All of the talk here and looking forward to Pantheon has me considering spending some months, while I am waiting, trying EQ. Mostly to get even more in the mood. Yes, trying I'm in what may be a minority here and never played EQ other than about an hour to see what all the talk was about back when it was free under one of SoE's multigame packages. I've been in FFXIV the last 3 months and don't regret it - but I don't really want to gear up a combat class at maximum level - I don't like their dungeon experience for a variety of reasons. Since I won't do the combat endgame I should build up a crafter but the thought of getting 8 crafting classes to high level (they have a system that means you need all 8 to do very well at any one) and three gathering classes which are very slow to level doesn't excite me. Not knowing I plan to leave the game for this one.
Spouse is planning an in-game marraige so Gods help me if I delete the character I have, but I can easily keep marital harmony (we have been married in real life almost 50 years) by playing an hour a day and mostly playing EQ. I'm not asking for advice about EQ I know enough to make the decision. The one thing I hate is giving any money to Daybreak but that isn't really a big issue I can live with the guilt.
Any advice on where to go with the following considerations:
1. I am new. I have no nostalgia for vanilla EQ. I have no reason to dislike or like any of the many expansions. I suspect a normal server will work just fine not a progression server or classic server. While I truly dislike Daybreak, for 3-6 months I can live with them I don't need a server run by someone else. Forgive my ignorence I haven't done any research the urge just struck while I was looking at these forums. I think EQ has the types of server I mentioned but I may be way off.
2. EQ2 had serious hacking problems more than once and was down for long periods of time - totally down or on and off and unplayable. DDOS attacks though I'm not sure if that was ever officially acknowledged. One reason I left the game for something less visible to the bad guys. If EQ currently has similar problems warn me and I will drop the idea.
3. I will be playing around with character classes and races, leveling and crafting. Smelling the roses. EQ isn't a competitor for Pantheon just something to enjoy while waiting and to give me more of a shared background with future friends/guildmates. So I don't need a server with an active endgame I won't be there that long. But if I can't solo effectively and there is no one under level 300 to play with (OK maybe an exaggeration) that isn't great either.
4. If some of you are active in EQ I'll be happy to consider coming to your server and introduce myself and join a guild. To talk if not to group you all are far higher level and experienced with the game. That is one reason for this thread - I've seen the other threads about some things still happening on EQ. But don't encourage that unless you wan't a rookie who may be a lower level my whole time there - I am an altoholic and will create many characters if the rules permit. Rookie to EQ that is I go back about as far as anyone with CRPGs, MUDs and MMOs.
Thanks. If its another silly idea feel free to point that out and be as blunt as you like I do not have a thin skin. ((shudders visibly at the thought of going back to FFXIV and mining nodes all night and this is coming from someone that loves harvesting and found it a highlight of Vanguard))
I wouldn't bother crafting in EQ, unless you want to be turned off :) Being one of the early games, crafting isn't as good as it is in more recent MMO's. Alot of it is kill 50 spiderlings to get 6 spiderlinkg silks to combine in a sewing kit. It is very time consuming and although the interface is a lot better then at launch. (There really wasn't one at launch, just open a box and put items in 1 at a time and press combine to see if they worked). You would probably be better off checking out the classes. More the casting ones than the melee mainly to get a idea of how Enchanters, Druids, Shaman, Neco's (Although I think they are in Pantheon at launch), Mage , Wizard work. Most people are familiar with a Cleric, or a Rougue, warrior etc, they are simular across most MMO's. It is more the extra aupport classes that other MMO's don't deal with much.
I've recently jumped back into the free version of EQ. Having a blast relearning how to play, but its def. not what I remember it being back in 1999. They have made it a bit easier to get started for new people jumping which is kinda sad to me, but still fun. I look forward to Pantheon presenting that old MMO challenge even more now ;)
Sounds like good advice about crafting though I do craft a lot in MMOs.
By free version of EQ do you mean a different server or, as I am guessing, a normal Daybreak server but without being a subscriber/all access member/ whatever they call it now? As I recall you can play without subscribing but subscribing gets you access to progression servers and various features in-game that make it more pleasant to play but aren't mandatory to have.
I would probably subscribe for three months to have those perks as well as whatever Daybreak currency I still have from EQ2. $35 or so isn't bad for something new to do for three months (well maybe new is the wrong word to use for EQ but the meaning was clear) - I've paid more than that for a meal.
You can play EQ for free, with no subscription. I believe it is all the expansions EXCEPT for the last 2. On top of this you also can not play on any of the progression servers. These require a subscription Also you have some limitations in game, such as limited character slots iirc, I believe you only have access to certain AAs, and stuff along the lines of this. You can pay a little extra money and unlock more character slots and have to pay a little extra money to unlock other AAs and that's how they make their money off of free subs.
I'm on one of the progression servers and am enjoying myself a bunch. I don't mind paying the sub because the server I'm on is highly populated and for most part everyone is a real person and not a group of boxxed players. I believe there is at least 1 server you can play on for free that is highly populated but a lot of the free servers are dead. So that will be one of your main obstacles when choosing if you want to play FTP and which server you want on.
I definitely will jump ship as soon as PRF launches because even though I'm having fun, the game is dated and I would LOVE something more up to date.
Thanks. I think I will get a 3 month subscription, try a standard server, and see. The worst that can happen is I will play around with the classes and races and starting zones for a month, hit levels that require grouping, find that there are no other people playing at lower levels, and start over on a progrsssion server for the larger population. Since I enjoy leveling up at low levels doing it twice is no hardhip - since I won't be staying long (Gods grant that Pantheon at least gets to alpha fairly soon) I won't care if I can ever get to maximum level even once. I may even try hardcore mode (character dies I delete it) that will give me three months of entertainment and I may never hit level 30.
It is, unfortunately, a very disappointing experience these days. The economy is so jacked up, most of the cool stuff that used to dominate the game is not even viable now. The stats and armor system is totally blown up. You can take a 4-box group of level appropriate characters and destroy the Plane of Hate and Fear, kill Vox and Nagy, etc. Content is super trivial. I solo'd multiple epic quests with thoseeach box chars. Hopefully someday someone comes along and rebuilds Norrath the proper way.
Project 1999 is the ONLY way to play EQ1 in my opinion. It's thriving as well. There are 1,000 people on at once nightly, more on the weekends. A lot of people here on the Pantheon Forums play on the Blue server.
You definitely want to play EQ classic for Pantheon, because a lot of the same game mechanics will apply. I'm a new EQ player, as I never played back in the day. I've been on the P99 server for about 6 weeks and I've never found such a great community of players as well. The live EQ has been completely ruined by shareholders and in-game pay to win mechanics just like every other current day MMO. If you want the real EQ experience... P99 is the only way to go.
Thanks. I decided that a standard server not progression was definitely the way to go. Either roleplaying encouraged despite some obvious disadvantages (but I've been roleplaying a *long* time) or one of the standard servers recommended on the EQ forums.
I'll keep P99 in mind to try but since free play started trashing MMO communities its been an article of faith to me that subscription (even with Daybreak) is good and free play is bad. I may not know just how bad or why before I play but free play has always wound up bad. P99 may well be the exception proving the rule but I already bought 3 months of all access because subscription is how I always try to play. Plus I had leftover Daybreak currency from EQ2 - I'll spend every bit of it before Pantheon comes out.
It seems you have already made your decision, but I'll comment anyway. I'd definitely recommend playing P1999 or one of the newer progression servers, if you want to get a feel for some of the things EverQuest players are pining for in Pantheon. It's been a few years since I tried a live server, but it's pretty much a separate game. P1999 would be the most authentic experience, but it's sometimes a bit annoying to install and get set up. Since you already subscribed to Daybreak, I'd give one of the newer progression servers a shot. It's still a bit different than the original game...you'll never get to visit North Freeport or see/hear the original orcs and goblins (epic), but you'll still get a feel for the classes and a lot of the mechanics. They've also added a bunch of conveniences like mail, bank slots to share across your account, soulbinders, and a hearthstone clone called Origin. They've taken out CR unless you need a res, but you still get to lose exp and levels for dying, so that's a plus. You also level much, much faster, and the hell levels that made the original game so fun are all gone. Still, it's a good opportunity to explore the classes and get a feel for their gameplay. The fact that you level so much faster is something that gives you a chance to really get into several characters in those three months.