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Why To Buy EQ2: A Former Outsider's Opinion
ViolentY
Member Posts: 1,458
I'm posting this to hopefully help those out there who are confused and not sure whether to invest some money in to the recently released Everquest II. Keep in mind, these are mearly my opinions, take them as you will. Please read this post with as much impartiality and open-mindedness as I took to type it.
EQ2 is by far the best MMO I have EVER played. And to give you a little idea, these are all the MMO's I've played:
Everquest
Dark Age of Camelot
Anarchy Online
Final Fantasy 11
Lineage: The Blood Pledge
Lineage II: The Chaotic Chronicle
Guild Wars
World of Warcraft
Risk Your Life
Matrix Online
Yes, I've played them all, the shortest one being for only a month, and the longest being four years. And don't think the one I played for four years is Everquest... in fact, I really don't like EQ that much. The one I played for four years was Lineage: The Blood Pledge, because usually I'm more for the asian-style MMOs. But this game has definately changed my mind.
It is the most immersive game ever. You truly feel you are this character that is walking around this world. There is also what I like to call "phantom grind." Meaning, the grind (you have to realize, it's got to be there), is virtually unnoticeable. You are so preoccupied with quests, with exploration, with learning new crafting or alchemy, with just the entire game, that you do not notice any grind at all. Leveling just seems to happen--and I know that that is a cliche statement when trying to bolster an MMO, but understand this is no exaggeration.
I've played since closed beta, and I've never found one thing that is disappointing with this game. I have found several small irritations, such as trying to find a quest monster or perhaps how Sony could have done something different with a tiny aspect of the game, but nothing that could just be blown aside by the entire rest of this amazing game.
Back to the lines of immersion, the character creation is the best I've ever seen (I've heard City of Heros has an amazing character creation, but I haven't played it yet, as the super hero genre really isn't my cup of tea.) It's very similar to Top Spin for XBox. You pick eyebrow size, width, curve, and chin thickness, legnth, and lip length, width, fullness, and MANY other attributes that nearly assure you will never see someone that looks exactly like you.
At the time being, many characters look a lot alike because the game just came out, and there is a massive number of people just starting and achieving the same newbie armors. But Sony has promised that EQ2 will have even more veriety than it's prequel, EQ (in which, EQ had roughly 4,500 different armors and weapons). I'm sure Sony will deliver, as no one could get so much of the game right and then fall short of their promise that they have once already fulfilled in a previous game.
Once again, I'm not tooting Sony's horn and being an EQ2 fanboy. Until I got accepted to the EQ2 closed beta and tried it out, I was happy as a clam, ready to play Lineage II until Lineage III comes out (as I did with Lineage I). But no I know better. This game has converted me from my several-year relationship with asian-style MMOs and I'm now a devout American MMO player.
If you've ever even liked the idea of an MMORPG, you have to buy this game.
_____________________________________
"Io rido, e rider mio non passa dentro;
Io ardo, e l'arsion mia non par di fore."
-Machiavelli
Comments
No offense, but its not much of a explanation.
Leveling doesnt feel like a grind.
Immsersion is really good.
Both of those things are said about WoW by many people. I have played WoW and I wont interject my opinion on that.
If your going to try and sell EQ2, you need to do specific comparisions for the eocnomy, how it runs, pvp, high level content, tutorial system.
A "I think EQ2 is fun" post isnt going to convince people and tell me nothing.
"I wasnt gonna just ram it home. I was gonna lube it up and ease it in there inch by inch....like a gentleman." - Hank
"I wasnt gonna just ram it home. I was gonna lube it up and ease it in there inch by inch....like a gentleman." - Hank
Apparently, you didn't read the first paragraph... "Keep in mind, these are mearly my opinions, take them as you will." At this point, I could have said "Play EQ2 because I'm God and you're as dumb as a bar of soap," and it would have been a logical and legit statement.
As far as your suggestions, I'll deal with them one at a time:
Specific Comparisons for the Economy: I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. Do you mean in-game economy? If so, then what am I comparing the economy to? Other MMO's economies? Well, if this is truly what you meant, then it's exactly the same as EQ1, except maybe a little more NPC vendor-oriented in the very low levels. If this isn't what you meant, please be more specific.
How it Runs: You can make it run as easily as Lineage II, maybe even a little easier. Or you can make it give 2 fps. It's just like all MMOs out today, you can decide your own level of performance depending on what graphics you decide to turn on and off. The days of the laggy MMO seem to have since died off in this new group of "next-generation" MMOs. Of course, I may just be assuming a little too much. But my original post was to express my experiences with the actual content of the game, not the specs.
PvP: You should know there is none... I'm not writing up an informational page for EQ2, I'm writing a opinion article.
High Level Content: I can't speak personally for this, as I said it's still a new game and everyone is low level. But I also originally said that they are going to be adding in MANY types of weapons and armor, and less specifically that Sony, who has done so much right with this game, just couldn't let us down with just one aspect of the game that they have since previously already fulfilled our desires with their prequel of EQ (ie, the various boss raids, high level quests, etc.).
Tutorial System: Most tutorials only last several minutes, if even that. I really don't think a bad tutorial, or lack of one, will deter people from any MMO. But EQ2 does have a great tutorial for first-time players of EQ2 (luckily I played EQ1 for about 3 months, so everything was still rather familiar to me). I concede that I could have spent more time going over this, though, in the original post.
Hopefully I addressed further some questions you had. If anyone has any others about the game, I'll be happy to answer.
_____________________________________
"Io rido, e rider mio non passa dentro;
Io ardo, e l'arsion mia non par di fore."
-Machiavelli
1) I read your paragraph. Your post is "Why to Buy EQ2". A logical assumption based on the topic would be a breakdown of the game and why its good - not just 2 points.
2) Well, comparing such as:
- How does it cmpare to WoW, and other games out there fighting for sales.
- Is the economy truly player run, can I own a shop, can I make custom items, are player created items better than loot drops, etc. How does it compare to other games as most people who like EQ1 are mostly likely going to be playing EQ2......
3) All mmorpgs dont run the same now days (including next gen ones). How bout what the specs of your machine are compared to what the setting you have in game turned on and the resulting FPS. Saying it runs smooth and lets people scale the performance doesnt tell anything - all games let you change graphics settings.
4) Well, I dont know there is no pvp, there could be duels (which I heard there was). What about guild vs guild wars, can that happen? Consentual pvp, etc.
5) According to your topic, your telling us why (as in reasons) we should buy EQ2, so its more than a simple opinion that EQ2 is great, thus why I asked for details.
6) Just cause your not a high level doesnt mean you have no info on end game content. All the other games release their plans. If its a simple copy of EQ, then thats fine, but if its not, it might be logical to assume (since your playing the game afterall) that you could have a players perspective from in game. Maybe not.
7) I ask about the tutorial system only becaue of the great one in WoW and im curious if theres anything in EQ2 that helps draw people into the game and into the community oter than just throwing them in a starting city.
"I wasnt gonna just ram it home. I was gonna lube it up and ease it in there inch by inch....like a gentleman." - Hank
"I wasnt gonna just ram it home. I was gonna lube it up and ease it in there inch by inch....like a gentleman." - Hank
Well I am now going to give my impression of EQ2 I have been playing pretty much constantly since yesterday. Not a long time but this is for first impressions.
The graphics are good, especially the water effects.
The combinations system is a nice idea but the one gripe I have with it is you must execute a primer ability which does nothing more than initiate the combination. I hope this gets changed or later combos happen as you string combat moves together without having to execute a primer first.
You can't say much about the character classes apart from I enjoyed EQ's system better. The system they have adopted feels very much like how the original warhamer roleplaying game dealt with them in that you started with a base class and then learnt advanced sub classes.
Quest system is good there seems to be lots to do, but this could just be because the whole starter island quests are basically a very large tutorial.
One thing I will dispute with the author of this thread, you defintely do notice the grind. I got to level 15 in my first two days of EQ quite quickly but the level progression in this is definetely slower and even while doing quests you are very aware of the exp bar.
Overall so far there is nothing ground breaking in this game at all so far. There may well be later on but as I said this is a first impression. One thing I will say is Sony better hope Blizzard don't pull a rabbit out of there hat with lots of new features.
Now I don't mean to be negative but if I have missed something please enlighten me but could I ask you do it constructively as my flesh isn't fire resistant.
Sure,
What are system specs and what the setting you run EQ2 at?
Is there any pvp in any shape or form in EQ2?
Is the economy player driven? Such as players make everything, own shops, etc.
Do you know anything about high level content? (beyond collecting the 4000 uber items)
"I wasnt gonna just ram it home. I was gonna lube it up and ease it in there inch by inch....like a gentleman." - Hank
"I wasnt gonna just ram it home. I was gonna lube it up and ease it in there inch by inch....like a gentleman." - Hank
No PvP, or at least its not mentioned in the manual so I presume there isn't any.
Crafting is pretty much the same as EQ if with a better UI.
High End, don't know it is only day 2 and EQ took a long time to get to 60.