I have played a lot of MMPORPGs. I started with Ultima Online, then was lucky enough to get into early beta on EQ live. I played AC and AO, and most recently spent a good year in FFXI.
So, like many of you, I have been around the block with these games. After playing EQ2 for a month, I thought I would share my thoughts.
The game is far more stable than any other release I have been a part of. There are far fewer critcal bugs, server crashes, and annoying issues.
However, there are definitely issues that need to be addressed. I play on Antonia Bayle, and the lag in zones like Nektulos is literally unplayable. With over 200 people in the zone we get lag spikes that can last over a minute, and if it happens at the wrong time people die.
Still, I am sure this will be fixed with time. As people spread out through the levels hopefully zones like Nektulos wont be as crowded.
I love the quest system, I think it makes the game. The fact that I can get decent equipment that I can actually use is wonderful. I love the zones, they are very well thought out.
I don't like the access quests. Not that the idea behind them isn't cool, but lets take the Boneroom in Fallen Gate for example. I hunted there from level 15-22 or so. We killed the Trader and other named many times during that period, and I only ever saw the journal that starts the access quest drop once.
I was the one who won it, and have completed the access quest. But apparently everyone in my party needs the quest to get in. So here I am at 29th level and I still have not been inside. I am hoping against hope that everything is not already grey to me, because I really want to experience this zone.
The time between enterring zones like Nektropos castle also has to be shortened. Six days is just too much. I would suggest cutting it to three. That way you still need to plan in advance, and its still a great dungeon crawl, but then you have not outleveled the place by the time you can go back
All in all I am loving the game. I think it has more replay value than any other MMPORPG I have ever seen. Once my defiler reaches 50 I will need to take a good class up if I want to see all the zones that I missed, and probably still will not have seen everything.
The guild system has a long way to go, but they are doing the work and I like it so far. I am curious about housing and mounts, but I am sure those will come with time.
This game has more staying power than I would have thought, and I while its early i think its going to be a huge success.
So, good or bad, what are your impressions?