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EQ vs. EQ2Follow
I have played EQ for years and I love the game. The problem is that EQ is a group oriented game and I am mostly unable to group. Past a certain HL point it is just not practical or fruitful to solo in EQ unless you only want to sell buffs or plat farm (at least for the toons I have rolled and stuck with). I remember when EQ2 first came out it was touted as a game you could solo well in. I have read through the various threads but still don't have a sense of whether or not EQ2 is solo friendly. So my question, to those who have played both, is can you solo better in EQ2 than in EQ? I don't mean effectively solo as much as being able to find enjoyable solo content throughout the lifespan of the toon. Is EQ2 oriented more to groups as is EQ or is solo/group content more balanced in EQ2?
EQ1 has sparse solo mob populations, huge zones to traverse with no help, and ultra-slow regeneration. Even so, each single mob was social agro and pulling from a group always meant adds.
In EQ2, I can't seem to take 3 steps without tripping over some single mob. Since mobs are linked and non-social, you can pull a single from a group of singles and (typically) not get an add.
Large single mob population, coupled with speady zone transportation and lightning fast regeneration, adds up to constant fighting, looting, and exp'ing.
One thing to keep in mind, a single mob and a solo mob is different. A single mob is just 1 critter, no matter how easy or hard. So you could go face a single red^^^ and have no chance of winning.
A solo mob is one that you can reasonably assume to beat. Even groups of mobs can be considered solo if you can take them by yourself.
But the general term used to differentiate the two is solo and group.
EQ2 also has a ton of group content, and that is the best way to adventure, loot and exp. The greater danger also grants greater rewards.
In EQ2, I can't seem to take 3 steps without tripping over some single mob. Since mobs are linked and non-social, you can pull a single from a group of singles and (typically) not get an add.
Large single mob population, coupled with speady zone transportation and lightning fast regeneration, adds up to constant fighting, looting, and exp'ing.
One thing to keep in mind, a single mob and a solo mob is different. A single mob is just 1 critter, no matter how easy or hard. So you could go face a single red^^^ and have no chance of winning.
A solo mob is one that you can reasonably assume to beat. Even groups of mobs can be considered solo if you can take them by yourself.
But the general term used to differentiate the two is solo and group.
EQ2 also has a ton of group content, and that is the best way to adventure, loot and exp. The greater danger also grants greater rewards.
I remember back in EQ, that while soloing with both my druid or my ranger, I used to spend endless hours in guild chat. This was because I would find a nice safe camp, pull a mob, kill it, repeat and then sit down to wait for my mana to come back up.
I can also remember having to spend whole play sessions just watching mobs path so that I could learn where those safe spots were.
Yes, EQ was a wonderful game, (I look fondly back at the 2 years I spent there), but I don't think I will ever go back!
EQ2 is not only much more solo friendly, but also much more casual player friendly. As Tut mentioned, travel is streamlined and power regen has been shortened (just remember to drink your drink), but the devs have done even more than that to improve game play here.
For example, mob content in zones is arranged in a way that is logical and conducive to level advance. When you first enter a zone, the lowest level mobs are arranged nearest the zone line and the deeper you get the higher level you'll find.
The con system is so much better here that there is no way you could ever "stumble" into any mob that could really hurt you unless you wanted to. Gone forever is the cryptic "what do you want on your tombstone", replaced by a clear concise description of who that mob is for and how difficult the challange to despatch it will be.
The list goes on and on... but the bottom line is yes, this game is solo friendly and maybe more important, it's also casual player friendly.
I can also remember having to spend whole play sessions just watching mobs path so that I could learn where those safe spots were.
Yes, EQ was a wonderful game, (I look fondly back at the 2 years I spent there), but I don't think I will ever go back!
EQ2 is not only much more solo friendly, but also much more casual player friendly. As Tut mentioned, travel is streamlined and power regen has been shortened (just remember to drink your drink), but the devs have done even more than that to improve game play here.
For example, mob content in zones is arranged in a way that is logical and conducive to level advance. When you first enter a zone, the lowest level mobs are arranged nearest the zone line and the deeper you get the higher level you'll find.
The con system is so much better here that there is no way you could ever "stumble" into any mob that could really hurt you unless you wanted to. Gone forever is the cryptic "what do you want on your tombstone", replaced by a clear concise description of who that mob is for and how difficult the challange to despatch it will be.
The list goes on and on... but the bottom line is yes, this game is solo friendly and maybe more important, it's also casual player friendly.
Pros and Cons to both games. Things I really enjoyed about eq1 though was:
-LEss restrictive gear. Yup thats right I like being a twink. Much as people say its bad, I have yet to see a overpowered charactor in eq1 past lvl 50. Who cares of a lvl 70 has a alt with super gear to get to lvl 50. You just about have to due to low populations on newbie toons.
-More unique and fun gear. There is always that one piece of gear a person wants in eq1. In eq2 you just get something new every 10 levels (generally something with X% more of the same stats you all ready got). There is just no fun in earning gear on eq2. FAbled gear is out of most peoples reach unless your in high end raiding guilds, and legendary you just need a few PP to earn. Seriously I have not found 1 piece of loot from lvl 45 to 57 off a mob that would be even close to a upgrade for me. Have killed several named in several DOF zones and its all junk that nobody ever wants.
-Overall less restictive gameplay. Plenty of ways to untilize your toons skills as where in eq2 you are very limited.
-Farming. Yea thats right I enjoy taking a lvl 60+ toon into lguk and farming crappy armor that sells for peanuts in bazaar. You also don't see toons from lvl 1 to 50 having a hard time finding gear like you do in eq2. I hate how eq2 gives no loot if the mob is grey.
-No attuneing. I get sick of spending 1pp on a upgraded piece of armor then getting 2 gold out of it from a vendor 10 levels later. In fact with eq1 you can buy gear at lvl 1 that could very well last you to lvl 50+. There is a few attuneable items in eq1, but there is plenty of stuff you can buy and resale when your done with it. People claim the economy in eq1 is terrible, but considering my necro is lvl 10 and I have a full set of decent gear I don't see the problem(and I earned it with bone chips, spidering silks, etc). My 30 necro in eq2 can't get gear because there is no tier 3 tailors LFW and no looted armor worth a crap on vendor.
Anyways funny this topic came up. I have decided to take a break from eq2. Just nothing to look forward to other then grinding exp at a insanely slow rate with my paladin (after waiting 1 hour to get a group). IF I was able to go farm, or had something to look forward to it wouldn't be so bad, but there is nothing I look forward to. Days of grinding I get 58...then 59.. then what kill more mobs with crap loot and earn exp even slower.
Far as alts go I am sick of leveling in the same exact places. Thankfully the echos of faydark might change that. I might consider coming back then.
Few friends of mine who refuse to play eq2 for basically the above reasons are getting back into eq1 so I am going to join them. $20 for titanium figure I will give it a shot.
-LEss restrictive gear. Yup thats right I like being a twink. Much as people say its bad, I have yet to see a overpowered charactor in eq1 past lvl 50. Who cares of a lvl 70 has a alt with super gear to get to lvl 50. You just about have to due to low populations on newbie toons.
-More unique and fun gear. There is always that one piece of gear a person wants in eq1. In eq2 you just get something new every 10 levels (generally something with X% more of the same stats you all ready got). There is just no fun in earning gear on eq2. FAbled gear is out of most peoples reach unless your in high end raiding guilds, and legendary you just need a few PP to earn. Seriously I have not found 1 piece of loot from lvl 45 to 57 off a mob that would be even close to a upgrade for me. Have killed several named in several DOF zones and its all junk that nobody ever wants.
-Overall less restictive gameplay. Plenty of ways to untilize your toons skills as where in eq2 you are very limited.
-Farming. Yea thats right I enjoy taking a lvl 60+ toon into lguk and farming crappy armor that sells for peanuts in bazaar. You also don't see toons from lvl 1 to 50 having a hard time finding gear like you do in eq2. I hate how eq2 gives no loot if the mob is grey.
-No attuneing. I get sick of spending 1pp on a upgraded piece of armor then getting 2 gold out of it from a vendor 10 levels later. In fact with eq1 you can buy gear at lvl 1 that could very well last you to lvl 50+. There is a few attuneable items in eq1, but there is plenty of stuff you can buy and resale when your done with it. People claim the economy in eq1 is terrible, but considering my necro is lvl 10 and I have a full set of decent gear I don't see the problem(and I earned it with bone chips, spidering silks, etc). My 30 necro in eq2 can't get gear because there is no tier 3 tailors LFW and no looted armor worth a crap on vendor.
Anyways funny this topic came up. I have decided to take a break from eq2. Just nothing to look forward to other then grinding exp at a insanely slow rate with my paladin (after waiting 1 hour to get a group). IF I was able to go farm, or had something to look forward to it wouldn't be so bad, but there is nothing I look forward to. Days of grinding I get 58...then 59.. then what kill more mobs with crap loot and earn exp even slower.
Far as alts go I am sick of leveling in the same exact places. Thankfully the echos of faydark might change that. I might consider coming back then.
Few friends of mine who refuse to play eq2 for basically the above reasons are getting back into eq1 so I am going to join them. $20 for titanium figure I will give it a shot.
Hi
Tutan, it sound like you're saying EQ2 isn't good for soloing.
OP, the fact is EQ2 has exactly what you're looking for - lots of good solo content for any class at any level. You can solo any class all the way to the level cap if you want. There are many interesting quests, collections, things to see and people to meet that can all be done solo.
Yeah, grouping gets you exp faster and better loot, but unless you're a min/maxxer, that's not the only way to go by any means.
OP, the fact is EQ2 has exactly what you're looking for - lots of good solo content for any class at any level. You can solo any class all the way to the level cap if you want. There are many interesting quests, collections, things to see and people to meet that can all be done solo.
Yeah, grouping gets you exp faster and better loot, but unless you're a min/maxxer, that's not the only way to go by any means.
Quote:
Tutan, it sound like you're saying EQ2 isn't good for soloing.
Actually, there is a TON of solo content!
Quote:
More unique and fun gear. There is always that one piece of gear a person wants in eq1. In eq2 you just get something new every 10 levels (generally something with X% more of the same stats you all ready got). There is just no fun in earning gear on eq2. FAbled gear is out of most peoples reach unless your in high end raiding guilds, and legendary you just need a few PP to earn. Seriously I have not found 1 piece of loot from lvl 45 to 57 off a mob that would be even close to a upgrade for me. Have killed several named in several DOF zones and its all junk that nobody ever wants.
That was a problem with the loot available in DoF outside raids. It was all junk. So they "fixed" things in KoS, but of course they went way too far in the other direction and made crafted gear crap and let you get really nice stuff from garden variety heroic MoBs, quests and easy nameds. Maybe they'll get back in line somehow with the next expansion.
As for attunability, if items stay in the world forever, then people who make items become obsolete once there are 'enough' of them available. It works the way it should - you buy something new for big bucks, use it for a while then sell it for salvage when you're done with it. Everything depreciates in value except land. Allowing a size 6 woman to sell her gear to a 44 long man is plain stupid, much less having gnome sell his used armor to an ogre.
They can't let things sell back for more than a small amount over what they cost to make. (Remember raw materials are free if you harvest them - including rares, the only cost is fuel) Botters would wet themselves as their plat farming dreams come true.
Farming grays for loot is also something botters love. Also, I don't think the low level players who need the gray MoB's you're camping appreciate your presence much either.
Once again Everquest 1 has allowed these things for how many years now, going on 10? Until Wow Eq1 was the #1 rated game (in fact I think it actually beat eq2 and WOW in that walk of game). There is plenty of crafters in eq1 and plenty of people wanting to buy loot. Even though people claim the economy is crap It is realyl easier to a new palyer to get good gear in eq1 then it is in eq2.
I don't expect everybody to agree with me, in fact I figure most of your serious eq2 charactors won't. And even if a grey mob did give you loot 9 times out of 10 when I find them there is nobody anywhere near the mob anyways.
Oh as far as the solo content in eq2 yes you can solo all the way to 70. However once you get to about lvl 40ish you get so little exp per solo mob it becomes very tedious and boreing. I mean at lvl 50+ I think a high yellow solo mob gives around .08% per kill. Only way I generally kill solo mobs is if they are for a quest or have a chance as good loot (and very few solo mobs offer good loot).
Edited, Wed May 3 19:02:44 2006 by fronglo
I don't expect everybody to agree with me, in fact I figure most of your serious eq2 charactors won't. And even if a grey mob did give you loot 9 times out of 10 when I find them there is nobody anywhere near the mob anyways.
Oh as far as the solo content in eq2 yes you can solo all the way to 70. However once you get to about lvl 40ish you get so little exp per solo mob it becomes very tedious and boreing. I mean at lvl 50+ I think a high yellow solo mob gives around .08% per kill. Only way I generally kill solo mobs is if they are for a quest or have a chance as good loot (and very few solo mobs offer good loot).
Edited, Wed May 3 19:02:44 2006 by fronglo
Hi
Thank you OldBlue for giving me precisely the answer to the question I was stumbling around trying to ask. I said solo friendly but what I meant was casual. And thanks also to Lydiaele for elaborating and to the others for their input. I'm not looking to 'beat' the game or reach uberness, I just want to spend some time at a game I enjoy. Due to RL constraints I'm unable to devote the time and attention that even a pickup group deserves at high levels. I soloed a shammy to 62 and I have a druid who (at 55) looks like he'll go past that but it's plain that in EQ you eventually reach a level where the time and effort needed to solo mobs is just plain old unproductive. It may be that EQ2 will fit the bill for my style of play. I hear you can even build yourself a house.
Quote:
I hear you can even build yourself a house.
You can furnish it with furniture, carpets, trophies, pet animals, and more.
I am a casual player also, and play for 0-2 hours a night, usually less. I am still able to log on, knock out a few quest steps, craft a few items, or just reposition my character to a different location.
Quote:
Once again Everquest 1 has allowed these things for how many years now, going on 10?
I think the problem with gear staying in the world forever is more of an issue in EQ2 because everything is only good for 10 levels or so under the tier system.
Overhauling that dynamic would help resolve the attunable drawback somewhat. I would be OK with it as long as gear that would serve you for 50 levels because it grew with you was craftable as well as dropped. Food gets capped based on your level so it seems like the growth system is already in place. This stuff would be VERY expensive though... If I'm any judge of the market, it would cost much more than comparable gear with the same stats as the maxxed out growth gear. Very few people could afford it, and only for twinks. So with all that said, understand SOE's philosophy with this game is dead set against twinks - so growth gear is a remote possibility at best.
I think letting newbie twinks wear tier 5 gear with full stats and mitigation would be way too overpowering in this game, unlike in EQ1, and totally opposed to the no-twink philosophy. I definitely do not think they'll ever allow it.
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