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EQ2 vs Vanguard.......comparison ?
Arawon
Member Posts: 1,108
in Everquest II
I'm currently playing VG but ...looking around for altrnatives. Can any who have played both in their current state coment on the good..bad and ugly of both games.
Comments
I've been playing EQ2 since launch, and played VG for little over a year (which was plenty of time to level to 50 in every class).
In a nutshell, VG looks pretty, but EQ2 has a metric fuckton more content. Unless VG has changed dramatically, then the only real endgame content is raiding, and that bores me silly. EQ2 has so many things to do once you hit cap, that I don't feel like typing them out. I'd most likely miss a few anyway. However, I'm confident that Nadia will provide you a link soon enough
In summary, VG is like a cheeseburger, and EQ2 is like a banquet.
Both games are pretty good. I play both and go back and forth every several months. Right now I'm playing eq2 and have been for probably 9 months. I'm starting to feel the urge to go back and play vanguard but want to accomplish a few more things in eq2.
Here are some Pros for each game that kinda differentiates them.
Vanguard Pros
EQ2 pros
Negatives
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Ethion
I played VG for on and off for the last two years its been out. Played EQ2 only for about 2 months after its release. Downloaded the trail of EQ2 and so far I am loving it. VG is a great game, but I can never look past that it is so DEAD. EQ2 (at least on the AB server) when I logged in , there were people everywhere I went. The graphics are not quite as good as Vanguard (especially the scenery). There is so much more char. customization though like AA, skill trees etc.
DISCLAIMER: Keep in mind that I haven't played Vanguard since around October/November time when I returned briefly to take a look at galleons, so I'm unaware if they're changed any of the aspects that I talk about.
There is not a greater variety of things to do in Vanguard. Sure it has diplo, but it also lacks collections and crafting instances. Oh, and you forgot Legends of Norrath, the card game. That puts EQ2 at +2 in terms of variety.
VG crafting is more about luck than anything else. Use your skills, keep the numbers low, and hope you don't get more than a few complications. I guess a gambler would prefer that, but not me. Yes there are ways to improve your odds, but it's still about luck. EQ2 crafting becomes more about skill from somewhere in the 50s, and when you run the lvl 80 crafting instances, it's all about applying what you've learned.
Ethions line 'VG crafting system is immensely more involved and has an incomparably larger degree of flexibility and depth.' makes me think that they've not done much crafting in either game. The only way that you could consider VG crafting to have more depth is if you're talking about combines. EQ2 used to have them, but thankfully took it out of game. Flexibility? VG has 6 ultimate crafting classes, EQ2 has 9. There's also just over a thousand less craftable items in VG than in EQ2 (when I took the numbers in March 2008). I expect this gap to have increased now.
Ethion says that 'I've done comparisons of in game populations and VG is actually more populated but feels far more empty.' but do you not remember when I pointed out (and you conceded) the flaws in the way you took your numbers? You can find it in this section somewhere, but everyone apart from Ethion accepts the fact that EQ2 is vastly more populated than VG. SOE included.
I'll grant Ethion the rest of their post, especially the part about tails. Why Brads Boys didn't include them is beyond me.
As far as I'm concerned, gameplay in VG trounces EQ2 in only one aspect: Moving whilst casting. In fact, that's the aspect I always cite when I'm speaking favourably about VG. Oh, and diplo is fun when you're drunk, but feels like dental surgery when sober.
I haven't played EQ II for a long time so I am going from memory but to me the atmosphere, ambiance and general feel of VG is way more involving than EQ II. I don't particularly care about crafting instances in EQ II but I find that there are other factors that affect crafting in VG like the equipment you wear and to some extent skill. The crafting in both is different and I enjoy the crafting and harvesting more in VG. I guess it suits my gameplay style.
I just think VG is more fun, there is enough customisation and I love the variety of classes and environments to play in. I think graphics does play a part in making it a better experience along with the music.
Moving while casting is excellent as pointed out but I don't think that is the only thing that makes VG enjoyable. Oh and Diplo is enjoyable whether drunk or not......it's just more fun when drinking.
For me VG has everything in a game I'm looking for........except more people!
Well VG has running while casting over most MMO's I believe. Also, defensive targetting is great.
Yeah, my first experience with the offensive and defensive target was in WAR, but I loved it.
I just recently tried out Vanguard, and the trial area, at least when I played, I actually didn't see many players, at all. Was about to make a thread and ask about population on EQ2 but I guess this thread summed it up, pretty much.
Well, one has a cash shop and the other has a cash shop. So pretty similar actually...
Bans a perma, but so are sigs in necro posts.
EAT ME MMORPG.com!
was a while ago when i played them both but EQ2 has TONS of races and classes and i mean alot if that makes a dif in your choice... vanguard has more than your average mmo too but eq2 has amazaing char custimization. hope that helps
I don't know much about the cash shops in either game, but do all of the EQ2 servers have access? Or is it just a handful?
all the servers in EQ2 have cash shops but its fluff items that do not affect the game
-- with the exception of experience potions
for contrast,
grouping with a "Refer a friend" account gets you triple experience for 3 months
which is dramatically better than any Cashstore potion
even with no potions or no Refer a friend promotions,
EQ2 is fast to level in - almost as fast as WOW
EQ2 fan sites
LON is an addon that gives eq2 more diversity. That was quite a laugh. LON is a completely separate game that has nothing to do with EQ2 at all other then sharing some lore. Fact is you don't even need eq2 to play LON. It is almost a scam by SoE as they randomly add in unique loot cards that give unique items. Like wings of the void that people are selling in game for like 300pp. You can buy card packs for LoN for the random chance to get a loot card for eq2. Thats about all the connection that really exists between the two games.
I've done crafting in both eq2 and vg.
I have done crafting instances and yeah you can't just hit 456 or 123 randomly. Instead you gotta watch for the complication and hit it. You gotta do this while doing the 123 456 sequences. Still it is kinda stupid cause it is random and sometimes the complication pops at the same time you are hitting a key. In the crafting instances they made it so you blow it on a crafting task that you are not skilled in and you will struggle to recover. however since there is no penalty it is something faster to just cancel and start over. I have a lvl 80 alchemist & tinkerer.
To say that vg crafting doesn't take skill is completely wrong. Dealing with random elements does take skill. In VG when you craft you have to think about your choices. Do I remedy the complication, do I leave it. Do I push quality do I push progress. How does the complication effect the stage of crafting I'm on? Is the complication good or bad? When I setup my table what tools and ingredients do I use?
And when we talk about depth in the crafting system, in VG you can make thousands or variations in things you craft. I can create weapons or armor and give them specific attributes or effects. You want a dagger with str, agility, and regens power, you can make one. in eq2 by contrast the recipes are all fixed and there is pretty much one set of things per tier. You want to make a sword at lvl 62 there is one rapier recipe and it is fixed. There are other weapons you can make but most of them based on the archtype are the same and vary only in looks.
In Vanguard you have a full character sheet for your crafter. You have a full set of equipment and gear as a crafter.
As to the population on a specific server in game. I did not say that eq2 has more people on a server then vg. I said it isn't possible to tell for sure which one has more. I did population comparisons using the /who command on both games. Doing who for level ranges and classes to get a complete count of the population. You pointed out that this did not count anonymous players and I did go and test it and you were right. This however is not something that makes eq2's numbers higher then vanguard. The anonymous effect affects both games. It means that there is a population of players that are anonymous in the game. So when who shows there are 1200 people player there is some % of anonymous people that don't show in thos numbers. So if eq2 shows 1100 players and vg shows 1200 players it shows that there are more people on vanguard in a general sense. However we can only guess how many anonymous people exist on both servers. It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume however that there are similar percentages.
But at the very least we can say that the populations on servers of both games are comparable. Course that is based on many months ago. Honestly I have no idea how the numbers in the two games have changed over the past several months.
That said both games are fun and both are in a similar space, ie primarily PvE oriented fantasy games. I play both off and on so I recommend both games. I'd say eq2 is a bit more casual friendly but both games are pretty good.
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Ethion
I played EQ2 for over a year, and just started playing VG last month. Both are good games for sure. But IMO, all things considered, VG > EQ2 by a longshot. VG is simply the largest, most immersive PvE MMO I've ever played. With NO instancing or zoning whatsoever, except for some of the end-game raid areas. EQ2 is heavily zoned and instanced. The combat in VG is much better also. Diplomacy is very fun to do when you don't feel like questing or crafting. Overall, VG offers a more immersive and challenging experience.
Oh, and in VG, you can build a boat, sail around the world with it, and fish from it. How can you beat that?
I play EQ2 and have played VG in the past and like EQ2's crafting system more. EQ2 also has variations you can add to items you craft, adornments can be added to weapons and armor that add different stats to the pieces.
Adornments really aren't the same thing. Althought they are nice
I sure wish you could remove adornments from equipment...
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Ethion
How are the open dungeons in VG compared to the instanced EQ2 ones? I always heard EQ2 had very interactive instanced dungeons with secret paths, keys, puzzles and more. I imagine it's hard to pull that off (not impossible) in an open instanced game~
eq2 has some great dungeons with lots of puzzle like things and interactivity. I still think nek castle is the best. On the negative and positive side most of eq2's instances are pretty small. Not all though Nek castle is pretty good size and vp is quite large as is the dungeon in lava storm.
vg on the other hand has uniqueness to it;'s dungeons too. some are huge and a lot of fun. Some vg dungeons have some interesting things such as a cool one where gravity is lower then normal and you float and and area with a sniper mob that needs to be round and killed else if the group is in an open area he one shots characters. Then there is one dungeon that eq2 recently kinda ripped off where you do a quest and unlock various things ultimately getting a robotic suit, weapons, etc which you use to fight the final area and take down the boss. One of tne new tso instances took this idea and has players assume the bodies of monsters to fight the boss.
Overall, I'm not sure which games dungeons I like best. I think I find them both enjoyable. However I really like the new tso instances and some eq2 dungeons with their puzzle like nature are quite fun. I don't know as I think about both games I keep recalling feelings that I liked.
Probably I'd give the edge to eq2 based on it having more players available to group with via mentoring system. Although last time I played vg I did pretty good putting together or playing with pickup groups. I ran a character upto lvl 30 or so almost exclusively in dungeons... I really love grouping and doing a good solid dungeon crawl.
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Ethion
I am looking for something exactly like that~ nice dungeon crawls with interactive encounters and sprawling tunnels and labyrinths. How is the combat different in VG, EQ2's combat seemed the same ol' - downloading and gonna trying out Spellborn whilst I mull over this decision.
eq2 combat is kinda one demensional in that you have a collection of spells or combat arts. You use them when they become available. The order you use them in is important but once you run through you sequence it is pretty much use them as they light up. There is a little strategy and certain abilities you will save for specific situations but generally it is pretty mechanical once you learn the sequence.
vg combat is multitiered more like wow. You have your standard abilities but there are several chained abilities so when you use your normal abilities when they crit it lights up several possible chain abilities. These lead to more powerfull effects. You also use endurance pretty fast and it recharges fast so you need to sometime save energy to do a larger series of attacks. Also each class tends to have it's own flavor of mechanics. Like monks build chi points, paladins build holy points, druids something else, these are used for powerful abilities. Rogues find resources off mobs to make poisons, scrolls, devices etc that give them special abilities or bufs. Bards learn music components and use them to make songs creating custom abilities. Some classes can counter spell which blocks a mobs special attack or spell.
eq2 has some group dynamic to combat in the form of the combat wheel. A character starts it and different classes do follow up abilities. Do the right sequence in the right amount of time and a special affect occurs. Generally most groups/raids don't pay much attention to this.
in vg various abilities create vulnerabilities. Certain abilities are able to take advantage of the vulnerability making the attack or spell more powerful. It is a simpler system but a good player watches for vulnerabilities and times the use of appropriate abilities to the vulnerabilities. This can result in a nice bonus of damage.
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Ethion
[Note i just read the parent post, this reply is more suited to those people who can't decide which game to get.]
I've played both games and I'd say it depends on what you like. If you're looking for Everquest 2 though, Vanguard meets the bill in more ways than Everquest II does, ironically... However don't let that detract you from playing Everquest II, it's still a great game with great graphics and a good communitiy. The thing I like about Everquest II is that any race can be any class.. want a Ogre Swashbuckler, then make an Ogre Swashbuckler... this is something that makes complete sense and yet no other game has really done it. The thing I like about Vanguard is that they have a lot of NEW classes, as in, you wont find anything like them in any other game. Blood Mage and Disciple are two examples... Disciple by the way is my all time favorite class period.
Now what I would recommend is wait to try both out... Vanguard is almost free when you consider buying the game is only slightly more expesnive than the monthly subscription and EQII is fairly reasonable, although right now you have to buy the main game and the newest expansion, which could get expensive, so what I would recommend is try Vanguard til the price on EQII drops, if you still like Vanguard, skip EQII and keep playing, however if you're feeling meh about it, then try EQII... I like both games, so I'm thinking of just paying $30 a month so I can play both... that's the easiest solution for me. I mean, who made the rule you can only play one game at a time?
If you're reading this, you probably need to get some sun.
i like both games as well. I would say though that eq2 is definitely more casual friendly. If I were going to recommend a game for a new player with no experience or even one fresh from wow I would probably recommend eq2 over vg. vg is fun and rewarding but more group oriented and generally rougher around the edges. For a new player having people be able to mentor you makes a world of difference. I would say that feature really makes eq2 the best new player experience of any game on the market.
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Ethion
Before you could just do the free trial and then start paying monthly fees, are you sure you have to buy it now?
Otherwise don't buy it online but buy a DVD of the latest expansion, should have all others in it too.