Over the weekend, at the request of a friend, I started a new character on a new server and upon returning, I am once again astounded by just how good a game EQ2 is and how much Sony has gotten right!
Over the course of 3 days (Fri, Sat & Sun) I played for about 4 or 5 hours total and made it to adventure level 11 as well as crafting to lvl 12. (I'm in no hurry - I'm just trying to get back into the rhythm of things here)
These days I tend to spend most of my free online time in LOTRO but every time I come back I'm reminded of all the little things that are 'wrong' with game play in Middle Earth but are as smooth as silk in Norrath.
Don't get me wrong, LOTRO is a great game and I have enjoyed my time there (and will enjoy it for years to come) it's just that on the whole, I think that EQ2 is a better design and is a closer fit to my playstyle.
Just thought I'd mention it since there was no weekend update today...
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There and back againFollow
So what server did you roll on? You can pm it to me if you want.
Things I sometimes play...
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I want to be a unicorn!"
"Awww, why's that?"........
"So I can stab people with my face."
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I want to be a unicorn!"
"Awww, why's that?"........
"So I can stab people with my face."
I have to agree. LOTRO is good - damn good. But EQ2 is so much better IMHO. It has a breadth and depth that isn't matched by any other MMOs I've tried.
LOTRO is damn good! The graphics are breath taking and the story has been beautifully implemented and then seamlessly integrated into gameplay.
Most of the time the quests are interesting (but in all fairness, the quests in any MMO can & do get boring!) and the class diversity & balance are very good.
All of these things combine to make the game a compelling adventure, so once you've begun the journey you want to log in whenever you can. Simply put, Turbine has succeeded in creating a wonderful, engaging world.
However, there are little things that (for me) when compared to EQ2, just don't stack up...
I love the (EQ2) broker and I hate the (LOTRO) auction house where there is a 2 day limit on auctions and you pay the listing fee whether items sell or not!
I dislike right clicking on doors and NPCs (LOTRO) but don't mind left clicking on them (EQ2)
I love the mail system in EQ2 but in LOTRO, if I want to send 3 items to the same character I have to type their name into three different emails. Not only that but forget about delayed replies cause when someone sends you a letter, you can read it, but 2 days later... POOF it's gone! (I think I still have some letters in my EQ2 mailbox that are 4 years old!!!)
I love the flexibility of inventory space I have in EQ2 - between bags and boxes, I can have as much room as I can afford. Not so in LOTRO where I am restricted to five bags with a total of 75 slots. No upgrade or increase of any kind is possible!!! To make matters worse, my bank is restricted to 30 spaces plus 6 18 slot chests that are unlocked by level for a grand total of 138 slots (at lvl 60). In housing, with a large house, I can also choose to buy 2 X 30 slot storage chests. Period! (so forget about keeping much of anything like crafting mats long term)
And while we're on the subject of housing, LOTRO uses 'hooks' for item placement in the houses, restricting not only how many items you can place in your home but also specifically where you can put them. EQ2 on the other hand lets me put a TON of stuff in my house and lets me put it any damn place I want to!!!
I enjoy crafting in LOTRO even though nothing I've ever made has sold to another player. EVER!!! It has become something I do for myself and a few friends. While in EQ2, most of the crafting professions I have tried have been at least somewhat profitable.
And in all fairness, crafting itself in LOTRO is nowhere near as satisfying as it is in EQ2. Even after the removal of sub combines and the simplifying of the system, it is still far more challenging and interesting than LOTRO's system is!
Horses are better in EQ2 as well. In LOTRO you can't fight mounted and you can't talk to an NPC mounted. But you also can't ride into a building which is a good thing! Further more, all horses are about the same - they all move the same speed... only the color is different... OH, yeah! In LOTRO, you can't buy a horse till lvl 35. Of course, the economy is tightly controlled and money is scarce so you probably can't afford one till then anyway!
And what little things does LOTRO have that EQ2 doesn't? I can sit on chairs and benches or lay down on beds. I can also stretch out on the grass. Not so in EQ2!
I can smoke a pipe in LOTRO and can even create beautiful shapes in exhaled smoke by using a variety of different types of pipe weed.
There are a huge variety of interesting emotes in LOTRO (far more than in EQ2) including a variety of ethnic dances along with hug, kiss, slap and a host of others.
There are other things but I'm sure you get the idea...
Will LOTRO grow and evolve over time (as EQ2 has)? No doubt it will and since I am the holder of a lifetime subscription I can afford to wait for it to do so... But in the meantime I think I'll keep coming back to EQ2, just because of all the little things!
Most of the time the quests are interesting (but in all fairness, the quests in any MMO can & do get boring!) and the class diversity & balance are very good.
All of these things combine to make the game a compelling adventure, so once you've begun the journey you want to log in whenever you can. Simply put, Turbine has succeeded in creating a wonderful, engaging world.
However, there are little things that (for me) when compared to EQ2, just don't stack up...
I love the (EQ2) broker and I hate the (LOTRO) auction house where there is a 2 day limit on auctions and you pay the listing fee whether items sell or not!
I dislike right clicking on doors and NPCs (LOTRO) but don't mind left clicking on them (EQ2)
I love the mail system in EQ2 but in LOTRO, if I want to send 3 items to the same character I have to type their name into three different emails. Not only that but forget about delayed replies cause when someone sends you a letter, you can read it, but 2 days later... POOF it's gone! (I think I still have some letters in my EQ2 mailbox that are 4 years old!!!)
I love the flexibility of inventory space I have in EQ2 - between bags and boxes, I can have as much room as I can afford. Not so in LOTRO where I am restricted to five bags with a total of 75 slots. No upgrade or increase of any kind is possible!!! To make matters worse, my bank is restricted to 30 spaces plus 6 18 slot chests that are unlocked by level for a grand total of 138 slots (at lvl 60). In housing, with a large house, I can also choose to buy 2 X 30 slot storage chests. Period! (so forget about keeping much of anything like crafting mats long term)
And while we're on the subject of housing, LOTRO uses 'hooks' for item placement in the houses, restricting not only how many items you can place in your home but also specifically where you can put them. EQ2 on the other hand lets me put a TON of stuff in my house and lets me put it any damn place I want to!!!
I enjoy crafting in LOTRO even though nothing I've ever made has sold to another player. EVER!!! It has become something I do for myself and a few friends. While in EQ2, most of the crafting professions I have tried have been at least somewhat profitable.
And in all fairness, crafting itself in LOTRO is nowhere near as satisfying as it is in EQ2. Even after the removal of sub combines and the simplifying of the system, it is still far more challenging and interesting than LOTRO's system is!
Horses are better in EQ2 as well. In LOTRO you can't fight mounted and you can't talk to an NPC mounted. But you also can't ride into a building which is a good thing! Further more, all horses are about the same - they all move the same speed... only the color is different... OH, yeah! In LOTRO, you can't buy a horse till lvl 35. Of course, the economy is tightly controlled and money is scarce so you probably can't afford one till then anyway!
And what little things does LOTRO have that EQ2 doesn't? I can sit on chairs and benches or lay down on beds. I can also stretch out on the grass. Not so in EQ2!
I can smoke a pipe in LOTRO and can even create beautiful shapes in exhaled smoke by using a variety of different types of pipe weed.
There are a huge variety of interesting emotes in LOTRO (far more than in EQ2) including a variety of ethnic dances along with hug, kiss, slap and a host of others.
There are other things but I'm sure you get the idea...
Will LOTRO grow and evolve over time (as EQ2 has)? No doubt it will and since I am the holder of a lifetime subscription I can afford to wait for it to do so... But in the meantime I think I'll keep coming back to EQ2, just because of all the little things!
Oh, the LOTRO broker - don't get me started. It's a lot like WOW and I thought that was rubbish. Can't post items for more than 2 days (default is a few hours, which I always forgot to change). Can't easily find stuff that you can actually use. Can't reset the search filters without resetting every one by hand.
And yes, the prospect of having to wait weeks before getting a mount was a turn off too. That and having quick travel restricted by your level.
I think the best bit about LOTRO are the classes. They are so much different from other games. Not just tank/healer/dps, but a mixture of overlapping abilities, modified by traits for specialisation.
Graphics = great, crafting = meh (click start, go get cuppa). I never got anywhere close to owning a house.
And yes, the prospect of having to wait weeks before getting a mount was a turn off too. That and having quick travel restricted by your level.
I think the best bit about LOTRO are the classes. They are so much different from other games. Not just tank/healer/dps, but a mixture of overlapping abilities, modified by traits for specialisation.
Graphics = great, crafting = meh (click start, go get cuppa). I never got anywhere close to owning a house.
Ive played a lot of MMO's and none of them have been for the length of time I have played eq2, no matter how unique or impressive a special game feature was the over all game always seemed to fall short.
Expecialy in crafting
EQ2 has got to have the best crafting system I have ever seen, maybe not the best HARVESTING system, but the crafting is great
The gear is worth using
Can craft everything that is needed
Stuff actually sells
Expecialy in crafting
EQ2 has got to have the best crafting system I have ever seen, maybe not the best HARVESTING system, but the crafting is great
The gear is worth using
Can craft everything that is needed
Stuff actually sells
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