God I miss the many, many, many hours with this game... Kiting the hill giants with druid in wolfform, soloing as an enchanter with a dancing sword (hitting lvl to get KEI was a memory for life)... Maybe I'll come back for FTP and just travel the world again
(And of course control a giant and put him at zone entrance was a laugh ^^)
God I miss the many, many, many hours with this game... Kiting the hill giants with druid in wolfform, soloing as an enchanter with a dancing sword (hitting lvl to get KEI was a memory for life)... Maybe I'll come back for FTP and just travel the world again
(And of course control a giant and put him at zone entrance was a laugh ^^)
If you'd like to relive that experience (and you have access to a mac, even an older one) you should really consider giving the EQMac server, Al'kabor, a chance. It's a server trapped in time essentially (locked at PoP), with all the old zones, original spell graphics, most of the older npc models, along with a very friendly community. And possibly the best part about it is it's now completely F2P with no marketplace or anything of that sort. It's probably the only official-run server (of any mmo, for that matter) that's totally free without any of the cash shop stuff whatsoever.
I know this is sounding more like an advertisement than anything, and I guess in a way that's what it is, but it's for good reason. If you look through my post history you'll notice that I've been jumping around from game to game for many, many years. In fact, ever since I left my first mmo (EQ on the PC) after years of playing it, I've been searching for something that gave me the same sense of satisfaction and entertainment that the older EQ offered. Originally, I thought the allure was nothing but nostalgia and that I'd never be able to enjoy the game as much as I did at the start, but after playing on the original progression server (and subsequently finally coming over to the Mac server), I realized that at least some of the "magic" could be recaptured in an evironment that supported it.
I really enjoyed the progression server until the "uber" guilds raced through all the content, unlocking expansions before my friends and I had even had a chance to experience them again. Once they got past PoP, most of us decided to quit because the pace was just too rapid and the game was turning back into the version that we weren't as happy with.
And that brings me back to the point of this post, the Mac server. I know many people much more prefer the current EQ and can't understand how anyone could enjoy a version of the game that's considered to be outdated; I can understand why many would share that sentiment. However, if you're anything like I am and really appreciate the little (on top of some of the bigger) things that an older version of EQ has to offer (such as old zones still being in use, a less substantial gear grind, a more laid back raiding scene, etc), you should consider giving Al'Kabor a look. Heck, if you have a mac or access to one, you only have a little time to lose. I think there's a good chance you'll like what you see.
Well, that EQ is dead now, more than this, the whole genre it is, what we have now in the MMO market are just online games when the idea behind the genre was to have persistent worlds, to be honest i dont know who fucked up.
now wait one sec there sir, how the hell can EQ be dead when it just came out with its like 18th expansion some time last year. Want to talk about dead games talk about SWG then but not EQ.
What a great post, I left EQ about 7 years ago, but your absolutely right, i compare every game to EQ, there is no game out there that comes close to the challenge EQ had brought. You felt satisfaction when you level, an accomplishment when you level!!!, No such feeling comes from today's games, I think WoW changed that for the worse.....WoW created the new gamers, which i call the "pepsi generation gamers", they want everything handed to them on a silver plater, and complain about EVERYTHING....this new generation will kill MMO's in my opinion...if they had a chance, they would let you wipe there A@@ after taking a Shi$ too....
you sir are absolutely correct. Amd the funny thing about it is with EQ your little WoW pepsi generation gamers cant and will not say qq qq qqq cry more whhhaaaa wwwahhhh EQ copied my wow, wait there little boy first off EQ was out before wow and it was WoW that COPIED from EQ so take those happy apples and choke on em for a while. LOL
What the "new generation" doesn't understand about us bitter EQ addicts is the *FEELING* that EQ gave us and WOW doesn't. (Just using WOW as the standard example because it's the most popular MMO) I picked up EQ when Kunark was released and played until 2005. Last thing I remember was flagging guildies in PoJ and just getting overly fed up with the whole process. Needed too much RL time to accomplish ingame tasks.
Starting out as a Barb Warrior and being blind inside the tunnel to BB without my torch. Remember that *FEELING* of ANXIETY hoping at level 5 that you could find your way to the end before the goblins beat you to death that guarded the entrance?
Remember the *FEELING* of PANIC when you fell through that false floor in the tree that looked so inviting?
No way I'm getting that corpse right? Didn't even know about corpse dragging or anything yet. May as well start over, as a Rogue.
Remember the *FEELING* of SILLY JOY when you reached level 8 or so and could sneak/hide and become invisible to the friends you made over the past few weeks hunting leopards and baby mammoths on the outskirts of the tundra? Walking near them after about 4 minutes of pressing the macro keys before it actually took hold and emoting stupid things while chuckling?
Remember that *FEELING* of EXCITEMENT when a LvL 30 Human Pally dragged your corpse out of Qeynos sewers and said if you got to level 10 by the weekend to contact him and he would talk to you about joining the guild. Then the *FEELING* of HAPPYNESS when reaching that goal and the anticipation of the invite. The *FEELING* of EXCITEMENT when you went to Qeynos' main gate and another guildmate of his handed you a full set of Chainmail armor that he made!
Remember the *FEELING* of ASTONISHMENT when at level 13 a guild bard ran you across the world to EC to buy a Dragoon Dirk for 75pp that you saved up doing bank runs for the high level people hunting Ice Giants by the gates of Permafrost. The *FEELING* of PRIDE that those high levels would send you tells that they needed a bank run because you earned their trust.
Remember the *FEELING* of OMG OMG OMG when you snuck to the room in LGUK surrounded by red cons (Can't believe I forget the name of it) and get on a waiting list for Mask of Illusion. Nevermind the 2 times you LD while hiding in the corner for four hours! Then actually seeing one of the group members (of people you don't know btw) say "All yours Cyllus, enjoy!
Remember the *FEELING* of SHEER HEARTPOUNDING TERROR getting a TP from Ezzlaar up to PoH then sneak/hiding your way to the second floor of the Maestro's house to pick something up that may or may not have been there then making it back to call Ezzlaar back up to get you.
How I could go on for days with these snipits of how EQ sucked you in like that. Leading CoM raids for guild druids and rangers and having that Black Golem thing spawn like 14 times in a row. Getting your keys to OS and HS. Killing Vox and Naggy. Failing at the Fear Break and staying awake until the sun came up just to retrieve your corpse. The endless tells begging people to wake up and "consent Cyllus" so I could drag their corpse out of here before the whole zone respawns.
I did play WoW with guildies who switched over and yeah it was pretty fun. I don't remember once FEELING anything like EQ gave me. WoW is a fun game, the same way CoD and Madden is fun now. It's just not EQ.
I remember buying my first dragoon dirk in the commons, and then I also remember losing it in Crushbone when it dropped to the ground for some reason due to me having a full inventory. I ran back to where I knew I must had dropped it near the throne room about 10 or 15 minutes later. Alas, it was gone.
Never played EQ but FFXI was almost a carbon copy.
I remember trying to do the walk from one of the 3 starter cities to the main city that connected them all. No sneak or invis. Think it took me like 2 hours of either aggroing and trying to kill or dying and starting over. Compound that by night time where ghosts and ghouls came out and no way to leash mobs, it had your heart pounding.
Eq Next, anybody know what the Engine they have choosen for it? Since there hast been any updates since July, 2011..
Eq1 was the first mmo ive ever played, and oh boy it was great. From the moment you logged on and the magical world opended up for your eyes, and spending a lot of time on a netcafe playing with a ton of friends levelling together and rading together.
The game was the best at its time, there where small feauteres that was cool i.e a Giant would have a awesome axe and a armor of epic quality, u would be able to see if they had thoose items and u knew they would drop. Or when you spent hours and hours raiding for the ONE single item for the main tank to get, when it was over you got a unknown feeling today that is ofc accomplishment. You felt you made progression not for you but the guild as a whole. You simply dont get that feeling from an MMO anymore today.
Or
When you where leveling as grinded a lot, i.e in Lower Guk you would shout "Camp Check" started a grp then headed down to the basement area where you would spend hours and hours of camping(Sound boring i know) BUT the best thing is this game was the social spect of it. When you camped you talked alot, of you where and what you did for work. You made FRIENDS in the game, and they where polite if you did rotation wrong or something like that. Ive made alot of real life friends trough that game..
Wow, you all make me want to reload the game right now.
I have fond memories of it.
I also remember being bored. My friends and guildies weren't on and I couldn't find a group and I couldn't solo. I got so bored one time that I re-equipped my newbie armor and weapons and hunted mammoths (now a grey mob) just to relive THAT old memory. But it wasn't the same without my friends.
I remember playing an Erudite Paladin, I was the ONLY one around and when people would see me using a sword they would be like what the hell class are you? The fact that the Erudites were the masters of magic on the world, not the High Elves. Awesome black people in a fantasy mmo? What blasphemy!! I will NEVER forgive SONY for making the Euridites grey in part 2, NEVER. The fact that races spoke other languages, and you could learn them by being taught by a player of that race! Imagine if humans could learn Orc in WoW, by having an Orc teach them!
How did I solo? By saving damsels from distress (helping people in trouble with more monsters that they can handle of course), I rped all of these encounters. This chocolate Paladin rushing in to save the day with his sword!
I loved the random super monster that would walk across any landscape at any time. The Sand Giants, the Gryphon and running away like a little girl because guys would be taken out in one hit because this was a low level zone and the Gryphons would be higher than anything you could tackle at that time. The only other game I played that does this is COH (which does have alot of EQ conventions to it if you haven't tried it). In EQ no matter where you was there was always something that it was better to run from instead of fight.
Real damn nightime! Omg walking out of Euridin at night into the forest and having to wall hug after getting my ass whopped by necromancers.
The monster trains, running away like a little girl everytime you heard someone yell TRAIN!
Watching newbies plunge to their deaths in the wood elf city because they fell off the suspended bridges, good times.
That damn forest (forget the name alway, but I know you guys know it) that would turn into "Run for your damn Life Woods" when it turned nighttime because of being gang raped by skeletons. Nighttime meant something in EQ, when you got your first torch or fire beetle eye and were able to travel at night without being completely in total blackness you felt like the man!
Real faction quests and faction actually meant something in this game. I remember everybody did not like the Euridites and I would get ripped off in some cities beause of this! Loved that, loooooved that so much. Yeah it sucked having to pay higher prices, but it also made the world feel more real. I could also remedy this by doing faction quests for that town or city that would get me better faction with that place, thus getting those prices lowered.
The community! I learned how to play the game by having another player teach me in the Euridite city! Not by the manual, , but by someone mentoring me right in the game!
AND FINALLY
For all of those who wondered why EQ was beloved the most by alot of us
REAL GM EVENTS!! The GM's would run REAL events all the time. I would pay 50 dollars a month for this to return in ANY mmorpg!! The races, where a gm would cast spirit of the wolf on everyone and everyone would TURN into wolves, and there would be a race of wolves through the countryside or forest!. A GM taking over a racial enemy and standing at the door of said race's city waiting to rain down hell upon anyone that tried to enter. Bank run you say? Well not today, because Super Bad Ass the Dark Elf is standing at the gates and says you can't go home right now unless you want some whoppin.
Real GM events need to return to games
Any mmo worth its salt should be like a good prostitute when it comes to its game world- One hell of a faker, and a damn good shaker!
Comments
God I miss the many, many, many hours with this game... Kiting the hill giants with druid in wolfform, soloing as an enchanter with a dancing sword (hitting lvl to get KEI was a memory for life)... Maybe I'll come back for FTP and just travel the world again
(And of course control a giant and put him at zone entrance was a laugh ^^)
If you'd like to relive that experience (and you have access to a mac, even an older one) you should really consider giving the EQMac server, Al'kabor, a chance. It's a server trapped in time essentially (locked at PoP), with all the old zones, original spell graphics, most of the older npc models, along with a very friendly community. And possibly the best part about it is it's now completely F2P with no marketplace or anything of that sort. It's probably the only official-run server (of any mmo, for that matter) that's totally free without any of the cash shop stuff whatsoever.
I know this is sounding more like an advertisement than anything, and I guess in a way that's what it is, but it's for good reason. If you look through my post history you'll notice that I've been jumping around from game to game for many, many years. In fact, ever since I left my first mmo (EQ on the PC) after years of playing it, I've been searching for something that gave me the same sense of satisfaction and entertainment that the older EQ offered. Originally, I thought the allure was nothing but nostalgia and that I'd never be able to enjoy the game as much as I did at the start, but after playing on the original progression server (and subsequently finally coming over to the Mac server), I realized that at least some of the "magic" could be recaptured in an evironment that supported it.
I really enjoyed the progression server until the "uber" guilds raced through all the content, unlocking expansions before my friends and I had even had a chance to experience them again. Once they got past PoP, most of us decided to quit because the pace was just too rapid and the game was turning back into the version that we weren't as happy with.
And that brings me back to the point of this post, the Mac server. I know many people much more prefer the current EQ and can't understand how anyone could enjoy a version of the game that's considered to be outdated; I can understand why many would share that sentiment. However, if you're anything like I am and really appreciate the little (on top of some of the bigger) things that an older version of EQ has to offer (such as old zones still being in use, a less substantial gear grind, a more laid back raiding scene, etc), you should consider giving Al'Kabor a look. Heck, if you have a mac or access to one, you only have a little time to lose. I think there's a good chance you'll like what you see.
Whatever you decide to do, happy hunting
now wait one sec there sir, how the hell can EQ be dead when it just came out with its like 18th expansion some time last year. Want to talk about dead games talk about SWG then but not EQ.
you sir are absolutely correct. Amd the funny thing about it is with EQ your little WoW pepsi generation gamers cant and will not say qq qq qqq cry more whhhaaaa wwwahhhh EQ copied my wow, wait there little boy first off EQ was out before wow and it was WoW that COPIED from EQ so take those happy apples and choke on em for a while. LOL
What the "new generation" doesn't understand about us bitter EQ addicts is the *FEELING* that EQ gave us and WOW doesn't. (Just using WOW as the standard example because it's the most popular MMO) I picked up EQ when Kunark was released and played until 2005. Last thing I remember was flagging guildies in PoJ and just getting overly fed up with the whole process. Needed too much RL time to accomplish ingame tasks.
Starting out as a Barb Warrior and being blind inside the tunnel to BB without my torch. Remember that *FEELING* of ANXIETY hoping at level 5 that you could find your way to the end before the goblins beat you to death that guarded the entrance?
Remember the *FEELING* of PANIC when you fell through that false floor in the tree that looked so inviting?
No way I'm getting that corpse right? Didn't even know about corpse dragging or anything yet. May as well start over, as a Rogue.
Remember the *FEELING* of SILLY JOY when you reached level 8 or so and could sneak/hide and become invisible to the friends you made over the past few weeks hunting leopards and baby mammoths on the outskirts of the tundra? Walking near them after about 4 minutes of pressing the macro keys before it actually took hold and emoting stupid things while chuckling?
Remember that *FEELING* of EXCITEMENT when a LvL 30 Human Pally dragged your corpse out of Qeynos sewers and said if you got to level 10 by the weekend to contact him and he would talk to you about joining the guild. Then the *FEELING* of HAPPYNESS when reaching that goal and the anticipation of the invite. The *FEELING* of EXCITEMENT when you went to Qeynos' main gate and another guildmate of his handed you a full set of Chainmail armor that he made!
Remember the *FEELING* of ASTONISHMENT when at level 13 a guild bard ran you across the world to EC to buy a Dragoon Dirk for 75pp that you saved up doing bank runs for the high level people hunting Ice Giants by the gates of Permafrost. The *FEELING* of PRIDE that those high levels would send you tells that they needed a bank run because you earned their trust.
Remember the *FEELING* of OMG OMG OMG when you snuck to the room in LGUK surrounded by red cons (Can't believe I forget the name of it) and get on a waiting list for Mask of Illusion. Nevermind the 2 times you LD while hiding in the corner for four hours! Then actually seeing one of the group members (of people you don't know btw) say "All yours Cyllus, enjoy!
Remember the *FEELING* of SHEER HEARTPOUNDING TERROR getting a TP from Ezzlaar up to PoH then sneak/hiding your way to the second floor of the Maestro's house to pick something up that may or may not have been there then making it back to call Ezzlaar back up to get you.
How I could go on for days with these snipits of how EQ sucked you in like that. Leading CoM raids for guild druids and rangers and having that Black Golem thing spawn like 14 times in a row. Getting your keys to OS and HS. Killing Vox and Naggy. Failing at the Fear Break and staying awake until the sun came up just to retrieve your corpse. The endless tells begging people to wake up and "consent Cyllus" so I could drag their corpse out of here before the whole zone respawns.
I did play WoW with guildies who switched over and yeah it was pretty fun. I don't remember once FEELING anything like EQ gave me. WoW is a fun game, the same way CoD and Madden is fun now. It's just not EQ.
PERFECT!!! /sigh
--Gaymer Extraordinaire--
QFT!
I miss the good EQ days.
I just hope they do follow through with EQ Next.
If EQ next is half as good as EQ1 was, then it will be a great game... 1000x better than any game next to EQ.
I remember buying my first dragoon dirk in the commons, and then I also remember losing it in Crushbone when it dropped to the ground for some reason due to me having a full inventory. I ran back to where I knew I must had dropped it near the throne room about 10 or 15 minutes later. Alas, it was gone.
Never played EQ but FFXI was almost a carbon copy.
I remember trying to do the walk from one of the 3 starter cities to the main city that connected them all. No sneak or invis. Think it took me like 2 hours of either aggroing and trying to kill or dying and starting over. Compound that by night time where ghosts and ghouls came out and no way to leash mobs, it had your heart pounding.
Xegony is pretty busy at low levels and seems like it's population is increasing, if anyone wants to join me, my name is oogie
I have 2 accounts that I made on my old server... but just is not the same without the friends I used to play the game with.
Really looking forward to the possible EQ Next so I can have a fresh start with a good game...
Willing to preorder now even if it is not done for many many years, too SOE because all these other games suck
Eq Next, anybody know what the Engine they have choosen for it? Since there hast been any updates since July, 2011..
Eq1 was the first mmo ive ever played, and oh boy it was great. From the moment you logged on and the magical world opended up for your eyes, and spending a lot of time on a netcafe playing with a ton of friends levelling together and rading together.
The game was the best at its time, there where small feauteres that was cool i.e a Giant would have a awesome axe and a armor of epic quality, u would be able to see if they had thoose items and u knew they would drop. Or when you spent hours and hours raiding for the ONE single item for the main tank to get, when it was over you got a unknown feeling today that is ofc accomplishment. You felt you made progression not for you but the guild as a whole. You simply dont get that feeling from an MMO anymore today.
Or
When you where leveling as grinded a lot, i.e in Lower Guk you would shout "Camp Check" started a grp then headed down to the basement area where you would spend hours and hours of camping(Sound boring i know) BUT the best thing is this game was the social spect of it. When you camped you talked alot, of you where and what you did for work. You made FRIENDS in the game, and they where polite if you did rotation wrong or something like that. Ive made alot of real life friends trough that game..
But im proberly going to return when its free 2 play. Anyone know what classes you can start with?
And the complete package is only 40 bucks for it all :P
Wow, you all make me want to reload the game right now.
I have fond memories of it.
I also remember being bored. My friends and guildies weren't on and I couldn't find a group and I couldn't solo. I got so bored one time that I re-equipped my newbie armor and weapons and hunted mammoths (now a grey mob) just to relive THAT old memory. But it wasn't the same without my friends.
The game was fun, but my friends were great.
TSW, LotRO, EQ2, SWTOR, GW2, V:SoH, Neverwinter, ArchAge, EQ, UO, DAoC, WAR, DDO, AoC, MO, BDO, SotA, B&S, ESO,
EQ is awesome, sooooo many memories. I have tried to go back many times though since the good ol years and I just can't get back into it. Great post.
I remember playing an Erudite Paladin, I was the ONLY one around and when people would see me using a sword they would be like what the hell class are you? The fact that the Erudites were the masters of magic on the world, not the High Elves. Awesome black people in a fantasy mmo? What blasphemy!! I will NEVER forgive SONY for making the Euridites grey in part 2, NEVER. The fact that races spoke other languages, and you could learn them by being taught by a player of that race! Imagine if humans could learn Orc in WoW, by having an Orc teach them!
How did I solo? By saving damsels from distress (helping people in trouble with more monsters that they can handle of course), I rped all of these encounters. This chocolate Paladin rushing in to save the day with his sword!
I loved the random super monster that would walk across any landscape at any time. The Sand Giants, the Gryphon and running away like a little girl because guys would be taken out in one hit because this was a low level zone and the Gryphons would be higher than anything you could tackle at that time. The only other game I played that does this is COH (which does have alot of EQ conventions to it if you haven't tried it). In EQ no matter where you was there was always something that it was better to run from instead of fight.
Real damn nightime! Omg walking out of Euridin at night into the forest and having to wall hug after getting my ass whopped by necromancers.
The monster trains, running away like a little girl everytime you heard someone yell TRAIN!
Watching newbies plunge to their deaths in the wood elf city because they fell off the suspended bridges, good times.
That damn forest (forget the name alway, but I know you guys know it) that would turn into "Run for your damn Life Woods" when it turned nighttime because of being gang raped by skeletons. Nighttime meant something in EQ, when you got your first torch or fire beetle eye and were able to travel at night without being completely in total blackness you felt like the man!
Real faction quests and faction actually meant something in this game. I remember everybody did not like the Euridites and I would get ripped off in some cities beause of this! Loved that, loooooved that so much. Yeah it sucked having to pay higher prices, but it also made the world feel more real. I could also remedy this by doing faction quests for that town or city that would get me better faction with that place, thus getting those prices lowered.
The community! I learned how to play the game by having another player teach me in the Euridite city! Not by the manual, , but by someone mentoring me right in the game!
AND FINALLY
For all of those who wondered why EQ was beloved the most by alot of us
REAL GM EVENTS!! The GM's would run REAL events all the time. I would pay 50 dollars a month for this to return in ANY mmorpg!! The races, where a gm would cast spirit of the wolf on everyone and everyone would TURN into wolves, and there would be a race of wolves through the countryside or forest!. A GM taking over a racial enemy and standing at the door of said race's city waiting to rain down hell upon anyone that tried to enter. Bank run you say? Well not today, because Super Bad Ass the Dark Elf is standing at the gates and says you can't go home right now unless you want some whoppin.
Real GM events need to return to games
Any mmo worth its salt should be like a good prostitute when it comes to its game world- One hell of a faker, and a damn good shaker!