To the OP, i am glad you have had a nice return to EQ. I have been missing that feeling of EQ again and have really been thinking of giving it another go. But the game you just described sounds alot like WoW, and that is very disappointing. I may have to rethink my return. And i agree with the second poster. No CRs means not EQ anymore. I know why they made all these changes, i just hate that they have.
It certainly sounds like you dont need other players much anymore.......
I just returned to EQ after many previous fails. I started playing pre-Kunark, so I've experienced EQ's original and current incarnations. I initially quit shortly after hitting the PoP level cap.
After a few previous resub fails, I logged my 65 necro about a year ago and decided to get a second account in order to two-box a shaman. I tried to group but I got tired of sitting around for hours LFG. And yes, I solo kited to numbness.
In any event, I leveled my Shaman to 60 incredibly fast. Defiant gear was a blessing, and the corpse summoners greatly cut down on the time/hastle of CR's. I've been on 4+ hour corpse runs before and I can honestly say it was never fun or nostalgic. Although I feel for Wizzy and Druid pocketbooks, begging/paying for a port was never enjoyable for the other classes.
Alas, I stopped playing a few weeks after my Shaman hit 60. Although my kiting options opened up with the shaman/necro duo, I still couldn't find groups to do more interesting group-level encounters. Plus, kiting all the time in the same 2-3 areas misses the point.
I re-subbed last week after reading about SoD and mercenaries. And I love it.
EQ will never be the same place it was a decade ago. But the addition of mercenaries is nothing short of brilliant. My necro/shaman with tank/healer mercs can do a boatload of mid-range content that wasn't previously fit for kiting. And ironically, I see and get more player groups by being in those areas.
I probably won't ever raid again. But I can level, see truly nostalgic/cool content, and put myself in a position to progress every time I log.
All that said, I don't these changes lend themselves to brand new players. I couldn't imagine walking into Norrath without existing knowledge of the game mechanics, zones, progression, etc. There's just so much content . . . which makes it that much more interesting for a returning player that hasn't seen a majority of it.
Ahh EQ, memories linger, yes it was tough, corpse runs did take a while (you often needed help). Mobs chased to until you zoned , BB train anyone? What do we have now? MMORPG's solo games with mute PC's running around. You once had to learn to play smart, solo was allways viable but just !
It saddens me to see how games are now, but I was lucky to have seen the best, and yes IMHO EQ1 was the best. To all you old timers who walked the walk, I salute you! To all you winey crybabies I laugh at you, you aint seen shit! Games that give reward for basic mind numbingly easy playstyle aint worth shit. Group play is what MMORPG's are about IMHO. To be honest if they just had servers with different rulesets we could all be happy, but SOE love to nerf games across the board. Wee Johnny can play on the green server, get shit for nothing and be uber, while us old timers can shout "SOW needed for CR" all bloody day long on the other servers. Get with it game designers, let us choose what style we wish to play, why piss anyone off???
Man I loved EQ. Me and a RL friend played EQ for quite awhile. He played an Iskar, I was a human Shadowknight. I have never had the sense of exploration in any other MMO that I had in EQ. Maybe it is because it was my first MMO and everything was great to me. Or maybe none of the game have captured that essence. I can't quite pin down what it was but I look back on EQ with fond memories. Even with all the CRs and other things. My first trip around Kunark was a blast. There was so much that I never got to see in EQ because the world was just that damn big. An expansion back then seemed huge to todays standards.
Obviously with the cost of development/manhours skyrocketing, expansions seem to be getting smaller and smaller in terms of new content. EQ2 even reuses models and textures/furniture from previous expansions. I don't know if I will ever feel that magic that I felt with EQ again. ANd like I said, I can't quite place if its because EQ was so great or it was because it was my first MMO experience and everything was new.
To the OP, i am glad you have had a nice return to EQ. I have been missing that feeling of EQ again and have really been thinking of giving it another go. But the game you just described sounds alot like WoW, and that is very disappointing. I may have to rethink my return. And i agree with the second poster. No CRs means not EQ anymore. I know why they made all these changes, i just hate that they have.
WoW is an exact copy of EQ so why does this surprise you?
I have not played EQ in a long while, so i dont know what all is happening. All i know is that F****ing game was the first MMO i ever played, i believe i was 10-12 and im 18 now.
WoW! Well never be EQ.
EQ Basicly Birthed that retarded game.
And if they dumbed EQ down, im dissapointed, obviously SoE is challenged, well we all know they are challenged.
Hey but think about this guys. What if SoE sold EQ to Bethesda, they gave it a make over. Reverted back to old-school rules and got rid of the new stuff thats obvoiusly pisses people off. And said here you go gamers.
It's back! Now that would be sweet
Soverign Malus some call me Blood hound is what other's say. I shall crush all opponents Father Death, Chaos Lord Rains tyranny. blanket of shadow, steel sword kissed by the blood of the unworthy. Foes Fall, Fields Of Red. - Soverign Malus " Father Death" Forever Shadow Sect.
To the OP, i am glad you have had a nice return to EQ. I have been missing that feeling of EQ again and have really been thinking of giving it another go. But the game you just described sounds alot like WoW, and that is very disappointing. I may have to rethink my return. And i agree with the second poster. No CRs means not EQ anymore. I know why they made all these changes, i just hate that they have.
WoW is an exact copy of EQ so why does this surprise you?
If you have actually played both games you know that statement is total crap. Like EQ or didnt like EQ you certainly cant say those two games are so alike.
WoW is built off EQ yes. They are both class/level based fantasy MMOs, and since EQ was the first big one of these WoW is built off that model. But they are no where near close to the same.
Again i have been thinking of going back but i think i am actually finally done.
I guy i work with started back up this weekend and got his new cleric from 1-61 in not quite 2 days played. This was with the help of powerleveling and Mercenaries.
That is just plain crazy and proves that this game is no longer the game that i love.
Plus he said he doesnt think you have to have spell components anymore ( he couldnt remember for sure)
Easy leveling, no corpse runs, fast exp zones, hired heal/tank bots, money falling from trees, no spell components, no book medding, etc etc. Not the same game i remember.
Comments
It certainly sounds like you dont need other players much anymore.......
First post, long-time anon troll!
I just returned to EQ after many previous fails. I started playing pre-Kunark, so I've experienced EQ's original and current incarnations. I initially quit shortly after hitting the PoP level cap.
After a few previous resub fails, I logged my 65 necro about a year ago and decided to get a second account in order to two-box a shaman. I tried to group but I got tired of sitting around for hours LFG. And yes, I solo kited to numbness.
In any event, I leveled my Shaman to 60 incredibly fast. Defiant gear was a blessing, and the corpse summoners greatly cut down on the time/hastle of CR's. I've been on 4+ hour corpse runs before and I can honestly say it was never fun or nostalgic. Although I feel for Wizzy and Druid pocketbooks, begging/paying for a port was never enjoyable for the other classes.
Alas, I stopped playing a few weeks after my Shaman hit 60. Although my kiting options opened up with the shaman/necro duo, I still couldn't find groups to do more interesting group-level encounters. Plus, kiting all the time in the same 2-3 areas misses the point.
I re-subbed last week after reading about SoD and mercenaries. And I love it.
EQ will never be the same place it was a decade ago. But the addition of mercenaries is nothing short of brilliant. My necro/shaman with tank/healer mercs can do a boatload of mid-range content that wasn't previously fit for kiting. And ironically, I see and get more player groups by being in those areas.
I probably won't ever raid again. But I can level, see truly nostalgic/cool content, and put myself in a position to progress every time I log.
All that said, I don't these changes lend themselves to brand new players. I couldn't imagine walking into Norrath without existing knowledge of the game mechanics, zones, progression, etc. There's just so much content . . . which makes it that much more interesting for a returning player that hasn't seen a majority of it.
Total awesomeness......./Nods head...199%
Man I loved EQ. Me and a RL friend played EQ for quite awhile. He played an Iskar, I was a human Shadowknight. I have never had the sense of exploration in any other MMO that I had in EQ. Maybe it is because it was my first MMO and everything was great to me. Or maybe none of the game have captured that essence. I can't quite pin down what it was but I look back on EQ with fond memories. Even with all the CRs and other things. My first trip around Kunark was a blast. There was so much that I never got to see in EQ because the world was just that damn big. An expansion back then seemed huge to todays standards.
Obviously with the cost of development/manhours skyrocketing, expansions seem to be getting smaller and smaller in terms of new content. EQ2 even reuses models and textures/furniture from previous expansions. I don't know if I will ever feel that magic that I felt with EQ again. ANd like I said, I can't quite place if its because EQ was so great or it was because it was my first MMO experience and everything was new.
WoW is an exact copy of EQ so why does this surprise you?
I have not played EQ in a long while, so i dont know what all is happening. All i know is that F****ing game was the first MMO i ever played, i believe i was 10-12 and im 18 now.
WoW! Well never be EQ.
EQ Basicly Birthed that retarded game.
And if they dumbed EQ down, im dissapointed, obviously SoE is challenged, well we all know they are challenged.
Hey but think about this guys. What if SoE sold EQ to Bethesda, they gave it a make over. Reverted back to old-school rules and got rid of the new stuff thats obvoiusly pisses people off. And said here you go gamers.
It's back! Now that would be sweet
Soverign Malus some call me
Blood hound is what other's say.
I shall crush all opponents
Father Death, Chaos Lord Rains tyranny.
blanket of shadow, steel sword kissed by the blood of the unworthy. Foes Fall, Fields Of Red.
- Soverign Malus " Father Death" Forever Shadow Sect.
WoW is an exact copy of EQ so why does this surprise you?
If you have actually played both games you know that statement is total crap. Like EQ or didnt like EQ you certainly cant say those two games are so alike.
WoW is built off EQ yes. They are both class/level based fantasy MMOs, and since EQ was the first big one of these WoW is built off that model. But they are no where near close to the same.
Again i have been thinking of going back but i think i am actually finally done.
I guy i work with started back up this weekend and got his new cleric from 1-61 in not quite 2 days played. This was with the help of powerleveling and Mercenaries.
That is just plain crazy and proves that this game is no longer the game that i love.
Plus he said he doesnt think you have to have spell components anymore ( he couldnt remember for sure)
Easy leveling, no corpse runs, fast exp zones, hired heal/tank bots, money falling from trees, no spell components, no book medding, etc etc. Not the same game i remember.