EQ2 at launch was like this, WoW has always be heavily solo focused. The two games launched in the same month and one took off and the other just sort of limped along. I won't say that the difference in Solo vs Group play was the only reason WoW succeeded where EQ2 didn't but developers learned a valuable lesson from those two launches which is why there hasn't been a AAA launch since that has pushed grouping into the leveling process with the possible exception of Vanguard if you want to count that as AAA. The people who prefer it are way outnumbered.
Yeh, I just finished editing my post above and I agree. He wouldn't have seen that even at level 10 in dec of 04, though.
What is really strange to me about EQ2's population list on the main webpage is that i play on a less than stellar population server, Butcherblock, and i see people in every zone, in every city, in every quest hub, i cant go anywhere without encountering players of all levels! I think Antonyious Bayle is the most populated server at any given time, but it can fluctuate. I have a total blast on my Bruiser when i play EQ2! The population of any server is decent enough, i mainly get instant pop dungeon finder queues on my sub 90's but anything higher than that expect to wait until you can find a group.
in short, my life never dropped below 70%, my mana filled up in seconds and was never an issue, I ran from goal to goal like a drugged mouse, and everything was handed to me on a silver platter. Gameplay consists of choosing your rewards rather than earning them.
Up to level 10 you never left the "newbie garden" (slang for beginner area, not that you're a newbie). You're not obligated to run around in that weak area. If you so choose you can run to a mariner bell and travel anywhere. Travel to Antonica and pull a few level 11 gnolls or Commonlands and similarly leveled orcs and you'll be in for a fight. Later, walk into Blackburrow or Wailing Caves, you won't progress past 40 yards from the entrance at all, alone.
edit: To think about it, though, you're a little bit right, but you probably don't understand why. In the first months after release, combat was a little different with regard to mob difficulty, mob health, player dps and effects of synergistic (heroic op) combos. This meant a level of difficulty slanted against the soloer. I think it was WoW's success that made the devs alter the combat overall, so that there were more soloable areas, particularly in open wilderness, but again, you wouldn't have experienced those differences, even had you been present, in that era's "newbie gardens" (peat bog, oakmyst forest, graveyard, sunken city).
Thanks for the response, and I do hope you're right, but...
I just did a search for recent EQ2 gameplay and watched three videos. In all videos the player fought equal level mobs or two to three levels above. The levels in the videos were 22, 85, and 40 or so.
in none of the videos did the players HP drop below 95%, or their MP below 75%. Those numbers are not hyperbole, I kept a careful eye on it.
the videos were in open zone questing gameplay with non "elite" mobs. If there is a way to play in which the mobs present a challenge, I did not see it.
also watched two "daily heroic" quests which consisted of locating a group of monsters (unknown level), activating one AoE ability sometimes three times, and looting. Hp remained above 75%.
incidentally, I did try to play near launch but didn't have the computer for it. Tried again several years later, that's where my newbie experience comes from.
for me this game is still firmly in the range "would play but already so invested in wow..."
Hey guys. Im just wondering, if anyone who knows anything about EQ2 could tell me how the population is?
This game as always appealed to me, but I never played it. I want to start playing it, but I absolutely hate playing MMORPG's that have a small player base. A decently sized population is important to me.
Any info on this? Honest answers much appreciated!
Thank you!
Weirdly EQ2 isn't a game that requires a huge pop... I have found that even on smaller servers I have tried the pop is chatty and helpful. I haven't been in a game since EQ1 where total strangers will give their time to help you like this one. Plus, the game has cross server chat channels, so that also helps.
I would shift your focus from a dense server to a good guild tbh. I think it's more important in the long run.
I actually DONT want to be able to solo "most of the content"
Although it sounds like a bad thing, I really like there being forced interaction with players in order to get something done. I don't want it to be like WoW where you can go through the entire leveling process, and experience pretty much all the endgame content without knowing or interacting with a single person.
I know EQ was one of the first "major" classic MMORPG's that had elements such as forced interaction. I just thought EQ might have retained this aspect, but I don't know.
I'm just looking for an MMO with a lot of players with a lot of interaction required, with hard earned loot, not epics that are thrown at you like candy.
If anyone knows if EQ2 is like this, or knows of any MMORPG like this, It would be very much appreciated!
There isn't a single game that I know of that you can't ask people to join you in questing. Sure, you can solo most games now a days, but you don't have to. /shrug
Death is nothing to us, since when we are, Death has not come, and when death has come, we are not.
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Yeh, I just finished editing my post above and I agree. He wouldn't have seen that even at level 10 in dec of 04, though.
as i posted in the linked thread
most the f2p restrictions have been removed
the existing restrictions are
- cannot research Grandmaster spells
- cannot move the AA slider (its stuck at 50/50 )
- cannot sell on broker (without paying a fee)
EQ2 fan sites
Thanks for the response, and I do hope you're right, but...
I just did a search for recent EQ2 gameplay and watched three videos. In all videos the player fought equal level mobs or two to three levels above. The levels in the videos were 22, 85, and 40 or so.
in none of the videos did the players HP drop below 95%, or their MP below 75%. Those numbers are not hyperbole, I kept a careful eye on it.
the videos were in open zone questing gameplay with non "elite" mobs. If there is a way to play in which the mobs present a challenge, I did not see it.
also watched two "daily heroic" quests which consisted of locating a group of monsters (unknown level), activating one AoE ability sometimes three times, and looting. Hp remained above 75%.
incidentally, I did try to play near launch but didn't have the computer for it. Tried again several years later, that's where my newbie experience comes from.
for me this game is still firmly in the range "would play but already so invested in wow..."
Weirdly EQ2 isn't a game that requires a huge pop... I have found that even on smaller servers I have tried the pop is chatty and helpful. I haven't been in a game since EQ1 where total strangers will give their time to help you like this one. Plus, the game has cross server chat channels, so that also helps.
I would shift your focus from a dense server to a good guild tbh. I think it's more important in the long run.
There isn't a single game that I know of that you can't ask people to join you in questing. Sure, you can solo most games now a days, but you don't have to. /shrug
Death is nothing to us, since when we are, Death has not come, and when death has come, we are not.
Somethings are kinda easy solo, BUT dang if I go off wandering and die.....
There are multiple dungeons that I have had to ask for help, I have also had to have random people group with me just to heal me up.....
Join a Guild and seriously meet new friends.
This has got to be one of the most helpful communities I have had the privilege to hang around with.
Life is Short, Read a Book.