First thing i'd like to point out, is that i'm a fallen FFXI playing. Got tired of all the repetitiveness (Constant time sinks waiting for groups, quest, gil making), and off all the standards everyone sets (war MUST sub nin, nin is only a tank, blah, blah, etc).
Anyone, WoW seems kinda lame to me, and this game doesn't look half bad ;).
Anyways, I just wanna ask some quick questions (if its not too much trouble).
1) Am I going to find myself waiting forever to find an EXP party?
2) Is it possible to solo for EXP? ( I don't expect to get extremely high this way, but if there is nothing else to do, is it possible?)
3) How does money making work in this game, and does this community have some sort of economy?
4) What kind of people can I expect to meet on EQII (age group)?
5) Is this game fun? (what kind of stuff to do)
6) And my last question, How good is this game engine? Will my Specs be enough to run it at decent quality -
: P4 @ 3.2Ghz, 1.00G DDR & GF6800 256mb PCI-X Card.
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- EverQuest II
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- Thinking about playing this game... Have some questions! =)
Thinking about playing this game... Have some questions! =)Follow
The only thing I can say to you is, GET THE GAME xD
Its freaking good, everything is so well done, my brother playes ffxi and he loves it but now also saw eq2 and likes it very much but he is already in a comunity in ffxi, but i played it to and didnd grab so much atention to it compared to eq2 that rocks, its all well made..
Also your PC rocks like to play any game you want so you wont have any problem with it.
Good Luck
Its freaking good, everything is so well done, my brother playes ffxi and he loves it but now also saw eq2 and likes it very much but he is already in a comunity in ffxi, but i played it to and didnd grab so much atention to it compared to eq2 that rocks, its all well made..
Also your PC rocks like to play any game you want so you wont have any problem with it.
Good Luck
1. not really
2. ya
3. theres alot of ways to make money
4. mature people mostly and rpers =\
5. ya i havnt gotten bored ofit but im only 24
6. prolly you need like 1000 ram
2. ya
3. theres alot of ways to make money
4. mature people mostly and rpers =\
5. ya i havnt gotten bored ofit but im only 24
6. prolly you need like 1000 ram
"1) Am I going to find myself waiting forever to find an EXP party? "
Depends. If you're playing when most players are on and go out to a major zone to shout "lfg" - you'll usually get invited by someone right away. If however you're doing a lvl 20+ special armor quest, for instance, you might have to wait some time. I've heard that enchanters have a hard time getting groups but that healers, tanks and basic damage-dealers generally don't. If you play odd hours (after midnight USA time, say), finding a grp is harder.
2) Is it possible to solo for EXP? ( I don't expect to get extremely high this way, but if there is nothing else to do, is it possible?)
Yes. I actually solo a lot, althought it's getting harder (over 20 is harder - they say over 30 is even harder). There are mobs marked "solo" - and blue and green "group" mobs are soloable. Note, some classes solo better than others. Priests can heal mid-fight and might be the "best", although all can do it. If you have upgraded yer armor, if you have upgraded your spells/abilities (you buy or make upgrades and "scribe" them to make spells u already have work better), and if you use Heroic Opportunities - yeah, you can solo all kinds of stuff. Soloing is better exp than a mediocre group - and if you can kill certain harder mobs - you will get some extra loot (these are mobs marked "group" meaning normally it takes a group to kill them, but occasionally there is only one of them).
3) How does money making work in this game, and does this community have some sort of economy?
You can artisan stuff and sell to other players. The player-merchant mode is on-line only however, which means you have to stand there and not play to sell. Thank you SoE developers for this piece of brain surgery (they say it's to "balance the flow of goods and money in the game economy" - like we're all stupid or something - the real reason is that it coerces us into buying extra accounts to have specialized merchant characters - the big jerks). Things you kill drop no money. But they drop stuff you can sell. Quests grant you money as rewards. Most players are broke, by the way - well, not broke, but I'd say that very, very few players, even this deep into the launch of eq2, even have one platinum piece yet.
4) What kind of people can I expect to meet on EQII (age group)?
It's all over. I'm running into a lot of older players, though, compared to other games. Your typical pickup group is not very good yet - players are still learning the game. It's getting better though. Still, I occasionally join a grp only to find the members have no idea what they are doing. You'll learn to "love" the feature of shared death debt....
5) Is this game fun? (what kind of stuff to do)
Well I'm still playing it, but it's... it's frustrating. I see a lot of things they did really well, and so many other things that imo they totally goofed. I played old EQ which had a TON of variety of spells for most casters. In EQ2, this is gone. They are psychotically bent on "balance" and have emasculated all classes. Fights, especially soloing, are all the same. The novelty is wearing off, and I'm getting tired of it to tell you the truth. That said, other players love the game. If you never experienced the wild, wide open variety of spells in old eq, you might not mind eq2. But is it fun...? Sheesh, I dunno. These games have to offer challenges, and like others you grind for experience, you quest for cool items, and though it's not as bad, you still camp and kill PHs for named mobs. I think they missed a bet here and failed to "go beyond" or "attain the next level of mmo's" with this launch. I'm more htan a little ticked at them. There are TONS of quests to do, but most are a pain in the rear - aren't all that inspired (little step n fetchit missions mostly).
6) And my last question, How good is this game engine? Will my Specs be enough to run it at decent quality -
: P4 @ 3.2Ghz, 1.00G DDR & GF6800 256mb PCI-X Card.
Not sure. Sorry.
Depends. If you're playing when most players are on and go out to a major zone to shout "lfg" - you'll usually get invited by someone right away. If however you're doing a lvl 20+ special armor quest, for instance, you might have to wait some time. I've heard that enchanters have a hard time getting groups but that healers, tanks and basic damage-dealers generally don't. If you play odd hours (after midnight USA time, say), finding a grp is harder.
2) Is it possible to solo for EXP? ( I don't expect to get extremely high this way, but if there is nothing else to do, is it possible?)
Yes. I actually solo a lot, althought it's getting harder (over 20 is harder - they say over 30 is even harder). There are mobs marked "solo" - and blue and green "group" mobs are soloable. Note, some classes solo better than others. Priests can heal mid-fight and might be the "best", although all can do it. If you have upgraded yer armor, if you have upgraded your spells/abilities (you buy or make upgrades and "scribe" them to make spells u already have work better), and if you use Heroic Opportunities - yeah, you can solo all kinds of stuff. Soloing is better exp than a mediocre group - and if you can kill certain harder mobs - you will get some extra loot (these are mobs marked "group" meaning normally it takes a group to kill them, but occasionally there is only one of them).
3) How does money making work in this game, and does this community have some sort of economy?
You can artisan stuff and sell to other players. The player-merchant mode is on-line only however, which means you have to stand there and not play to sell. Thank you SoE developers for this piece of brain surgery (they say it's to "balance the flow of goods and money in the game economy" - like we're all stupid or something - the real reason is that it coerces us into buying extra accounts to have specialized merchant characters - the big jerks). Things you kill drop no money. But they drop stuff you can sell. Quests grant you money as rewards. Most players are broke, by the way - well, not broke, but I'd say that very, very few players, even this deep into the launch of eq2, even have one platinum piece yet.
4) What kind of people can I expect to meet on EQII (age group)?
It's all over. I'm running into a lot of older players, though, compared to other games. Your typical pickup group is not very good yet - players are still learning the game. It's getting better though. Still, I occasionally join a grp only to find the members have no idea what they are doing. You'll learn to "love" the feature of shared death debt....
5) Is this game fun? (what kind of stuff to do)
Well I'm still playing it, but it's... it's frustrating. I see a lot of things they did really well, and so many other things that imo they totally goofed. I played old EQ which had a TON of variety of spells for most casters. In EQ2, this is gone. They are psychotically bent on "balance" and have emasculated all classes. Fights, especially soloing, are all the same. The novelty is wearing off, and I'm getting tired of it to tell you the truth. That said, other players love the game. If you never experienced the wild, wide open variety of spells in old eq, you might not mind eq2. But is it fun...? Sheesh, I dunno. These games have to offer challenges, and like others you grind for experience, you quest for cool items, and though it's not as bad, you still camp and kill PHs for named mobs. I think they missed a bet here and failed to "go beyond" or "attain the next level of mmo's" with this launch. I'm more htan a little ticked at them. There are TONS of quests to do, but most are a pain in the rear - aren't all that inspired (little step n fetchit missions mostly).
6) And my last question, How good is this game engine? Will my Specs be enough to run it at decent quality -
: P4 @ 3.2Ghz, 1.00G DDR & GF6800 256mb PCI-X Card.
Not sure. Sorry.
Quote:
6) And my last question, How good is this game engine? Will my Specs be enough to run it at decent quality -
: P4 @ 3.2Ghz, 1.00G DDR & GF6800 256mb PCI-X Card.
: P4 @ 3.2Ghz, 1.00G DDR & GF6800 256mb PCI-X Card.
: EvilGnomes
Your post discourages me a bit, but i'm not an EQ fan... In fact, FFXI was the first online RPG i ever played...
Your post discourages me a bit, but i'm not an EQ fan... In fact, FFXI was the first online RPG i ever played...
Evilgnome made an excellent post that I have to agree on completly.
The game is very boring that way.. You dont have diffrent strategys for diffrent mobs or diffrent strategys for diffrent groupsetups.. Well, ofcourse it differs abit but it isnt compareble to the variaty of EQ1, its more like zerg, zerg and zerg again. All classes feels overbalanced which makes no class special in any group. This sux imo, sure it makes lfg easier but it still is TO balanced imo. All classes can solo and all classes are almost equally prefered in groups.
Thats the end of the rant.
No to the big pro that Evilgnome didnt say anything about:
Without any expansion it is by far the best game released yet, way better then EQ1 was at release. The game has great potentiall to become the best mmorpg ever when SoE adds new content make some changes in gameplay etc, which we all know they will do (all we can do is hope the changes is for the better).
I made the switch from EQ1 to EQ2 because my EQ1 guild died just as we entered time :( and so many others quit aswell. I didnt want to switch to EQ2 just yet, I wanted to wait for an expansion or mby even two for the game to mature. My suggestion is that you keep playing FF for abit more and make the switch in 6-12 months. That way the game has less bugs, more content and a more mature community.
I am sure alot disagreas with me but I also now alot of my friends completly agree.
Edited, Tue Jan 4 03:20:06 2005 by BumbiRagnar
The game is very boring that way.. You dont have diffrent strategys for diffrent mobs or diffrent strategys for diffrent groupsetups.. Well, ofcourse it differs abit but it isnt compareble to the variaty of EQ1, its more like zerg, zerg and zerg again. All classes feels overbalanced which makes no class special in any group. This sux imo, sure it makes lfg easier but it still is TO balanced imo. All classes can solo and all classes are almost equally prefered in groups.
Thats the end of the rant.
No to the big pro that Evilgnome didnt say anything about:
Without any expansion it is by far the best game released yet, way better then EQ1 was at release. The game has great potentiall to become the best mmorpg ever when SoE adds new content make some changes in gameplay etc, which we all know they will do (all we can do is hope the changes is for the better).
I made the switch from EQ1 to EQ2 because my EQ1 guild died just as we entered time :( and so many others quit aswell. I didnt want to switch to EQ2 just yet, I wanted to wait for an expansion or mby even two for the game to mature. My suggestion is that you keep playing FF for abit more and make the switch in 6-12 months. That way the game has less bugs, more content and a more mature community.
I am sure alot disagreas with me but I also now alot of my friends completly agree.
Edited, Tue Jan 4 03:20:06 2005 by BumbiRagnar
Scholar
46 posts
. "All classes feels overbalanced which makes no class special in any group. This sux imo, sure it makes lfg easier but it still is TO balanced imo. All classes can solo and all classes are almost equally prefered in groups.", THANK'S GOD FOR THAT>.......................
hehe.
I know most wont agree with me but I also now that all my friends that went back to EQLive did it cause of this mainly. That and the fact that there are no variaty in fighting (to speak of). Im staying with EQ2 though since I really belive in the future of this game.
I know most wont agree with me but I also now that all my friends that went back to EQLive did it cause of this mainly. That and the fact that there are no variaty in fighting (to speak of). Im staying with EQ2 though since I really belive in the future of this game.
Quote:
1) Am I going to find myself waiting forever to find an EXP party?
depends, but in a way it doesn't matter.. since you can solo while looking for group so you'll always have a positive XP flow should you wish it. Obviously healer classes will ALWAYS be in demand for groups.. as will tanks and DD's.. I don't play an enchanter so I don't know how it goes.. I don't group much as a Conjuror (nor do I actually LFG much since conjuror is a solo'ing monster of a class) but when I do group with my Conj, I bring an impressive amount of crowd control and DOT's to the group.
now I DO see lots of /ooc request about doing Armor Quest.. and I am on my own AQ1.. so those do take a bit of time but it's nothing like the weeks on end waiting for an AF quest group.. with the right classes it's likely possible to do some of the AQ's with as little as 2 people.. and I can solo AQ1 now, I'm jus waiting til 21st level so the scarecrows are not QUITE so tough a fight.. for the record AQ1 is a 20th level quest.. so this isn't like FFXI where you need to be 10 or more levels above the starting level in order to solo a quest, if you can solo it at all which is RARE in that game.
Quote:
2) Is it possible to solo for EXP? ( I don't expect to get extremely high this way, but if there is nothing else to do, is it possible?)
yes, obviously XP goes faster at lower levels because it takes LESS XP to gain levels.. that said, solo'ing as you go up in levels may or may not get any harder but it does take longer because you need MORE XP to go from 20 to 21 than you did to go from 10 to 11. What will determine difficulty will be your combat arts and gear.. if you're still throwing out an App III scarab summon at 20th level (if you're a conjuror) it's WAYY time to upgrade.
The abilitiy to solo will vary from class to class but every class I've played so far (Mage, Priest, scout) have ALL been able to solo white cons (even match) successfully.. as stated above, my conjuror is a solo'ing monster, taking on Yellow's is not that big a deal but does require hate management, taking down an Orange is even do'able but requires EXTREME hate management tactics (those 36 levels of White Mage actually taught me a thing or two about hate levels). Solo fights against oranges can be an experience.. but it is a lot of fun.
key to solo'ing is keeping your stronger combat arts or spells up to date and HO's.
Quote:
3) How does money making work in this game, and does this community have some sort of economy?
so far making money has been a breeze.. through questing you'll likely acquire gear that will be useful for a long time, or if it's not useful it's sellable.. a little time solo'ing will net you a bit of coin and XP.. what you gain through questing and solo'ing will likely be enough for you to fund your adventuring career for the most part..
however, harvesting and crafting will make you *BIG* money.. nodes are plentiful so harvesting is typically not a problem unless you're going for one or two specific things which means lots of running and looking... However, after a good harvesting session I can typically come away with a little over one gold after a night of selling.
I decided to upgrade two spells last night... so I'm down from 4 gold to 3 gold... not bad considering I can make it back very quickly.
MUCH higher end spells.. (Master level, and Adept III's) are VERY expensive.. however, now that I see how to make a bit better money it's not a problem, however, you will NOT have to spend Weeks on end "farming" and since you can solo, you can always split up your time, making money AND making XP.
Quote:
5) Is this game fun? (what kind of stuff to do)
so far I've having WAYYYY too much fun in EQ2.. what do I do..
obviously there's my harvesting career.. since my main is a conjuror.. I'll harvest and send my pet at an XP mob.. it can take down green, blues on it's own, it can take down whites with one or two heals from me and maybe a DOT if not alone.. above white con I have to work at it... Anywho, I start harvesting and tell the pet to attack.
exploration: I tend to spend a lot of time running around trying to just see what's out there.. (and get screen shots to send to friends) I've heard rumor of a sunken galleon off the coast of antonica so I may go see what's out there with a friend of mine. my Digi-photography career is coming along nicely. Also the first time you find a new point of interest you get XP for it... so exploration has an added benefit.
quest: and there are a TON of quest.. they're all worth a bit of XP, money, and sometimes you get an item too... so even a simplistic green quest is worth what little time it will take you to do it.. 'cause positive XP flow is always good. and even if the item isn't useful to you.. you can alway sell it to an NPC for a quick silver or two.
If I'm serious about XP, I'll find a populated spot of mobs and determine my exit route if things go badly and solo them for a while. usually this is best if I have a harvesting quest for what I'm solo'ing on... so once again I get XP AND money.. Some people say solo'ing is boring.. honestly I enjoy it a lot.. it's really somewhat zen-like to simply be out there without any other players nearby.. I've heard "there's no strategy to solo'ing" again I disagree.. there's MORE strategy to solo'ing cause you have to be aware, anticipate, and plan.
last night I was solo'ing giant kodiak's and hulking stalkers.. they're white con to me now, and the bears were for a tradeskill collection quest (12 silver yes please). The field was crowded.. I had to *constantly* be aware of where mobs were wandering.. a single white I can take.. 2 at a time is NOT good.
several times I managed to clear the field of all mobs.. this is actually MORE dangerous than a crowded field 'cause they do not "pop" all at once.. so seeing a single wolf pop and running at it isn't exactly smart.... unless you PLAN.. watch where it walks, know where the spawn areas are (somewhat.. since they are random). A few times I took the risk.. but ran to the opposing side and fought the mob with my back to the cliff-drop.. knowing that mobs NEVER spawn that close to the edge of a sheer drop.
several times I had to back out of casting range and let my pet work on it while a wolf or bear walked wayyy too close for comfort.. and to end fights quickly I would use HO's and DOT's cause prolonged battles in spawn areas lead to POP-Aggro, but aggressive Nuking leads to me taking hate which isn't good either.
this is how I solo.. not very boring is it? and I get nice XP numbers even at 20th level.
and lastly of course is grouping, which can net you XP VERY fast.. as with all things group related it can be good or bad.. Personally I have to be in a particular mood to do "decision by committee".. so I tend to solo, but I must admit group XP rates are VERY fast. Since you've played FFXI you pretty much know the drill as far as groups go.. some will be good, some will be bad.. the difference with EQ2 is you can always solo while looking for group.. and if a group isn't good, you can always leave it and go it on your own and STILL see nice numbers.
as for your machine specs.. I don't think you'll have any issues running EQ2 since you're above my spec and mine runs it fine.
Edited, Tue Jan 4 11:15:37 2005 by Iaini
Edited, Tue Jan 4 11:19:38 2005 by Iaini
I have a great time playing EQ2! The rest of the guys answered your questions so I won't. I'll just say it is a very fun game to play and I enjoy it alot.
I do have a question for you though..
You said WoW seems kinda lame. Have you tried it yet?
I play both extensively, I have a lvl 16 Hunter and 14 Warlock in WoW and a lvl 20 Monk in EQ2 on AQ2. So I should be able to say that I have played both fairly extensively. They are both a joy to play but for different reasons.
It seems that EQ2 is more like FFXI than WoW is. IMO.. Now I'm not saying that's bad. I got to 48 whm and 34 pld both rnk 5 in FFXI. I liked that game alot. I just felt it was time to move on. EQ2 is more group oriented then most would like to admit. They kinda duped us into it a bit but hey that's just good marketing. There are many many things in EQ2 that you just will not be able to do solo.. But this is an MMO. I love to solo as well especially since some moron can make my life harder in an instant with some silly XP debt.
Don't get me wrong WoW is not solo only either. My Hunter is at lvl 16 and he needs 16000 XP for lvl 17. Now granted you get XP for quests, which helps out immensely. Some quests will give up to 1050 XP, if they are higher lvl than you. Dont get used to that though since only the harder ones give that much.. EQ2 is like this as well only I think the XP is less. Both have that huge advantage over FFXI.
Both games are better than FFXI, not because it sucked but becaue they evolved. IMO, you would have a blast playing either of them. I know all that I have said isn't completely on topic, but I thought you might like to have more info.
p.s. If I had to choose one today between EQ2 and WoW. I would pick WoW because it is alot more fun. But I would cry for my EQ2 guys..
I do have a question for you though..
You said WoW seems kinda lame. Have you tried it yet?
I play both extensively, I have a lvl 16 Hunter and 14 Warlock in WoW and a lvl 20 Monk in EQ2 on AQ2. So I should be able to say that I have played both fairly extensively. They are both a joy to play but for different reasons.
It seems that EQ2 is more like FFXI than WoW is. IMO.. Now I'm not saying that's bad. I got to 48 whm and 34 pld both rnk 5 in FFXI. I liked that game alot. I just felt it was time to move on. EQ2 is more group oriented then most would like to admit. They kinda duped us into it a bit but hey that's just good marketing. There are many many things in EQ2 that you just will not be able to do solo.. But this is an MMO. I love to solo as well especially since some moron can make my life harder in an instant with some silly XP debt.
Don't get me wrong WoW is not solo only either. My Hunter is at lvl 16 and he needs 16000 XP for lvl 17. Now granted you get XP for quests, which helps out immensely. Some quests will give up to 1050 XP, if they are higher lvl than you. Dont get used to that though since only the harder ones give that much.. EQ2 is like this as well only I think the XP is less. Both have that huge advantage over FFXI.
Both games are better than FFXI, not because it sucked but becaue they evolved. IMO, you would have a blast playing either of them. I know all that I have said isn't completely on topic, but I thought you might like to have more info.
p.s. If I had to choose one today between EQ2 and WoW. I would pick WoW because it is alot more fun. But I would cry for my EQ2 guys..
14 posts
Hi Nusu. First of all, I'm also a fallen FFXI player, and like you, FFXI was my first online game. I really loved it, but I guess I got tired of waiting for parties, trying my best to make gil and still being unable to buy uber armor, etc. So I decided to try EQ2 and I have not regretted it.
1. No, finding a party really isn't hard. Joining a guild is a really good idea as well as they can help you with quests, writs, etc.
2. Yes, it is quite possible to solo so you won't die of boredom while you wait for a party invite. Performing quests also raise your xp so that alone makes them worthwhile to do. Also, some of the rewards are quite good.
3. You can craft and sell your crafted items to either vendors or other players and make money that way.
3. I'm not sure of the age grouping of the majority of players, but I believe, like others have said, that most are mature players. I know that most of the people on my guild have jobs.
4. In my opinion, it is fun! I've been meaning to go back to FFXI and haven't been able to do so yet. Yes, there is xp debt when you die or if any party member dies, but in my opinion, that is way better than losing xp or deleveling. Also if you leave the game for a while, xp debt gradually lessens. I have to admit that crafting is addictive! My level 23 Alchemist can make potions that I can sell to a vendor for 10silver. Not bad if you ask me!
5. My knowledge about computer specs are almost nil, but as Tarv said, your comp is good to go!
If you do decide to try EQ2, I hope you have fun, I know I do!
1. No, finding a party really isn't hard. Joining a guild is a really good idea as well as they can help you with quests, writs, etc.
2. Yes, it is quite possible to solo so you won't die of boredom while you wait for a party invite. Performing quests also raise your xp so that alone makes them worthwhile to do. Also, some of the rewards are quite good.
3. You can craft and sell your crafted items to either vendors or other players and make money that way.
3. I'm not sure of the age grouping of the majority of players, but I believe, like others have said, that most are mature players. I know that most of the people on my guild have jobs.
4. In my opinion, it is fun! I've been meaning to go back to FFXI and haven't been able to do so yet. Yes, there is xp debt when you die or if any party member dies, but in my opinion, that is way better than losing xp or deleveling. Also if you leave the game for a while, xp debt gradually lessens. I have to admit that crafting is addictive! My level 23 Alchemist can make potions that I can sell to a vendor for 10silver. Not bad if you ask me!
5. My knowledge about computer specs are almost nil, but as Tarv said, your comp is good to go!
If you do decide to try EQ2, I hope you have fun, I know I do!
This is turning out to be a really good thread! People are saying all sorts of things, there is healthy disagreement - yet no one has flamed or become rude! Wow - gratz to all - and I'm dead serious. This is awesome to see.
I've been badly trashed before for going out on a limb - my rating plummeted because I've been really hard on SoE in the past - and well, heck, maybe I deserved it, but I ended up ticking a bunch of people off (people who, I guess, are very loyal to to eq and Sony). In spite of appearances I do like EQ2 overall - but it's a very *mixed* feeling. They got a lot of things right, imo, but at the same time they totally blew a lot of other things - and don't seem to be interested in owing up to this.
When old EQ was young - and then I switched a while to Anarchy Online a while, then came back to old EQ - I predicted in time EQ would have to: end the silly boat system and introduce teleporters (forcing players to pay good money for player-teleports or to take 20 to 60 minutes of RL time just to get around was absurd - and players weren't always there to TP you...); introduce "missions" (instanced zones like AO's); make the player crafting system less insane (or go out of business from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome lawsuits) - and a few others. These changes actually happened, but it took YEARS. And the first big change was awful - it was Luclin - and yeah, you could teleport through a hub - but you had to wait 15 minutes or more to TP up to the hub - and the same again to TP back down! GAH! Sadists. Well, they finally did PoK (instant TPs to a big hub zone), LDoNs (instanced mission zones), and a new crafting window that was more click friendly - AND pets didn't poof on zoning - AND pets and no-rent items finally stopped poofing on LD - and a lot of other great changes - but notice - they didn't make these changes until REGIME CHANGE had happened - Verant lost EQ and Sony took over - and these changes didn't happen until old EQ started "dying". Now, it will last years and years to come, but it's seen to be in a long slow deline. So, folks, I hate to say it, but this is prolly what we can expect w/ EQ2. Moorgard sounds like a stubborn asphole to me in his posts, and until he and his team quit/retire/are fired, we're not likely to see the kind of sweeping changes that will "fix" EQ2 and make it the game it ought to be.
I must respond to this post: "I've heard "there's no strategy to solo'ing" again I disagree.. there's MORE strategy to solo'ing cause you have to be aware, anticipate, and plan." Okay, when I say there is "no strategy" to EQ2 soloing - I mean compared to some other mmo's I've played, not compared to grouping. Yes, you're right - often soloin' takes much more thought and planning than grouping in EQ2. But still, EQ2 soloing is: stalk from a "safe area", pull mob, engage while HOing, HO, HO, it's dead. Okay, a mage has more to do sometimes - like pull group by root, stun second guy - engage and HO, HO, HO first target - it drops - root #1, back off and HO, HO, HO and kill #2, and then HO, HO, HO #3. Or the mage can root-dot, or try root-blasting, which sometimes works. Priests get to add in heals mid fight. Scouts have to position for certain attacks. Okay, there are "little" things to do, and that's really about it for options. If you ever played one of the "hated" soloing classes of old EQ (like Necro, Druid, or Bard) or tried one of the amazingly potent duo options (like Enchanter-Druid) - man, I won't spell it out, but trust me, the vast array of tactical choices you had made the above look like a big joke.
See, the good folks at Sony decided to make all classes roughly equal in EQ2, and in truth a lot of players love this. A lot of players HATED, I mean they got red-faced-screaming-about-it mad, that some classes in old EQ could run rings around them soloing while they had to make do with groups. When I realized what Druids could do I dropped my old warrior like a hot rock and played a Halflink Druid, and had a blast. But some players can't do that - instead, they just get really mad. So EQ2 is tactically truncated. Rather than having to use your brain and use actual tactics in EQ2, you do HO's. The advantage of this is that it gives all classes roughly the same ability to solo. But it's not "realistic" and makes almost no "sense" - you're in this much more real-looking world playing - but for me the illusion is broken by having to play this "arcade game" (like a friend of mine put it - I was calling it a "fruit machine") in the middle of my fights. So, instead of reaching for a new, inspired and truly "amazing, dazzling next generation of mmo" solution, Sony copped out, took the lazy way, and borrowed heavily from older-generation games to give us this. Sigh. Well, I've gone on long enough. EQ2 is still enjoyable in spite of these problems - and like another poster said, it actually had a very smooth launch (I disagree that EQ2 was better at launch than old EQ - while it was hard to get in and play old EQ at first, for me, old EQ even in the clunky days was a "wide open, wild new world" experience - I really felt I was in another place - and in EQ2 I feel the short, harsh jerk of the desiner's leash on my neck all the time... but maybe I'm being unfair (I'm used to mmo's now - I wasn't when old eq opened) - but again, I feel Sony really should have come out of the gates w/ something better than this offering. Let's hope they'll learn from their past mistakes and fix this game faster - and surprise us all. Here's to hoping, GL all!
I've been badly trashed before for going out on a limb - my rating plummeted because I've been really hard on SoE in the past - and well, heck, maybe I deserved it, but I ended up ticking a bunch of people off (people who, I guess, are very loyal to to eq and Sony). In spite of appearances I do like EQ2 overall - but it's a very *mixed* feeling. They got a lot of things right, imo, but at the same time they totally blew a lot of other things - and don't seem to be interested in owing up to this.
When old EQ was young - and then I switched a while to Anarchy Online a while, then came back to old EQ - I predicted in time EQ would have to: end the silly boat system and introduce teleporters (forcing players to pay good money for player-teleports or to take 20 to 60 minutes of RL time just to get around was absurd - and players weren't always there to TP you...); introduce "missions" (instanced zones like AO's); make the player crafting system less insane (or go out of business from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome lawsuits) - and a few others. These changes actually happened, but it took YEARS. And the first big change was awful - it was Luclin - and yeah, you could teleport through a hub - but you had to wait 15 minutes or more to TP up to the hub - and the same again to TP back down! GAH! Sadists. Well, they finally did PoK (instant TPs to a big hub zone), LDoNs (instanced mission zones), and a new crafting window that was more click friendly - AND pets didn't poof on zoning - AND pets and no-rent items finally stopped poofing on LD - and a lot of other great changes - but notice - they didn't make these changes until REGIME CHANGE had happened - Verant lost EQ and Sony took over - and these changes didn't happen until old EQ started "dying". Now, it will last years and years to come, but it's seen to be in a long slow deline. So, folks, I hate to say it, but this is prolly what we can expect w/ EQ2. Moorgard sounds like a stubborn asphole to me in his posts, and until he and his team quit/retire/are fired, we're not likely to see the kind of sweeping changes that will "fix" EQ2 and make it the game it ought to be.
I must respond to this post: "I've heard "there's no strategy to solo'ing" again I disagree.. there's MORE strategy to solo'ing cause you have to be aware, anticipate, and plan." Okay, when I say there is "no strategy" to EQ2 soloing - I mean compared to some other mmo's I've played, not compared to grouping. Yes, you're right - often soloin' takes much more thought and planning than grouping in EQ2. But still, EQ2 soloing is: stalk from a "safe area", pull mob, engage while HOing, HO, HO, it's dead. Okay, a mage has more to do sometimes - like pull group by root, stun second guy - engage and HO, HO, HO first target - it drops - root #1, back off and HO, HO, HO and kill #2, and then HO, HO, HO #3. Or the mage can root-dot, or try root-blasting, which sometimes works. Priests get to add in heals mid fight. Scouts have to position for certain attacks. Okay, there are "little" things to do, and that's really about it for options. If you ever played one of the "hated" soloing classes of old EQ (like Necro, Druid, or Bard) or tried one of the amazingly potent duo options (like Enchanter-Druid) - man, I won't spell it out, but trust me, the vast array of tactical choices you had made the above look like a big joke.
See, the good folks at Sony decided to make all classes roughly equal in EQ2, and in truth a lot of players love this. A lot of players HATED, I mean they got red-faced-screaming-about-it mad, that some classes in old EQ could run rings around them soloing while they had to make do with groups. When I realized what Druids could do I dropped my old warrior like a hot rock and played a Halflink Druid, and had a blast. But some players can't do that - instead, they just get really mad. So EQ2 is tactically truncated. Rather than having to use your brain and use actual tactics in EQ2, you do HO's. The advantage of this is that it gives all classes roughly the same ability to solo. But it's not "realistic" and makes almost no "sense" - you're in this much more real-looking world playing - but for me the illusion is broken by having to play this "arcade game" (like a friend of mine put it - I was calling it a "fruit machine") in the middle of my fights. So, instead of reaching for a new, inspired and truly "amazing, dazzling next generation of mmo" solution, Sony copped out, took the lazy way, and borrowed heavily from older-generation games to give us this. Sigh. Well, I've gone on long enough. EQ2 is still enjoyable in spite of these problems - and like another poster said, it actually had a very smooth launch (I disagree that EQ2 was better at launch than old EQ - while it was hard to get in and play old EQ at first, for me, old EQ even in the clunky days was a "wide open, wild new world" experience - I really felt I was in another place - and in EQ2 I feel the short, harsh jerk of the desiner's leash on my neck all the time... but maybe I'm being unfair (I'm used to mmo's now - I wasn't when old eq opened) - but again, I feel Sony really should have come out of the gates w/ something better than this offering. Let's hope they'll learn from their past mistakes and fix this game faster - and surprise us all. Here's to hoping, GL all!
solo or group.. you'll be fighting in a "safe spot" regardless of your game.. be it WoW, EQ2 or FFXI.. you never fight in a spawn point if you have a choice... so
applies to ALL MMO's I've played except SWG (where you were pretty much a god once buffed and didn't have to worry about anything killing you)
Honesty I enjoy EQ2 because there's a lot more moving about.. I've yet to simply stay in one spot and pull, even in a group we're always moving around the field and going for multiple targets. Often I'll send my pet at the next target before we finish the current one so it's nearly non-stop combat.
Taking risk be it solo or group is totally the responsibility of the player... the real question is weather it's a risk of your choosing or something else like POP-Aggro..
also solo'ing as a conjuror.. you cannot "pull".. you must initiate combat with the pet, doing so with a spell means you have hate and once that happens you're probably dead, especially if it's yellow or orange. Once your pet begins combat it will not move away easily.. the "back off" button works but the instant it takes a hit it will turn and fight.. making "back off" pretty useless once combat begins and if your pet hasn't taken hate by the time you initiate a back off command.... not pretty.. time to die (learned that lesson the hard way). So if you engage a mob deep in the spawn area in an empty field.. you better be darn quick with the take down or hope your pet can deal with it alone... or you'll be facing one very angry mob (once it kills your pet if it can and believe me a strong white can if you don't help your pet), or you'll get POP-Aggro if you take too long... Course if you run in over nuking you'll STILL face an angry mob when you take hate and if luck is against you something will POP..
and once your pet looses hate it cannot take it back..
so there's a lot of planning, noticing the field, deciding if that particular mob is worth the fight to risk ratio, and sometimes.. back down and wait for a better option.. but with solo'ing you, and only you, are making these decisions.. it's RARE for me to die solo'ing even when I take a risk or two because they're calculated.. and believe me I've come close.. the first time I took on an orange was a learning experience.
"how long has the field been empty.. are POP's about to show up"
"how fast can I kill this thing..."
"IF something pops.. what's my plan.."
these are all as much parts of strategy as having multiple attack options to impare the mob with different status or physical effects.. (such as the scouts knock down attack)
honestly the only thing I wish for in the EQ2 combat system is to be able to determine *which* HO's I do.. as opposed to starting an HO chain and hoping I get lucky and get Arcane Storm. If I could always get Arcane Storm, I'd be MORE than willing to walk up to a group of 4 and take them solo, because I know what arcane storm can do... ^_~ THAT would be truly heinous:
Seism > Arcane Storm > Arcane Storm > Arcane Storm...
...and they all fall down. So taking that into account I think I understand a little better why they made it random.. lol.
I can't speak for root in EQ1 cause I never played it long enough..(honestly I hated EQ1), but I can tell you this.. I have Arcane Binding at Adept 1 and it gets broken easily and Nuke's can break it immediately... and the spell generates an EXTREMELY LARGE amount of hate.. making it a no-no while solo'ing as a conjuror. Sorcerers and the others have no choice but they have no hate management to keep in mind either.. so they may as well root, nuke, and take the hits when they come in...
so "root and nuke" does not work quite as well at 20th level or below (at least for a conjuror), arcane bind, due to the sheer amount of hate it generates, guarantee's your pet will loose hate once it's broken or wears off (which will be quick) so you better hope that mob's in the deep red and not Orange con or it's time for some pain and likely death.
honestly I don't think the classes are quite as equal solo'ing as everyone seems to believe..
I know for a fact my Predator cannot solo an orange con even with a solid successful sneak attack at the beginning of combat.. those just hit TOO hard for her.
My Sorceress *MIGHT* be able to take them, honestly I've yet to get the nerve to try cause a white con brings her down into the yellow or orange if it's resistant..... for an Orange she better have a LOT of room to backup.. 'cause arcane bind doesn't last long and the mobs movement rate almost triples once combat begins, and if that second arcane bind doesn't stick (and I have noticed the 2nd one sticks far less often than the first)... she's dead without question.. I suspect a lot of luck is involved for my sorceress to take something that strong.
my conjuror on the other hand.. sure I'll take on an orange con.. once field conditions are right (no wandering mobs) and I have full power.. you bet. and I've been taking and winning against orange con's since 12th level.. so this isn't a recent development due to hitting 20th. It's not an easy fight.. mis-manage that hate and I guarantee you it will hurt at best or you'll die at worst... manage the hate right.. and it's like taking a green.
course, all three of my above mentioned characters can take a white con.. difference being my conjuror is the only one who can take them and walk away without a scratch of damage and likely still have nearly full power or close to it and move on to the next one.
now I will say this.. solo'ing as a Conjuror has been the most challenging and fun of all my characters.. because there is the hate management issue to keep in mind which addes a new dimension to things.. and the fact that simply put.. you cannot take a hit. Over Nuke, don't manage the hate, mis-time a heal on your pet causing you to over-cure, and a simple fight can quickly blow up into something messy.. not paying attention to the field could quickly lead to pop-aggro or something simply wanders up behind you...
manage it right.. and even strong mobs are cake.. I've often wondered if I can.. indeed.. take and win against a Red... with my other characters I won't even try.. my conjuror on the other hand, every time I see one go by... the thought crosses my mind and the pointer inches near the pet attack button, one of these days I'm going to go for it.
Quote:
stalk from a "safe area", pull mob, engage while HOing, HO, HO, it's dead.
applies to ALL MMO's I've played except SWG (where you were pretty much a god once buffed and didn't have to worry about anything killing you)
Honesty I enjoy EQ2 because there's a lot more moving about.. I've yet to simply stay in one spot and pull, even in a group we're always moving around the field and going for multiple targets. Often I'll send my pet at the next target before we finish the current one so it's nearly non-stop combat.
Taking risk be it solo or group is totally the responsibility of the player... the real question is weather it's a risk of your choosing or something else like POP-Aggro..
also solo'ing as a conjuror.. you cannot "pull".. you must initiate combat with the pet, doing so with a spell means you have hate and once that happens you're probably dead, especially if it's yellow or orange. Once your pet begins combat it will not move away easily.. the "back off" button works but the instant it takes a hit it will turn and fight.. making "back off" pretty useless once combat begins and if your pet hasn't taken hate by the time you initiate a back off command.... not pretty.. time to die (learned that lesson the hard way). So if you engage a mob deep in the spawn area in an empty field.. you better be darn quick with the take down or hope your pet can deal with it alone... or you'll be facing one very angry mob (once it kills your pet if it can and believe me a strong white can if you don't help your pet), or you'll get POP-Aggro if you take too long... Course if you run in over nuking you'll STILL face an angry mob when you take hate and if luck is against you something will POP..
and once your pet looses hate it cannot take it back..
so there's a lot of planning, noticing the field, deciding if that particular mob is worth the fight to risk ratio, and sometimes.. back down and wait for a better option.. but with solo'ing you, and only you, are making these decisions.. it's RARE for me to die solo'ing even when I take a risk or two because they're calculated.. and believe me I've come close.. the first time I took on an orange was a learning experience.
"how long has the field been empty.. are POP's about to show up"
"how fast can I kill this thing..."
"IF something pops.. what's my plan.."
these are all as much parts of strategy as having multiple attack options to impare the mob with different status or physical effects.. (such as the scouts knock down attack)
honestly the only thing I wish for in the EQ2 combat system is to be able to determine *which* HO's I do.. as opposed to starting an HO chain and hoping I get lucky and get Arcane Storm. If I could always get Arcane Storm, I'd be MORE than willing to walk up to a group of 4 and take them solo, because I know what arcane storm can do... ^_~ THAT would be truly heinous:
Seism > Arcane Storm > Arcane Storm > Arcane Storm...
...and they all fall down. So taking that into account I think I understand a little better why they made it random.. lol.
I can't speak for root in EQ1 cause I never played it long enough..(honestly I hated EQ1), but I can tell you this.. I have Arcane Binding at Adept 1 and it gets broken easily and Nuke's can break it immediately... and the spell generates an EXTREMELY LARGE amount of hate.. making it a no-no while solo'ing as a conjuror. Sorcerers and the others have no choice but they have no hate management to keep in mind either.. so they may as well root, nuke, and take the hits when they come in...
so "root and nuke" does not work quite as well at 20th level or below (at least for a conjuror), arcane bind, due to the sheer amount of hate it generates, guarantee's your pet will loose hate once it's broken or wears off (which will be quick) so you better hope that mob's in the deep red and not Orange con or it's time for some pain and likely death.
honestly I don't think the classes are quite as equal solo'ing as everyone seems to believe..
I know for a fact my Predator cannot solo an orange con even with a solid successful sneak attack at the beginning of combat.. those just hit TOO hard for her.
My Sorceress *MIGHT* be able to take them, honestly I've yet to get the nerve to try cause a white con brings her down into the yellow or orange if it's resistant..... for an Orange she better have a LOT of room to backup.. 'cause arcane bind doesn't last long and the mobs movement rate almost triples once combat begins, and if that second arcane bind doesn't stick (and I have noticed the 2nd one sticks far less often than the first)... she's dead without question.. I suspect a lot of luck is involved for my sorceress to take something that strong.
my conjuror on the other hand.. sure I'll take on an orange con.. once field conditions are right (no wandering mobs) and I have full power.. you bet. and I've been taking and winning against orange con's since 12th level.. so this isn't a recent development due to hitting 20th. It's not an easy fight.. mis-manage that hate and I guarantee you it will hurt at best or you'll die at worst... manage the hate right.. and it's like taking a green.
course, all three of my above mentioned characters can take a white con.. difference being my conjuror is the only one who can take them and walk away without a scratch of damage and likely still have nearly full power or close to it and move on to the next one.
now I will say this.. solo'ing as a Conjuror has been the most challenging and fun of all my characters.. because there is the hate management issue to keep in mind which addes a new dimension to things.. and the fact that simply put.. you cannot take a hit. Over Nuke, don't manage the hate, mis-time a heal on your pet causing you to over-cure, and a simple fight can quickly blow up into something messy.. not paying attention to the field could quickly lead to pop-aggro or something simply wanders up behind you...
manage it right.. and even strong mobs are cake.. I've often wondered if I can.. indeed.. take and win against a Red... with my other characters I won't even try.. my conjuror on the other hand, every time I see one go by... the thought crosses my mind and the pointer inches near the pet attack button, one of these days I'm going to go for it.
"I can't speak for root in EQ1 cause I never played it long enough..(honestly I hated EQ1), but I can tell you this.. "
You couldn't have made my point any better. Thanks.
If you never got into old EQ, if you "hated" it, you have no idea what I'm talking about. It's okay - no need to fight. It's okay for you to like EQ2 and for me to have strongly mixed feelings about it. Obviously there are enough people out there in the mmo world who enjoy EQ2 enough to justify, at least for now, what they've done. However, I'll say this: we have an empty slot on one of our accts now - and I get to peek every now and then at server loads - and the servers don't seem anywhere near as crowded compared to the first few weeks.
Believe me, EQ2 could have been "a whole magnitude" better. I've spelled out, imo, how in many other posts - my fingers are tired of typing it all. So I'll end w/ my mantra: for all the things they got so right, how could they have so badly botched all the things they screwed up?
You couldn't have made my point any better. Thanks.
If you never got into old EQ, if you "hated" it, you have no idea what I'm talking about. It's okay - no need to fight. It's okay for you to like EQ2 and for me to have strongly mixed feelings about it. Obviously there are enough people out there in the mmo world who enjoy EQ2 enough to justify, at least for now, what they've done. However, I'll say this: we have an empty slot on one of our accts now - and I get to peek every now and then at server loads - and the servers don't seem anywhere near as crowded compared to the first few weeks.
Believe me, EQ2 could have been "a whole magnitude" better. I've spelled out, imo, how in many other posts - my fingers are tired of typing it all. So I'll end w/ my mantra: for all the things they got so right, how could they have so badly botched all the things they screwed up?
Nusumenai wrote:
: EvilGnomes
Your post discourages me a bit, but i'm not an EQ fan... In fact, FFXI was the first online RPG i ever played...
Your post discourages me a bit, but i'm not an EQ fan... In fact, FFXI was the first online RPG i ever played...
Same for me. This game does have some simalarities, but some differences. All I can say is that I have alot more fun in this game than I did in FFXI. I can tell you that you won't be killed by something that is "too weak to be worthwhile" in EQ2. I find this game to be alot less stressfull than FFXI.
Good luck, and get the game!!!!
point is, if you played FFXI and didn't like these things:
lack of solo'ability
lack of money making options
economy
LFG for hours on end..
EQ2 has NONE of these issues.. any other issues brought up by old EQ1 players is simply due to the fact that they came in expecting it to be a sequel (which is the fault of the games title) and honestly.. from what I've heard from all the old school EQ1 players.. it's not a sequel it's a totally different game experience (which the dev's stated over and over and over).. so they're disappointed..
however people with no EQ1 experience absolutely love the game.
I took a look at WoW too.. honestly I found the graphics to be lacking.. otherwise EQ2 and WoW were pretty similar in what I wanted out of a MMO. After just over a year in FFXI I knew what I DIDN'T want to see anymore.. so my checklist went something like this:
solo'ability - check
good money options - check
no more forced party system - check
graphics - EQ2 = yes, WoW = no (this is my personal viewpoint so don't get bent out of shape and make this into something it's not.)
PVP - EQ2 = no, WoW = yes.. however I hate PVP so this was actually the thing that killed WoW for me.
so to the OP, make your check list.. you know what you don't want to see after playing FFXI. honestly I've yet to see a former FFXI player who saw the flaws in the game *NOT* enjoy WoW or EQ2.
you've seen my own and other viewpoints as people who greatly enjoying the game, and you've seen the viewpoint of the old school EQ1 players who were expecting something different.. so look it over and decide if it's what you want out of an MMO.. in the end, the first 30 days are free so the only thing you'll truly loose is time.
lack of solo'ability
lack of money making options
economy
LFG for hours on end..
EQ2 has NONE of these issues.. any other issues brought up by old EQ1 players is simply due to the fact that they came in expecting it to be a sequel (which is the fault of the games title) and honestly.. from what I've heard from all the old school EQ1 players.. it's not a sequel it's a totally different game experience (which the dev's stated over and over and over).. so they're disappointed..
however people with no EQ1 experience absolutely love the game.
I took a look at WoW too.. honestly I found the graphics to be lacking.. otherwise EQ2 and WoW were pretty similar in what I wanted out of a MMO. After just over a year in FFXI I knew what I DIDN'T want to see anymore.. so my checklist went something like this:
solo'ability - check
good money options - check
no more forced party system - check
graphics - EQ2 = yes, WoW = no (this is my personal viewpoint so don't get bent out of shape and make this into something it's not.)
PVP - EQ2 = no, WoW = yes.. however I hate PVP so this was actually the thing that killed WoW for me.
so to the OP, make your check list.. you know what you don't want to see after playing FFXI. honestly I've yet to see a former FFXI player who saw the flaws in the game *NOT* enjoy WoW or EQ2.
you've seen my own and other viewpoints as people who greatly enjoying the game, and you've seen the viewpoint of the old school EQ1 players who were expecting something different.. so look it over and decide if it's what you want out of an MMO.. in the end, the first 30 days are free so the only thing you'll truly loose is time.
"however people with no EQ1 experience absolutely love the game"
Good point. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on EQ2. If you're liking it, hey, who am I to try to rain on your parade?
I fight the "system", however, for a number of (what I think) are good reasons. If you really like EQ2, don't read any more.
Sony is essentially "the leader" of mmo's, at least for now. Old EQ dominated the scene for years and still is a heavy player in the world of mmo's. But w/ EQ2 they've made some huge changes. And what I fear is that they will set the tone for mmo's to come - a trend toward heavy-duty control, little player freedom, lack of variety of tactics and spells, etc. Well, it's in theory a free market - and maybe someone will come along with something more to my liking. But what so often happens is that instead of a wide variety of offerings, everyone buys certain trends - and no one deviates much off those. That's why I worry that an era is now over, that the once wide-open, fun frontier of mmo's has been closed forever. See, it used to be quite a challenge to see just what you could do w/ a wide and varied list of spells. Now, w/ EQ2... it's just not there. And it depresses me - sorry.
Good point. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on EQ2. If you're liking it, hey, who am I to try to rain on your parade?
I fight the "system", however, for a number of (what I think) are good reasons. If you really like EQ2, don't read any more.
Sony is essentially "the leader" of mmo's, at least for now. Old EQ dominated the scene for years and still is a heavy player in the world of mmo's. But w/ EQ2 they've made some huge changes. And what I fear is that they will set the tone for mmo's to come - a trend toward heavy-duty control, little player freedom, lack of variety of tactics and spells, etc. Well, it's in theory a free market - and maybe someone will come along with something more to my liking. But what so often happens is that instead of a wide variety of offerings, everyone buys certain trends - and no one deviates much off those. That's why I worry that an era is now over, that the once wide-open, fun frontier of mmo's has been closed forever. See, it used to be quite a challenge to see just what you could do w/ a wide and varied list of spells. Now, w/ EQ2... it's just not there. And it depresses me - sorry.
9 posts
Ok, i was just killing time reading some posts and i came by this one... and was slightly shocked to see some of the replies. Someone already said most of what im going to say (im too lazy to scroll up and get the name) but it seems that it still needs to be said. SOE didn't "dupe" us with the promise of more solo content than there is... they didn't over-balance the classes.. they did not forget to impliment any kind of strategy in grouping or soloing.. the game is NEW! EQ1 at launch was nothing close to the epic game it is today, infact it was way worse in eq2 in most of the categories that people have problems with it. A large patch in the near future is adressing the lack of solo content for example.. as well as some other neat stuff. The first expansion will most likely add alot of diversity between subclasses when they increase the level cap.. and so on. Dont judge eq2 unfairly because it dosnt have EVERY little thing you want it to, its NEW. That said, this game is already awesome and im sure it will be epic, even moreso than eq1 because of the larger initial player-base. Have hope people, dont leave the game because of something you dont like this early... <sorry about the long post, im sure you people dont have the time to read this crap :)
Thanks a lot for the info everyone!
I started playing yesterday, and I finished the Island portion (I finished all but 1 quest, hope that won't matter later on :X).
I picked freeport as my Hometown (Lol, it's a dump. So far i'm enjoying the game, i was a bit sad to hear that some people thought solo had no strat. But i found it pretty fun (as a Scout).
I started playing yesterday, and I finished the Island portion (I finished all but 1 quest, hope that won't matter later on :X).
I picked freeport as my Hometown (Lol, it's a dump. So far i'm enjoying the game, i was a bit sad to hear that some people thought solo had no strat. But i found it pretty fun (as a Scout).
Quote:
From Bumble
The game is very boring that way.. You dont have diffrent strategys for diffrent mobs or diffrent strategys for diffrent groupsetups.. Well, ofcourse it differs abit but it isnt compareble to the variaty of EQ1, its more like zerg, zerg and zerg again. All classes feels overbalanced which makes no class special in any group. This sux imo, sure it makes lfg easier but it still is TO balanced imo. All classes can solo and all classes are almost equally prefered in groups.
The game is very boring that way.. You dont have diffrent strategys for diffrent mobs or diffrent strategys for diffrent groupsetups.. Well, ofcourse it differs abit but it isnt compareble to the variaty of EQ1, its more like zerg, zerg and zerg again. All classes feels overbalanced which makes no class special in any group. This sux imo, sure it makes lfg easier but it still is TO balanced imo. All classes can solo and all classes are almost equally prefered in groups.
I think this is two different problems wrapped up together and in fact when you separate them they aren't a problem.
What is happening is that because things tend to get zerged (hit with overwhelming force so there is not real risk) there is no need to have any strategy. What is the point in discussing how to coordinate HO's when the mob is dead in seconds.
I think a lot of this is caused by the newness of people to the game and the extreme quest-driven nature of things which often has you killing grey or green mobs with a full group.
I think once people have time to figure things out a bit more then it will be a little more interesting to take out difficult mobs with minimum force so that you actually have to think about it. In those circumstances I think the differences between classes and the skills required will start to emerge.
Wherever I go - there I am.
Nusumenai wrote:
I started playing yesterday, and I finished the Island portion (I finished all but 1 quest, hope that won't matter later on :X).
should be fine :).
Nusumenai wrote:
I picked freeport as my Hometown (Lol, it's a dump. So far i'm enjoying the game, i was a bit sad to hear that some people thought solo had no strat. But i found it pretty fun (as a Scout).
scouts are fun! i have 3, one of each subclass :).
here are some links to help you with getting up to speed on gameplay and some things you might not just pick up:
of course this one is excellent for quest info.. see nav bar at left ;)...
this one has a good selection of maps.
this one has excellent guide-type info, from tradeskilling to combat to spell and ability lists for all classes.
this one has good guides to crafting, and a good discussion board. niami and ngreth have been around for a long time.
this one has a large database of crafting recipes, listed nearly any way you wan them.
this one has crafting info, and other things.
good luck!
EQ: Runyaessz, 5 Monk, Phinigel
EVE: Runym/Runyn/Runyl, 43M SP each
SWTOR: Pardoric, 22 Merc, on vaca
EQ: Runyariel Varyuvantel, 65 Enchanter, Tarew Marr, on vaca
LoTRO: Runyarian, 38 hunter, Vilya, on vaca
WoW: Runyarian, 70 hunter, Muradin, on sabbatical
EQ2: Runylala, 25 Troll Bard, Qey, Blackburrow, retired
WAR: Runyael, 30 DiscO Khaine, Ironfist,retired.
CoH: Hissing Chicken, 16 Scrapper, Pinnacle, retired
EVE: Runym/Runyn/Runyl, 43M SP each
SWTOR: Pardoric, 22 Merc, on vaca
EQ: Runyariel Varyuvantel, 65 Enchanter, Tarew Marr, on vaca
LoTRO: Runyarian, 38 hunter, Vilya, on vaca
WoW: Runyarian, 70 hunter, Muradin, on sabbatical
EQ2: Runylala, 25 Troll Bard, Qey, Blackburrow, retired
WAR: Runyael, 30 DiscO Khaine, Ironfist,retired.
CoH: Hissing Chicken, 16 Scrapper, Pinnacle, retired
Seriously, don't read this post if you absolutely *love* EQ2. I honestly don't want to spoil your fun. If the novelty of the game wears off later, come back and check this post. But I mean it, if you are truly happy w/ EQ2, stay away from me. I'll only sour you and make you a mean, grumpy EvilGnome like myself. 
"Dont judge eq2 unfairly because it dosnt have EVERY little thing you want it to, its NEW."
I honestly don't think I'm judging EQ2 "unfairly". The thing I want, that it's missing, is hardly "little". Look, if I have to spend hour upon hour grinding out experience (duh, regardless of how many quests there are - this is what these games are about), I want there to be some meaningful tactical diversity. Given that I'm an experienced MMO player, there is none for me. You may love EQ2, and I'm not saying you're bad or wrong for liking it 100%. And btw there are big chunks of EQ2 I like too - after all, I'm still playing it (in part because the other EvilGnome bought us a long subscription - and in truth, there are parts of it I like). But the lack of variety of spells and tactics is a huge hole. Sure, there is a little bit of choice. But only a little bit. I'm laughing because some of you keep insisting I'm wrong, that there is TONS of diversity in EQ2 and plenty of tactical choices. All I can say is that we do not agree on what these words mean, and we therefore can't have a meaningful argument. Like I said at the top, if you love EQ2, it's okay. I'm trying to respect your tastes. But don't "dis" me for mine. I've played these games for years and know damn well what I'm talking about. And I'm hardly the only poster in here saying these things (although are ranks are thinning... we're losing patience w/ the game - hey, in another month we'll all be gone and you won't have this argument - you'll win - gratz!
As to your comment "its NEW" - hey, sorry, EQ2 is *not* truly NEW. That NPCs talk is NEW, and while I appreciate that this was a heck of a lot of work, I'm already getting tired of it. A ton of work went into the look of the game, so that's NEW. But what is definitely *not* NEW is the core of the game, it's soul. It's heavily derived from other games, mainly FF and DaoC.
You say a big patch is coming soon to fix the lack of solo content, but more solo mobs, which is all that it's likely to be, is not even going to begin to cut it. More boring encounters? No thanks. Think - why are all instanced zones, except your Hallmark quests, limited to 3 or more players??? It was that way in LDoN, and so far it's that way in EQ2 - and in EQ2 such places as Firemyst Gully are - you have to kill tons of stuff to get the book to drop and... gah. Bah. Well, maybe they can fix it - I just don't see how. Not in one patch, anyway.
To your credit - to those of you who hate what I have to say - you're going to win by default. It looks to me like Sony has taken some polls and has found that people like me don't count for much any more. It ticks me off royal, but it's starting to look like Sony decided something like "hm, people who like the old system can have old EQ - we'll let it go on for another 20 years - meanwhile we're going to use the new game to try to hook FFI, DaoC, SWG, and WoW type players - or something." And I'm forced to admit that from their standpoint, maybe that was a good business decision. All
to the allmighty dollar! But what you're missing out on - I don't even know how to begin to describe it - but I remember in old EQ trying to figure out how to kill really powerful mobs. I remember going on line to read up on other classes and looking for these guys in-game - and trying to talk them into helping me kill something brutal. I remember being taught new soloing techniques - and figuring some out on my own. Once you got something that worked - it was glorious - I was "flying" - I'd done all this work - I'd experimented on all this stuff - and then suddenly one of the new things worked! Instead of grinding away, I could be spectacular.
The nail that stands up will be hammered down. The blade of grass that grows too tall will be cut. That's Sony's new mantra, it seems.
Some of you keep insisting that old EQ was somehow "bad" at launch - but listen, while superficially you are right, what it had at launch was a wide-open system that offered some freedom and room to take risks and experiment for the player. That's what I'm getting at. This spirit is totally *gone* now - there is NONE of it in EQ2 - none. It just kills me that so many of you say to this "thank God it's gone, I simply HATED old EQ when a druid would come by and quad everything - or this bard was getting away with what was a border-line exploit - while I was playing the game the WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYED." JEEEEEEEEES-LOUIIIIIIIISE - and ... I just cringe upon hearing this - see, I can't help but hearing this and think "you poor person - you've let yourself become enslaved somehow" - I don't mean to offend any of you - but, dangit, why can't I be allowed into the future of MMO's? Why can't there be a place in the MMO's of the future for me and people like me to experiment and take risks and run amok - it's FUN - putting your nose to the grindstone and obediantly following the game designers' master plan... gawd, that's so droll, so dull - I mean, we might as all become Communists.
Well, if you're fundamentally opposed to what I'm saying - or if you just don't get it - and if you've read this far - I commend your bravery. Hell, maybe I'm totally nuts. Maybe I'm nothing but a glutton for punishment who likes doing this --->
Just please don't assume I've come to my conclusions at random or w/ no thought - or that I'm alone in what I think. That's not the case. I think MMOs could have a far different and better future if the people who design them would do things differently. And in time, when the novelty of EQ2 starts to wear off, and as you get more experience playing - I have a feeling that some of you who disagree w/ me now will come to see what I'm saying. You may never completely agree, of course, but at least you'll see the issues. And like I've said before, I hope this new EQ2 team will fix the game soon. It's worth saving. GL all.
7 posts
EvilGnomes I have a question for you. I agree alot with what you are saying since I loved EQlive for alot of the same reasons as you did. I liked that I could attack a guard or a merchant. Sure I died but it was there. I loved that I could go anywhere (if I was careful of other guards, my first toon was a NELF) and do almost anything and I'm worried that EQ2 won't carry this same feeling. The problem is that ever since PoK I've just felt that EQlive got worse and worse. EQlive has become too easy itself with twinking and PoK to take you anywhere in seconds.
I'm looking for a good MMORPG to play and EQ2 is the only one I haven't tried yet. I love the atmosphere of the EQ world but I hate the over balancing of classes that EQ2 seems to have. Since you seem to share the same opinion as me, I was just wondering if you thought I could find any fun in this game.
I'm looking for a good MMORPG to play and EQ2 is the only one I haven't tried yet. I love the atmosphere of the EQ world but I hate the over balancing of classes that EQ2 seems to have. Since you seem to share the same opinion as me, I was just wondering if you thought I could find any fun in this game.
Scholar
40 posts
Also, do not forget: Unlockable character races, a seperate experience bar and level for artisan classes... these seem to be taken directly from Horizons.
Like I'd said in another post, EQ2 is simply the MMO equivalent of the Medal of Honor FPS games. As with those games, this is not *bad* but simply very channelized and scripted. It's an incredibly fun ride down the pipe a few times... but it quickly gets old. Replayability is lower than it should be.
But, damn it, there are friggin anthropomorphic rats, cats, and leezards. I'm gonna stick with the game simply for that reason. Oh yeah, Troll mages, Ogre thieves, and Ratonga Berserkers. 'Nuff said.
Like I'd said in another post, EQ2 is simply the MMO equivalent of the Medal of Honor FPS games. As with those games, this is not *bad* but simply very channelized and scripted. It's an incredibly fun ride down the pipe a few times... but it quickly gets old. Replayability is lower than it should be.
But, damn it, there are friggin anthropomorphic rats, cats, and leezards. I'm gonna stick with the game simply for that reason. Oh yeah, Troll mages, Ogre thieves, and Ratonga Berserkers. 'Nuff said.
Iaini wrote:
EQ2 has NONE of these issues.. any other issues brought up by old EQ1 players is simply due to the fact that they came in expecting it to be a sequel (which is the fault of the games title) and honestly.. from what I've heard from all the old school EQ1 players.. it's not a sequel it's a totally different game experience (which the dev's stated over and over and over).. so they're disappointed..
not all of em ^-^.
i'm an old school eq player, and i love eq2 :).
here's the thing, though: i paid attention when they said repeatedly that it would be a completely different game, and didn't expect a sequel.
as far as chanters go, i like what they've done with the class, but i like the old one as well. yes, it's more difficult to get a group as a chanter in your teens, but i think that's because people aren't familiar with what chanters are good for, yet. they'll figure it out in the mid-20s, i'm thinking ;). i plan on 2boxing, if i can, the chanter and the bard (after he betrays) ... that should be fun :).
as far as classes go, there *are* differences, and yes, they're balanced a bit more than they were in eq, but i find that the balance is nice.
to lend that statement a wee bit of credibility...
i have 12 characters, of 11 races (mostly good... i've got 2 trolls and a dark elf... i don't know if i could rp an ogre or a rat :x), and of every class, or that will be, except crusader and warrior, because i generally don't like tanking much. of those, i have a toon in, or that will be in, each of the 9 crafting classes. a good chunk of the toon list is in teens, in both crafting and adventure levels.
i plan to experience everything the game has to offer. if you know me, that's no surprise ;).
(i look back at my toon list for eq1 and am a bit embarrassed at the sheer number of them :x. they gave me waayyy too many choices there ... coh wasnt nearly as bad, and wow isn't either... )
and yes, this is pretty much what i do, instead of watching tv or something else, and yes, i'm single with no exes and no children :). and yes, i do see the outside world ... and have a full time job... which is why the toons arent all 25 :D.
having said all of that... when asked by some people irl if i think they'd like eq2, or wow, or coh, or guild wars, i point them in the direction that fits *their* gaming style (after quizzing them about which games they've liked in the past), not mine.
the mechanics are different for each, and yes, i have active accounts in all of them. after beta testing eq2 and wow, and previewing gw, i honestly thought i would be playing wow most of the time, with the other 80% of my guild :).
after release... i found myself enjoying eq2 immensely, and log into the other games (cept gw, which is still in preview/beta), omce every week or two just to say hi, do some stuff for an hour or two, and then log out because i get bored. coh is still fun, but it's a tad repetitive. wow isn't a lousy game either, but it doesnt hold *my* attention. i'm still trying to figure out why, and, i think, so is the rest of my guild, but they were happy to have someone to appoint as GL for eq2 :).
the simple fact is, the gameplay differs in each, and some persons will be better suited in one than another. eq2 happens to suit me.
yes, there are issues... but i tend to play around that sort of thing anyway, knowing that the issues will be improved over time. i know, i'm a pretty patient person :).
evilgnomes has some points that i agree with, and some i dont... but mostly because we look at games differently... and that's ok :).
/comforts da gnome
good lord, i'm verbose today :x. ok, ok ... so that's every day...
y'all dont forget to have fun, now :).
EQ: Runyaessz, 5 Monk, Phinigel
EVE: Runym/Runyn/Runyl, 43M SP each
SWTOR: Pardoric, 22 Merc, on vaca
EQ: Runyariel Varyuvantel, 65 Enchanter, Tarew Marr, on vaca
LoTRO: Runyarian, 38 hunter, Vilya, on vaca
WoW: Runyarian, 70 hunter, Muradin, on sabbatical
EQ2: Runylala, 25 Troll Bard, Qey, Blackburrow, retired
WAR: Runyael, 30 DiscO Khaine, Ironfist,retired.
CoH: Hissing Chicken, 16 Scrapper, Pinnacle, retired
EVE: Runym/Runyn/Runyl, 43M SP each
SWTOR: Pardoric, 22 Merc, on vaca
EQ: Runyariel Varyuvantel, 65 Enchanter, Tarew Marr, on vaca
LoTRO: Runyarian, 38 hunter, Vilya, on vaca
WoW: Runyarian, 70 hunter, Muradin, on sabbatical
EQ2: Runylala, 25 Troll Bard, Qey, Blackburrow, retired
WAR: Runyael, 30 DiscO Khaine, Ironfist,retired.
CoH: Hissing Chicken, 16 Scrapper, Pinnacle, retired
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