Previous EQ player questions

gimmeapenny

Kinda long sorry...

I played EQ since beta to around the Luclin expansion, because I was addicted and decided to quit. Well my friend kept playing for about another year or two so I came back, older, trusting 6-9 hours a day wouldnt happen again. It was my world again, I was happy until I created my character and entered the world. The scroll on my interface was gone! I guess that's not really the bad thing but that was the first thing i thought when I got on, the big problem I had was the game was more player friendly(easier), imo. I quit again, and I was wondering if the game has gotten insanely easier since then.

I've been thru multiple MMO's and none of them felt like EQ. DAOC is the only game that comes close to EQ... DAOC had the all time greatest PvP, in my opinion.

Is EQ easier then it was when I quit the second time? Even tho I am enjoying EQ2 at the moment... it still feels like a more in depth WoW in an EQ universe. I was gunna stay for the dieties in the upcoming expansion and see how that works out, if it still feels the same I plan to leave. Trying to decide if I should go back to EQ, DAoC, or try out a new one.

Also what MMO's would some of yall recommend (I'm into challenging MMO's with an interesting world, I hate grind fests, I like games where I can do a good bit on the side while im levelling and at end game.) a few of the games I played are EVE(also amazing MMO), EQ, DAoC, WoW, EQ2, WW2 Online(surprisingly good if your people defending or attacking work together), SWG, AO, UO, GW, Ryzom, and several others

Sorry for the long post but I normally plan out a character before i buy a game, max him out then make a character based on experience. Thank you

neschria

First, there are 2 new servers (The Combine and The Sleeper) that only have the original game + Kunark right now, with new expansions to be unlocked over time. You might want to look into those. Some things (like the UI and 'Find') are different, but it is largely devoid of many of the things that have made the game so much easier these days. Also, there are still plenty of people playing in the low level zones there that you knew and loved.

But if you are playing on a normal server...

EQ has changed a lot over time. I was one of the people dismayed by the dumbing down or "newbification" of EQ, but my attitude has changed over time. Yes, it has become easier in some respects. For instance, when you die, you can now dish out some cash and summon your corpse to the Guild Lobby, and most of the time, there are clerics rezzing and buffing there. There's still experience loss, though, especially if you don't get that rez. And you still have to run back if you weren't done there. But the portal in Guild Hall (if you're in a guild) and Plane of Knowledge make that somewhat less painful than it might have been at one time.

There's a tutorial that will get you through the first 10 levels in a couple of hours, but it isn't representative of the game as a whole. Keep in mind that the top level is 70 now and will be 75 in September, so those first 10 levels don't amount to much of anything anyway. If you want the game to be hard from the start, head to a progression server (no tutorial at this time) or remember to UNcheck the "Start Tutorial" button during character creation.

There are still a lot of things to do other than just grinding out experience. At the higher levels, raiding is still an option there. There are new quests (new epics, for instance) and different types of missions to break up the monotony. Many monster missions allow you to group with people of different levels (at least the last time I checked), which turns out to be a good thing, since lower level zones are pretty empty on regular servers.

It's still a harder game than EQ2, and worlds harder than WoW.

Ishwar

In many ways EQ is a lot easier than it used to be. Getting to level 70, and getting AAs is definatly easier then it used to be.

But wity the higher end content, overall the games is not easier. If your bar is juts completing VT (top luclin zone), then it is definatly too easy. But if you take the game as a whole, time, skill  and contacts required to beat, current top zone, is still as hard as it ever was.

neschria

I agree with Ishwar, who used fewer words and made a clearer point.

The last few expansions have had a better mix of casual and hardcore content, at the expense of lower level content. There's plenty of really challenging stuff to go around, even for the average player who won't be doing the current top zone when it is current. That's true both in terms of current greoupable content and hitting the top end of the last few expansions prior to the current one. If you are one of the people who most likely will do current top content before the next expansion comes along... you have your work cut out for you.

gimmeapenny

Well me and my friend got our characters to 56, before i quit.. I quit cause I got my necro up way faster then my original neccy and the game was jus easier. I didnt think the endgame would be challenging, so i quit. I may come back and take a look at it.
Thanks for answering, I was jus wondering how easy it is now and if i should come back and try it.

grim_skunk

I had quit EQ as well after years of playing it and found when I had returned, it was a lot easier to get through the levels, especially to get up to level 60.  The post 60 levels were a little more challenging, but over all I still found it a lot easier.  They basically ended the 'travel and exploration' content of the game by adding the Plane of Knowledge, guild portals, and deleting the boats - I am not saying this is good or bad, I used to hate waiting around for the damn boat to come pick me up.  And, corpse runs are a thing of the past, making the risk factor in doing high level dungeons and planes non-existant. 

Also, SOE has tampered a lot with the exp gains and loses.  At one time, monster missions dished out so much exp that you could max your character in a couple days of game play.  But, I believe they changed that again, but not sure.

Anyway, I found the game to be considerably easier than what it once was, in my opinion.  Whether that is for better or worse, that's for you to decide.

Lordage

In my opinion FFXI is probably the most in depth MMORPG out there at the moment. The whole Job/SubJob system and the fact Race actually effects stats and the like adds a lot of depth. The fact you can't solo past level 10 helps too. :P