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Let me tell you a story...
KillerJimmy
Member Posts: 216
Four friends played WoW together (some of them had been friends through many games), but eventually WoW was finished for them all.
Out of boredom, three of the friends started playing EQ2 one day when PvP was released (the other started working two jobs and couldn't play). One of the friends playing EQ2 quit after a couple weeks with hardly a word, the pain a game would have to cause for this to happen is hard to imagine. The remaining two struggled on trying for another few weeks to find something, anything in the game that they would like. Eventually the two friends at around level 40 couldn't find any meaningful content that could be duo'd, so they also quit.
Awhile later talk of a grand game started to surface. The four friends looked into it, read lore, checked developers, read forums, etc. The game was called Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. After looking for quite awhile, three of the friends decided they had no interest in it while the friend who had worked two jobs thought it sounded very interesting.
The End
I'm not the one who worked two jobs. 
All I can think is: "if only I hadn't played EQ2, maybe I could have the smallest shread of interest in VSoH." But anyone who takes credit for the "design" of EQ2 has already lost me, I'm afraid. I liked jumping off of birds mid-flight in EQ2. I liked using a taunt or a de-aggro in PvP and it working in EQ2. I can't remember anything else I liked in the game. Two tiny aspects .... and EQ 2 gets my shortest ever paid MMO stay award.
I know I've asked before, but can anyone tell me how much Vanguard isn't like EQ2?! lol I just got tired of Blizzard's patch antics in WoW again (after resubbing for 2 months) and I am really hoping for something decent early in the New Year.
Comments
I understand where you are coming from, but...
I suggest you read some of the information on the official webpage regarding this game and the relation to both EQ and EQ2.
I was a little concerned at first too but then I read how only the original vision of EQ2 was developed by these guys and when they left the development the game took a sharp turn in a different direction.
EQ2 in its released form and its current form was not designed by the developers of Vanguard. The game did not turn out anything like they had originally planned it. In fact this game (Vanguard) is in essence, the Anti-EQ2 just in terms of what they originally thought EQ2 should have been like.
If anything this game will resemble EQ1 quite a bit more than EQ2, and as anyone who played both EQs can tell you, the only resemblence of EQ1 in EQ2 were the names of the zones... that was it!
Fear not...
A quote from FAQ on Vanguards official site....
"Also, several other key people at Sigil were also on the EQ 2 team in varying capacities, some up to the April 2002 time frame or so.
Our goal at the time (1999-2001) was to make a true sequel for EQ and to improve upon it.
Obviously, after I left, the game went through several more executive producers and managers and designers and doesn't resemble very much in its final form what it was designed to be early on."
There is quite a bit more... its located in the FAQ - General 1.4.1.1
Remember boats were suppose to be in EQ2? that is one example of Brads influence.
When Brad realised the game wasn't going to be what he had designed, he left SOE, and forged ahead with Sigil and Vanguard.
Now playing: VG (after a long break from MMORPGS)
Played for more than a month: Darkfall online, Vanguard SOH, Everquest, Horizons, WoW, SWG, Everquest II, Eve
Thanks for your patience guys. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
I'm not sure I'm ready for only 20% solo content. That was a major problem in EQ2. Me and 1-2 friends couldn't get anything meaningful done together. We were so desperate that be joined a guild that seemed helpful and nice. We helped as many people as we could on quests we had already completed, etc. But when it came time for our quests (and they destroyed us because we didn't have a full five people), not a soul would help us (prime time, off time...didn't matter). At this stage in my life I just don't have the time to search for a group for 2 hours anymore. I get home from a long day at work and get a few things done, then I want to relax for all I'm worth... I think running about and having 80% of the content my level 4 shotting me is a real problem.
My hopes have sunk pretty low for Vanguard, to the point I don't think I want to risk a purchase until I try it. If there is no open beta or demo, I think I'd rather risk something else.
Thanks again.
You should try Guildwars - Nightfall - its great for solo play.
Success has a thousand fathers while failure is an orphan. You will see Sigil folks alternately taking credit for/distancing themselves from EQ2 depending on whether it is being praised or criticised at the time.
To me, the problem with EQ2 was I just never gave a damn about my character. I tried, but whatever the magic "bond" is between player and avatar that normally makes you want to go do things just wasn't there for me in that game. I see Vanguard being a very similar experience.
EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests
If you're calling Brad McQuaid a liar then just come out and say it so we can disprove you. Also, not sure if you've noticed, but EQ2 is 3rd behind guild wars and EVE for ratings on this site. Now, being an SOE game and the ratings being on this site, that really freaking means something. Why? Just in case you don't know, this is the official home of SOE haters. EQ2 rules now and maybe you need to give it a second (or 5th) look.
What was the last game in which you felt a magic "bond" between you and your avatar? If you can't name it, maybe you, like me, have just grown up. If so, get ready to grow back down when Vanguard ships. It's going to make you into a happy gamer again, instead of the despondent one you currently are. That is, if you are willing to give it a chance. If not, shine on you crazy diamond.
To the O.P., kewl story, give Vanguard a try when it ships. I predict some good times with you and your RL friends if they are willing to give it a go.
I can honestly understand where the original poster is coming from. I loved EQ1, I thought it was great. Personally, I was a fan of camping, level grinding, ect ect and all of the other things that you hear people complain about.
To me, EQ1 was more solo friendly than just about any other MMORPG out, I would even argue WOW. Sure in WOW you can level up by yourself pretty easiely, you can even get ok gear by yourself as well. One of my favorite aspects of EQ was going back to some of the lower level dungeons once I leveled up and trying to solo camp some of the rare spawns to get items to sell or twink out my lower level characters. I loved that about EQ, and you can't really do that in any other game even WOW and especially EQ2.
It was frustrating to me in EQ2 seeing a green named with 2 arrows up and knowing I had no chance to solo it, and knowing once I could, it would be grey and drop no loot.
Some of my favorite memories about EQ was taking my druid and running around South Karana hitting track and looking for those named mobs I could solo to try to get the pegasus cloak or some other rare item. That just doesn't exist in todays current games. In WOW the named mobs are usually only for quests, or they are the "grey' elites which drop lousy green gear. In EQ2 they had some but most were not soloable.
I also liked the fact that travel was tough in EQ, I remember my first attempt through Highpass hold and how 'scary' it was heh, or my first time traveling all the way from Freeport to Gfaydark at level 5, with my human monk and no night vision.
The thing that EQ had that most games dont seem to have as much of is emersion.... I always felt like I was actually in the game in EQ, there was enough risk so you didn't want to die. The game was not so easy. (I also think the 1st person view added to this as well)
EQ2 to me was just not what I was hoping for... at first it was, when I thought it was going to be a sequel. But the only connection it had to EQ1 was its name and the zone names, nothing else.
So... to make a long post short... I think its a great idea to make a true or "spiritual" sequel to EQ1. EQ was a great game, its about time to have a sequel. We dont need games with a lot of changes to the game play. Update the graphics, add new content, add some new features, but keep the spirit and core features of EQ alive.
WHY NOT!!!!
I guess Vanguard does need to be a balance of old and new.
Things do move on but some things do work well and shouldn't be changed.
For instance my own personal opinion on things, is I don't like instances, I like Travel, I like Auction houses, I like corpse runs, I like quest driven content.
My own opinions take from both old and new aspects of games I have played.
EQ1 wasn't perfect. I just hope they take all the goods things and replace the bad stuff with systems from other games.
Still holding faith that Vanguard will be the spiritual successor (not the same game with nice graphics) to EQ1 and move the MMORPG gaming experience further.
I dont want an EQ1 with a graphic revamp, I want something new and interesting.
Just my thoughts.
Now playing: VG (after a long break from MMORPGS)
Played for more than a month: Darkfall online, Vanguard SOH, Everquest, Horizons, WoW, SWG, Everquest II, Eve
EQ1-AC1-DAOC-FFXI-L2-EQ2-WoW-DDO-GW-LoTR-VG-WAR-GW2-ESO
I totally agree. I want what you want, and I hope Vanguard will remind me of EQ1 when I played it when I was in Elementary. :P