A few years back I decided to go back and play Everquest 2 this was just before the Kingdom of the Sky expansion. I joined a small guild in the game and I was actually a bit mercenary in my decision I wanted the guild bonus for the house items you know. I was absolutely nuts about decorating. The guild turned out to be absolutely great really nice people who helped me do those guild quests for points I could use to lease my nice house.
I played a ranger and had a lot of crafters. I made just about everything including poisons. The game was so amazing because I could just explore and go anywhere with my invisibility thing and I could watch the mobs around me and come upon fantastic things. I could hide and wait till it was clear to harvest a resource node. I joined some guild raids but alone I also decided to play on the Freeport side to get another house and this time I played a necromancer and again took up crafting from scratch there too. I managed to get a rare gem and changed my ordinary spider pet to look quite fiercesome. I had like 7 crafters on both sides ...yes I'm a nutcase. I loved it the feeling of actually being in this massive world with so much to do. The quests were engaging because if you followed them they had some very disturbing stories like the one of the man and his 7 daughters. There is even a painting of that man that you could craft. That castle/dungeon of that quest was so creepy with the dolls everywhere I felt I was in a horror flick.
The desert expansion was really wonderful I loved the whole theme and I liked just exploring. If you like me like to wander about just doing your thing this game has so much content it will amaze you.
Vanguard too is in a similar vein as great for exploring and even more so since you you have no zones it is more fluid. I liked that game too a lot but it was more empty than Everquest 2 was and that depressed me a little. I know I soloed a lot but I like to run into people and group up and do one or two things even when I play solo. So that was not a good thing and an empty world is a sad world even when it is beautiful. It may be different now though.
Nothing though gave me as much joy as my two homes in Freeport and Qeynos. I did all the Lore quests for the weapons that you can mount on the wall in your home. One weapon took me days to get but it was all good fun in the end.
EQ2 does not have more content than Vanguard, unless your idea of content is a camp with 5 NPCs giving you literally hundreds of quests and sending you back and forth to the same area, until you finally outlevel it and are sent to another similar camp. In VG you can spend months without repeating anything, the world is maybe 10 times bigger, there are still more dungeons in VG than in EQ2 (even after all those adventure packs and expansions to EQ2) and there is diplomacy, which can't even be compared with EQ2, since EQ2 has none.
EQ2 zones are limited, instanced, linear, predictible.
Vanguard areas are vast, non-instanced, non-linear and very surprising at times if you like exploration.
Not only that, once you play VG classes, you will not want to go back to EQ2 classes. The combat and class system in VG is simply better in every aspect.
This is why I can't trust current Vangaurd players trying to sell their game on unknowing fools.
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what
it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience
because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in
the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you
playing an MMORPG?"
There is so much in this game. Sure, VG has some awesome features too, but EQ2 has more of them in my opinion.
There is of course the huge amount of zones, quests, dungeons etc., but there are also 24 classes. Some of the mirrors are closer to one another than others. You could play a Necromancer and Conjuror and they'd be totally different though. Or Assassin and Ranger. But then I find Troubador and Dirge pretty similar.
There are many quests: those that like in WoW give you money and gear, but also more story-based quests that teach you the lore of the game (language quests for example), ones that give you status with your city (writs), ones that give you neat items for your house, etc.
The housing system is great, the guild system is great. Crafting is pretty good, but I think it could be updated. I do like the fact that items are pretty useful that you craft, but some of the recent changes to quest-given gear or drops have made a lot of the crafted gear kinda meh. I do like the fact that crafting AAs and quests have been added to the game though.
Instead of having a diplomacy cardgame, EQ2 has the LoN cardgame, if you like that sort of stuff. EQ2 might not have as big of an open world as VG, but I like the fact that like in VG most of the dungeons are open to several groups at once rather than having private instances like in WoW and Rift.
The way things mesh together, all of these features, makes EQ2 a really solid game. Is it perfect? No, but then there is no such thing.
Hopefully the Station Pass worked for you Cyber, I'm thinking about that myself since it's only 19.99.
What was the verdict? Since you can play all of them do you have a favorite?
Off Topic: I understand the "vote with your wallet" view of SoE, they've made a few moves that have gotten peoples feathers all in a ruffle. That said they are still a company out to make money and would not intentionally make a move to lose players unless it's from one product to another (VG and I think it was wrong of them).
Still, if you think EQ2 is so great are you really going to deny yourself the experience because you don't want to give 14.99 to SoE? I think Comcast is a horridly crooked company and would like nothing to do with them but I need their service and pay a lot more than 14.99. It's your money though, do what you will.
EQ2's main drawback is SOE. I will NEVER again give money to SOE.
Exactly.
It's a real shame EQ2 is the best MMO on the market now, 'cause it's parent company is dogshit.
This is the way I feel about Blizzard. And as much as I adore EQ2, I'm not playing it right now, but I did for six years. I understand all the reasons people hate SoE, but for some reason, to me, it's more acceptable for me to give SoE money for the few great games they have, than to give Blizzard money for the one over-glorified elephant THEY have.
I wouldn't spend 10 more cents on WoW. But to be fair, just like I am with SoE.....I MAY (maybe, perhaps) get Diablo 3 right along with Torchlight 2 (which I'm definitely getting). D3, demonic as it may be (and even with the screwed up stats and skills management, or lack thereof)....might actually be decent and D2 LOD Online was a big part of my gaming years.
I too think EQ2 is the best game out right now and I miss it, but my family decided on Showtime for this season of Dexter instead, and hey.....gotta go with the popular vote when it comes to the fam.
Sadly, I believe D3 is more isometric WoW, and less Diablo. (Let alone glory days of D2 LOD)
This is depressing to consider, but....my own instinct about it was initially to avoid it and just go with Torchlight 2 (I love Torchlight). I've kind of teetered on the fence about D3 now. Some days I swear I won't get it and other days I consider giving it a chance. /shrug
On topic: Why choose EQ2? In my opinion?
Housing that is fun and so customizable
Collections
Guild Halls that kick ass
GM events (you have to watch the chat as that's where they get announced and each server has their own)
The crafting and crafter collections
Mentoring
AAs
And other reasons too....more mature community, for one. It's not perfect, but there are less immature things going on in chat than in many other games, at least on Everfrost server. I've been very happy making it my home for six years.
EQ2's main drawback is SOE. I will NEVER again give money to SOE.
Exactly.
It's a real shame EQ2 is the best MMO on the market now, 'cause it's parent company is dogshit.
There are ways around it. If you don't mind playing with some restrictions, you could always play for entirely free on the Extended server and never give SoE a dime.
However, I think that people are over-reacting now with the SoE is crap thing. Yes, they've done some pretty horrid things here and there, but then I can't think of one company that hasn't and that's been around for a while.
FC? Releases pay-to-beta games and then releases expacs to put bandaids on the problems. They're the first too to add cash shops to their subscription game, and half of the features they advertized for AoC didn't get put in. They hyped it up instead on blood and boobs. People now are saying that AoC is so good, but I don't share their opinion at all. I've tried it a few times now and I find no real, redeeming qualities that tear me away from games like GW1, Rift or EQ2.
Blizzard? Well, let's see... how about total invasion of real life privacy with the whole RealID fiasco? Or how about, the fact that oddly they seem to have the largest scale hacking of peoples' accounts going on. Sure, they usually get back those accounts and give them to their real owners, but I do really wonder if those tinfoil hat folks who say that it must be an inside job aren't at least somehow a little bit right? It seems really odd that people who have been inactive for 4-5 months or more can get their account hacked and stolen... Then there's the Cataclysm fiasco (the changes to the original game were terribad in my opinion), and now all of the stuff they're doing with D3 to make it more of an e-sport with tons of RMT than a fun passtime... Or releasing extremely expensive games in a period of economic crisis.
I could go on with Mythic EA, Square Enix, CCP, NC Soft, etc. They all have done something that has been not-so-cool.
I think there are a bunch of rogues running the MMO show and that if you are a fan of the genre you have to expect something unsavory happening here and there. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of rogues running the world, so the MMO industry is just a small reflection of that.
i used to love eq2...but when they revamped their pvp ..the game became a ghost town..it seems this is SOE m.o.
always changeing stuff for the worst..never for the best
they have destroyed every game under the sun that they have owned even EQ they dumbed down for the masses...they will never see a penny of my money again..atleast till i see eq:next lol
EQ2 is at heart a great game but if you are thinking about starting as a new player consider that you have to solo to 90, then grind AP to 300 and then you will be able to play with other people, the game is horribly top heavy and grouping in the lower levels is almost none. You can pay someone to powerlevel you to 90 too of course that is common nowadays.
If I go to the extended server and start over mind you I have like 7-8 crafters on Unrest which I will have to abandon but they were actually on Najena and Unrest now that these two servers were merged I am not quite sure if they are all lumped together on that server. Leaving that question aside if I were to start a new defiler and if I want to actively take up house decorating too will 3 toons be enough ?
That would be an armourcrafter for the chain I presume they use which will be made by the defiler, a provisioner for the food and drinks and a carpenter both of these will be crafting toons. I guess the spells and weapons I will buy but tell me do you think this will give me a good chance of duplicating my rather ravenous house decorating and enough armour for my toon or should I give up the provisioner and take up the sage for the spells. So 3 crafters and one toon to play .
That's why people are flocking to EQ2X. It's highly populated with not only those looking for a cheaper option for EQ2 but also people from live servers that want a higher population levels 1-89. Hopefully SoE can come up with a good f2p system for the live servers that the people there can be comfortable with.
Just to be clear I don't know the populations of the live servers other than the times I play, 8-10pm PST and later. Since the live trial is back up my suggestion would be to check pops on both at your playing time and make your decision that way. Kitarad, I think you could get away with four characters if you want to have a silver package and make your own stuff. With silver you wouldn't be able to sell on the broker, only buy, unless you buy broker tokens though so I'm not sure how that would affect you. Honestly if you want to play X and live or any other SoE game just get the station pass. 19.99 and you get a gold X sub automatically.
If I go to the extended server and start over mind you I have like 7-8 crafters on Unrest which I will have to abandon but they were actually on Najena and Unrest now that these two servers were merged I am not quite sure if they are all lumped together on that server. Leaving that question aside if I were to start a new defiler and if I want to actively take up house decorating too will 3 toons be enough ?
do you think this will give me a good chance of duplicating my rather ravenous house decorating and enough armour for my toon or should I give up the provisioner and take up the sage for the spells. So 3 crafters and one toon to play .
you do have option to copy any character to EQ2X but its kinda expensive 24.50 each
not sure how well crafters do using the EQ2X broker -- maybe someone else can chime in
personally I recommend focusing on spells if you do this
the treasured gear is much better than it used to be - almost as good as legendary
two factors make legendary gear reasonably cheap
- over abundance of legendary drops (since August Game update 61)
- most members on the EQ2X server are not gold members and cannot use legendary gear
The single biggest speedbump that makes me recommend Live servers over Freeport is the gold cap limit for Silver/Bronze. You simply can't unlock the gold limit and that really sucks. The need to unlock quality gear is my second big negative. They have to make money someplace, but it makes spending money on anything better than MC gear, under cap, a waste.
You can have access to much more money than you are allowed to own under Silver/Bronze. Just buy high-level crafting fuels whenever your cash pushes the limits. They can be sold back for 100% of the original price when you need the cash.
The single biggest speedbump that makes me recommend Live servers over Freeport is the gold cap limit for Silver/Bronze. You simply can't unlock the gold limit and that really sucks. The need to unlock quality gear is my second big negative. They have to make money someplace, but it makes spending money on anything better than MC gear, under cap, a waste.
You can have access to much more money than you are allowed to own under Silver/Bronze. Just buy high-level crafting fuels whenever your cash pushes the limits. They can be sold back for 100% of the original price when you need the cash.
I'm sorry, but storage for stacks of fuel, really? That sounds like a colossal hassle that I've never had to deal with on the Live servers. I'm sure there are a lot of people happy as clams on the Freeport server, but it would take much MUCH more than what the free server has to offer for me to leave Everfrost. I hear things are good on Antonia Bayle too, so....I don't know. For me it's a no brainer. I won't ever be playing EQ2X when I can play EQ2.
Those restrictions are only for Bronze(free) and silver(one time 10.00) packages. If you pay the 14.99 for gold, like the live subscription, you don't have any restrictions other than race choice.
Those restrictions are only for Bronze(free) and silver(one time 10.00) packages. If you pay the 14.99 for gold, like the live subscription, you don't have any restrictions other than race choice.
Does it seem okay to you that you have race restrictions while paying what we're all paying over on the live servers and we have NO restrictions?
Comments
Even the laughable engine is tolerable given the MASSIVE quantity of content.
A few years back I decided to go back and play Everquest 2 this was just before the Kingdom of the Sky expansion. I joined a small guild in the game and I was actually a bit mercenary in my decision I wanted the guild bonus for the house items you know. I was absolutely nuts about decorating. The guild turned out to be absolutely great really nice people who helped me do those guild quests for points I could use to lease my nice house.
I played a ranger and had a lot of crafters. I made just about everything including poisons. The game was so amazing because I could just explore and go anywhere with my invisibility thing and I could watch the mobs around me and come upon fantastic things. I could hide and wait till it was clear to harvest a resource node. I joined some guild raids but alone I also decided to play on the Freeport side to get another house and this time I played a necromancer and again took up crafting from scratch there too. I managed to get a rare gem and changed my ordinary spider pet to look quite fiercesome. I had like 7 crafters on both sides ...yes I'm a nutcase. I loved it the feeling of actually being in this massive world with so much to do. The quests were engaging because if you followed them they had some very disturbing stories like the one of the man and his 7 daughters. There is even a painting of that man that you could craft. That castle/dungeon of that quest was so creepy with the dolls everywhere I felt I was in a horror flick.
The desert expansion was really wonderful I loved the whole theme and I liked just exploring. If you like me like to wander about just doing your thing this game has so much content it will amaze you.
Vanguard too is in a similar vein as great for exploring and even more so since you you have no zones it is more fluid. I liked that game too a lot but it was more empty than Everquest 2 was and that depressed me a little. I know I soloed a lot but I like to run into people and group up and do one or two things even when I play solo. So that was not a good thing and an empty world is a sad world even when it is beautiful. It may be different now though.
Nothing though gave me as much joy as my two homes in Freeport and Qeynos. I did all the Lore quests for the weapons that you can mount on the wall in your home. One weapon took me days to get but it was all good fun in the end.
This is why I can't trust current Vangaurd players trying to sell their game on unknowing fools.
Epic Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1
https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
Havnt read the whole thread but IMO EQ2 is a stellar game (for what it is). Much better than WOW but also not nearly as polished.
Housing is awesome in EQ2 , the raids take skill (at least they did- I played last over 3 years ago) and the community was quite good.
Its a themepark game- But a good one.
EQ2's main drawback is SOE. I will NEVER again give money to SOE.
Exactly.
It's a real shame EQ2 is the best MMO on the market now, 'cause it's parent company is dogshit.
There is so much in this game. Sure, VG has some awesome features too, but EQ2 has more of them in my opinion.
There is of course the huge amount of zones, quests, dungeons etc., but there are also 24 classes. Some of the mirrors are closer to one another than others. You could play a Necromancer and Conjuror and they'd be totally different though. Or Assassin and Ranger. But then I find Troubador and Dirge pretty similar.
There are many quests: those that like in WoW give you money and gear, but also more story-based quests that teach you the lore of the game (language quests for example), ones that give you status with your city (writs), ones that give you neat items for your house, etc.
The housing system is great, the guild system is great. Crafting is pretty good, but I think it could be updated. I do like the fact that items are pretty useful that you craft, but some of the recent changes to quest-given gear or drops have made a lot of the crafted gear kinda meh. I do like the fact that crafting AAs and quests have been added to the game though.
Instead of having a diplomacy cardgame, EQ2 has the LoN cardgame, if you like that sort of stuff. EQ2 might not have as big of an open world as VG, but I like the fact that like in VG most of the dungeons are open to several groups at once rather than having private instances like in WoW and Rift.
The way things mesh together, all of these features, makes EQ2 a really solid game. Is it perfect? No, but then there is no such thing.
Playing MUDs and MMOs since 1994.
Hopefully the Station Pass worked for you Cyber, I'm thinking about that myself since it's only 19.99.
What was the verdict? Since you can play all of them do you have a favorite?
Off Topic: I understand the "vote with your wallet" view of SoE, they've made a few moves that have gotten peoples feathers all in a ruffle. That said they are still a company out to make money and would not intentionally make a move to lose players unless it's from one product to another (VG and I think it was wrong of them).
Still, if you think EQ2 is so great are you really going to deny yourself the experience because you don't want to give 14.99 to SoE? I think Comcast is a horridly crooked company and would like nothing to do with them but I need their service and pay a lot more than 14.99. It's your money though, do what you will.
This is the way I feel about Blizzard. And as much as I adore EQ2, I'm not playing it right now, but I did for six years. I understand all the reasons people hate SoE, but for some reason, to me, it's more acceptable for me to give SoE money for the few great games they have, than to give Blizzard money for the one over-glorified elephant THEY have.
I wouldn't spend 10 more cents on WoW. But to be fair, just like I am with SoE.....I MAY (maybe, perhaps) get Diablo 3 right along with Torchlight 2 (which I'm definitely getting). D3, demonic as it may be (and even with the screwed up stats and skills management, or lack thereof)....might actually be decent and D2 LOD Online was a big part of my gaming years.
I too think EQ2 is the best game out right now and I miss it, but my family decided on Showtime for this season of Dexter instead, and hey.....gotta go with the popular vote when it comes to the fam.
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
Sadly, I believe D3 is more isometric WoW, and less Diablo. (Let alone glory days of D2 LOD)
This is depressing to consider, but....my own instinct about it was initially to avoid it and just go with Torchlight 2 (I love Torchlight). I've kind of teetered on the fence about D3 now. Some days I swear I won't get it and other days I consider giving it a chance. /shrug
On topic: Why choose EQ2? In my opinion?
Housing that is fun and so customizable
Collections
Guild Halls that kick ass
GM events (you have to watch the chat as that's where they get announced and each server has their own)
The crafting and crafter collections
Mentoring
AAs
And other reasons too....more mature community, for one. It's not perfect, but there are less immature things going on in chat than in many other games, at least on Everfrost server. I've been very happy making it my home for six years.
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
There are ways around it. If you don't mind playing with some restrictions, you could always play for entirely free on the Extended server and never give SoE a dime.
However, I think that people are over-reacting now with the SoE is crap thing. Yes, they've done some pretty horrid things here and there, but then I can't think of one company that hasn't and that's been around for a while.
FC? Releases pay-to-beta games and then releases expacs to put bandaids on the problems. They're the first too to add cash shops to their subscription game, and half of the features they advertized for AoC didn't get put in. They hyped it up instead on blood and boobs. People now are saying that AoC is so good, but I don't share their opinion at all. I've tried it a few times now and I find no real, redeeming qualities that tear me away from games like GW1, Rift or EQ2.
Blizzard? Well, let's see... how about total invasion of real life privacy with the whole RealID fiasco? Or how about, the fact that oddly they seem to have the largest scale hacking of peoples' accounts going on. Sure, they usually get back those accounts and give them to their real owners, but I do really wonder if those tinfoil hat folks who say that it must be an inside job aren't at least somehow a little bit right? It seems really odd that people who have been inactive for 4-5 months or more can get their account hacked and stolen... Then there's the Cataclysm fiasco (the changes to the original game were terribad in my opinion), and now all of the stuff they're doing with D3 to make it more of an e-sport with tons of RMT than a fun passtime... Or releasing extremely expensive games in a period of economic crisis.
I could go on with Mythic EA, Square Enix, CCP, NC Soft, etc. They all have done something that has been not-so-cool.
I think there are a bunch of rogues running the MMO show and that if you are a fan of the genre you have to expect something unsavory happening here and there. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of rogues running the world, so the MMO industry is just a small reflection of that.
Playing MUDs and MMOs since 1994.
i used to love eq2...but when they revamped their pvp ..the game became a ghost town..it seems this is SOE m.o.
always changeing stuff for the worst..never for the best
they have destroyed every game under the sun that they have owned even EQ they dumbed down for the masses...they will never see a penny of my money again..atleast till i see eq:next lol
EQ2 is at heart a great game but if you are thinking about starting as a new player consider that you have to solo to 90, then grind AP to 300 and then you will be able to play with other people, the game is horribly top heavy and grouping in the lower levels is almost none. You can pay someone to powerlevel you to 90 too of course that is common nowadays.
Chi puo dir com'egli arde é in picciol fuoco.
He who can describe the flame does not burn.
Petrarch
for over a year now,
theres been been a thriving low level player population on EQ2X (Freeport server)
but you probably never played there, theres grouping at all levels 15+
also last week,
the Dungeon Finder was released for both Live Servers and EQ2X
EQ2 fan sites
the Live Servers are top level heavy but some servers like AB are popular
14 day Live server trial - includes all expansions but the latest
http://everquest2.com/free_trial
the Freeport server (requires different game client) has many players at all levels
f2p server (Freeport)
http://www.everquest2.com/free_to_play
EQ2 fan sites
If I go to the extended server and start over mind you I have like 7-8 crafters on Unrest which I will have to abandon but they were actually on Najena and Unrest now that these two servers were merged I am not quite sure if they are all lumped together on that server. Leaving that question aside if I were to start a new defiler and if I want to actively take up house decorating too will 3 toons be enough ?
That would be an armourcrafter for the chain I presume they use which will be made by the defiler, a provisioner for the food and drinks and a carpenter both of these will be crafting toons. I guess the spells and weapons I will buy but tell me do you think this will give me a good chance of duplicating my rather ravenous house decorating and enough armour for my toon or should I give up the provisioner and take up the sage for the spells. So 3 crafters and one toon to play .
you do have option to copy any character to EQ2X but its kinda expensive 24.50 each
not sure how well crafters do using the EQ2X broker -- maybe someone else can chime in
personally I recommend focusing on spells if you do this
the treasured gear is much better than it used to be - almost as good as legendary
two factors make legendary gear reasonably cheap
- over abundance of legendary drops (since August Game update 61)
- most members on the EQ2X server are not gold members and cannot use legendary gear
(unless they buy an item unlocker)
EQ2 fan sites
I will definitely get the gold sub or station I never play these freemium games and navigate the restrictions ; it is too much of a hassle for me.
If I had to choose between those 2 I would definetly choose EQ2.
You can have access to much more money than you are allowed to own under Silver/Bronze. Just buy high-level crafting fuels whenever your cash pushes the limits. They can be sold back for 100% of the original price when you need the cash.
I'm sorry, but storage for stacks of fuel, really? That sounds like a colossal hassle that I've never had to deal with on the Live servers. I'm sure there are a lot of people happy as clams on the Freeport server, but it would take much MUCH more than what the free server has to offer for me to leave Everfrost. I hear things are good on Antonia Bayle too, so....I don't know. For me it's a no brainer. I won't ever be playing EQ2X when I can play EQ2.
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
Does it seem okay to you that you have race restrictions while paying what we're all paying over on the live servers and we have NO restrictions?
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club