who are often waiting for a l-o-n-g time for some group).
From my standpoint, even free MMOs with 1001 bots has more activity than EQII (even botters monitor their bots, so if you speak to them they'll answer).
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
What happens is this: they login to check the broker, take their plat, and leave. 8 to 10pm the broker is crowded. By 12am, it's a literal ghost town. Way too many checkins for money vs. gameplay.
This game at level 80s and tricked out is basically nothing more than rerolls (with their own gear already made so they don't need to worry about working for gold/plat). They can't just close their account, considering the most active players are in the game for selling not just on the broker, leveled accounts for RL money (legally sanctioned by SOE on special PvP servers).
If you ever wondered why this game still lives on despite almost no one but a few on servers (what maybe 30 players per server visible anywhere?), the above is the answer -- and why the community is so snarky. They're not just protecting a toon, it's a business. SOE gets it's money from accounts and LoN fluff, and players get to sell plat and accounts.
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
.....
If the last time you played EQ2 was when it was first released then I would definately say give it another go. It has improved a hell of a lot, especially with the newer character models which actually look very nice. There is also a lot more content added too and the lag problems are virtually gone as far as I could tell. Player population isnt swarming by any means but its certainly not dead. I didnt have any problems with finding other players but then I tend to solo quite a bit. Just pick a server with a decent population size like the Antonia Bayle server.
Having said all that I also quit playing a few months after its release. I went back to it several months ago and now I have left it yet again and drifted back to playing bloody WoW as there really isnt anything else that catches my interest at the moment.
The things I dislike about EQ2 are the same things that I have always found annoying about it.
1. Severe lack of armour and weapon graphics. They reuse the same old drab stuff over and over. One piece of plate armour looks pretty much like any other. There IS better stuff around but I think its at much higher levels.
2. The gameworld just seems lifeless and empty......and thats not because of lack of players. The voice overs help a lot but still.....the design of the world just isnt all that great in my opinion. Its like the reverse of WoW, which has lower quality graphics but MUCH better world design.
3. Too many insanely stupid quests that are way too fluffy and gay! Mr Tinkerbells cat has lost his bell. Go and kill 20 badgers and see if you can find it. WTF?! The game even has you killing rats & other wildlife to find pages for a book in one quest!!! This sort of crap happens far too often. Of course you get that in most mmos but EQ2 just takes it a bit too far.
4. EQ2 abandons its game lore. Its supposed to be based on a good vs evil plotline, where Qeynos struggles for dominance against the evil city of Freeport. However the game freely allows good and evil characters to join up and play together.....so you get dwarves, elves & halflings running around with Trolls, Ogres and dark elves which just annoys me. Most players dont mind this but for me its just irritating and adds to putting me off playing it. You can of course play on a PvP server but this doesnt stop monsters who I cant kill from trying to join my group.
Despite all of that I would still reccomend giving it a go as it is certainly better than the majority of the competition out there.
385, and where are they?
8pm on saturday, and I can see maybe, just maybe, 20 people the entire night. And guess where they're normally are? Broker.
Wished I had a C2D proc, because I'd love to upload some video of real time population stats for players, not just AFKers (oh, please tell me the % of those in your snoop). Should do it for an entire week, just to satisfy naysayers about, "your cross section isn't enough".
I can play a free MMO and chit chat even with botters more readily than in EQII -- 385 online or not!
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
거북이는 목을 내밀 때 안 움직입니다
385, and where are they?
8pm on saturday, and I can see maybe, just maybe, 20 people the entire night. And guess where they're normally are? Broker.
Wished I had a C2D proc, because I'd love to upload some video of real time population stats for players, not just AFKers (oh, please tell me the % of those in your snoop). Should do it for an entire week, just to satisfy naysayers about, "your cross section isn't enough".
I can play a free MMO and chit chat even with botters more readily than in EQII -- 385 online or not!
Every MMo you play there will be some servers which are less populated. Whats your issue really? i am playing in AB server and its always at full load in night, weekend or not. The general chat scrolls so fast that its hard to follow it. Stop with your doom and gloom, please and try to choose the right server. This game is 4 years old so of course population will fluctuate.
Less populated, but not dead. They also don't have 20+ servers to divide the community, either.
My issue with the game is the lie that has been told, and often repeated (game is solo from level 1 to 80 -- 1/3 of the content, let alone best of the content IS NOT SOLO). Didn't like paying $39 for a game that isn't what it advertized on even it's "official" forum.
And since you asked about "issues", here's a SMALL sampling...
Secondly, no true fighter classes (everyone is a spellcaster, and you MUST use the spells). So the mobs are tiered to be overpowered so you use them, as your sword can't do the job alone.
Thirdly, the UI sucks. It's a space hog, and I'm not some 15 year-old to view 80+ 16px icons to cram them all in, so I can have even a 640x480 window to fight through.
Fourthly, when I look at my new fangled uber treasured or mastercrafted armor, I see utter ugliness. Heck, my sword looks like an orc ate it.
Fifthly, crafting is a joke. No real "meet and greet" store. No way to advertize you're looking to do more than making someone's 1gp sword. I'm used to making 15 mill a day or night in a MMO fulfulling bulk guild orders. This game? 3gp a day is about what I can pull in. Now which game do you think I'm more happy with? One that I can get to tradeskilling to it's full potential? Or one that gives chump change and no feel of being a trades person?
Sixthly, having to pay for it all (this I'll correct tonight).
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
Well, I for one will be playing, especially since SOE has given me 2 free months to play with.
I make spreadsheets at work - I don't want to make them for the games I play.
I'll return when my computer can run the rise of kurnak areas. ( it runs aoc on max settings with 20-70 fps in most areas )
My issue with the game is the lie that has been told, and often repeated (game is solo from level 1 to 80 -- 1/3 of the content, let alone best of the content IS NOT SOLO). Didn't like paying $39 for a game that isn't what it advertized on even it's "official" forum.
And since you asked about "issues", here's a SMALL sampling...
Secondly, no true fighter classes (everyone is a spellcaster, and you MUST use the spells). So the mobs are tiered to be overpowered so you use them, as your sword can't do the job alone.
Thirdly, the UI sucks. It's a space hog, and I'm not some 15 year-old to view 80+ 16px icons to cram them all in, so I can have even a 640x480 window to fight through.
Fourthly, when I look at my new fangled uber treasured or mastercrafted armor, I see utter ugliness. Heck, my sword looks like an orc ate it.
Fifthly, crafting is a joke. No real "meet and greet" store. No way to advertize you're looking to do more than making someone's 1gp sword. I'm used to making 15 mill a day or night in a MMO fulfulling bulk guild orders. This game? 3gp a day is about what I can pull in. Now which game do you think I'm more happy with? One that I can get to tradeskilling to it's full potential? Or one that gives chump change and no feel of being a trades person?
Sixthly, having to pay for it all (this I'll correct tonight).
Seems you only read what you want to read. For the last time game isn't dead secondly since you have such a negative attitude, nothing in EQ will make you happy.
Try logging in AB server then we will see if you use word DEAD again. But if you still do then you are lier and doing it just out of spite.
I play on Antonia Bayle and my wife plays on Lucan D'Lere. Both servers are populated well (AB much more so) and healthy. Both are RP preferred servers.
On another topic: Crafting, if you understand how to do it, is very lucrative.
In fact, my wife made 15 plat on Saturday with her weaponsmith crafting.
She's played the game about 7 months now.
I suggest you try EQ2's trial, mostly because the game has changed so much since release. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. But if not, all you have lost is some time.
Hope you find the game you are looking for!
I read practical and sensible dialogue, not fanboi tripe.
I'm this way because I was lied to by your fanboi types. So don't expect a very nice and warm fuzzy response. The game CAN NOT be played solo to "end game" content. Nope, so don't even try to weasle newbies into buying a game that is NOT TRULY soloable. Solo isn't having 1/3 of the content barred from you.
Nope, nada.
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
I read practical and sensible dialogue, not fanboi tripe.
I'm this way because I was lied to by your fanboi types. So don't expect a very nice and warm fuzzy response. The game CAN NOT be played solo to "end game" content. Nope, so don't even try to weasle newbies into buying a game that is NOT TRULY soloable. Solo isn't having 1/3 of the content barred from you.
Nope, nada.
Its funny because i am new player to EQ-2 not some elite player with multiple 80 characters. So like i said you are just talking bullshit. And i am wondering that for someone who hates EQ2 so much, you still spend hell lot of time here.
BS. If you're as green as you claim, you wouldn't even know what you're defending.
:x
Don't even go down that path, it's embarassing to watch.
About 5 posts or so, isn't much time. You really show what this community is about in all it's glory -- exaggerate and outright lie about content.
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
BS. If you're as green as you claim, you wouldn't even know what you're defending.
:x
Don't even go down that path, it's embarassing to watch.
About 5 posts or so, isn't much time. You really show what this community is about in all it's glory -- exaggerate and outright lie about content.
Oh so now you gonna tell me if i am new to EQ 2 or not? lol someone is so full of himself. With that attitude who is going to help you? no one.
Less populated, but not dead. They also don't have 20+ servers to divide the community, either.
My issue with the game is the lie that has been told, and often repeated (game is solo from level 1 to 80 -- 1/3 of the content, let alone best of the content IS NOT SOLO). Didn't like paying $39 for a game that isn't what it advertized on even it's "official" forum.
And since you asked about "issues", here's a SMALL sampling...
Secondly, no true fighter classes (everyone is a spellcaster, and you MUST use the spells). So the mobs are tiered to be overpowered so you use them, as your sword can't do the job alone.
Thirdly, the UI sucks. It's a space hog, and I'm not some 15 year-old to view 80+ 16px icons to cram them all in, so I can have even a 640x480 window to fight through.
Fourthly, when I look at my new fangled uber treasured or mastercrafted armor, I see utter ugliness. Heck, my sword looks like an orc ate it.
Fifthly, crafting is a joke. No real "meet and greet" store. No way to advertize you're looking to do more than making someone's 1gp sword. I'm used to making 15 mill a day or night in a MMO fulfulling bulk guild orders. This game? 3gp a day is about what I can pull in. Now which game do you think I'm more happy with? One that I can get to tradeskilling to it's full potential? Or one that gives chump change and no feel of being a trades person?
Sixthly, having to pay for it all (this I'll correct tonight).
Sounds like you may be taking MMO games a bit seriously. Step back away and look at it from a gamers perspective, or better yet a working class person who doesn't play 14+ hrs a day. What you described is virtually all MMOs in one form or another. 1/3rd solo content sounds pretty generous, considering a lot of people don't care about solo content as much as you would think. Not everyone plays an MMO to solo their whole time.
I don't think he comes around here much anymore.
as an old school Everquest player, I thought I would return and engage in some nostalgia with EQII. Soe was nice enough to invite me back for an extended free trial. It looked like a good deal in print, but it hinges on being able to enter the game, which I can not do. Gamma ramp issues that they say are caused by my OS (Windows Vista DX 10). Strange, since I can play SWG, EVE, AoC, Oblivion, Wow, Voyage Century, Jumpgate and Doom III just fine. I am soooo tired of SOE's lackadaisical approach to tech support. SOE needs to grow a pair and accept responsiblilty for their programming issues that cause these kinds of problems. So, to answer your question, no, I don't play EQII any more.
Author of the Amazon kindle book, The Clan and the Crown