Hello all,
I've been playing MMOs since the original UO... so I'm old school with some things, but am not closed minded when it comes to trying out new things. Played EQ2 for about 3 weeks. Totally loved it at first but was eventually let down by some persistent dilemmas that are really weighing down on my overall experience and continued enjoyment of the game. What I want to do is outline some problems I have with EQ2. What I then want people to do is tell me how WoW differs. Of course much of what I'm going to state here is my opinion, and I may be wrong on some things. If so, please feel free to correct me, but I ask that we keep it civil please. Also please, no fan boys. I am looking for objective viewpoints from semi-mature, and preferably old school gamers.
Ok. Here are my problems with EQ2.
1) Everything even remotely interesting, be it dungeons, or quests, are Heroic.
Wife and I are a duo. Always have been and for the most part enjoy most MMOs as a duo. EQ2 is very difficult to enjoy as a duo after lvl50 I find. Sure there is plenty of stuff to kill if you like grinding overland maps, but right now we're basically confined to overland maps since almost every cool dungeon, crypt, citadel, etc. is 3 rank Heroic (3 up arrows) meaning 3 or more people. What's worse is that, on our server, there are typically not even enough people who are LFG... meaning we couldn't form a group even if we wanted to. We've tried. Last night there was only 1 person LFG... and they were 20 levels below us.
2) EVERYONE is in a guild. This adds to the LFG problem since everyone just stays within their 'clique'. I don't like guilds. Never have. It doesn't suit my idiom to join a guild... and in EQ2 there are heavy incentives to join guilds, which is why %99 of players are in guilds. One of those heavy incentives is mounts. Almost every worthy mount requires you be in a guild. Ewww!!
3) HATE the level bracket!! This has been a problem with me since EQ1. Add the ranking bracket to the level bracket, and things become increasingly more strained. The sum of it all is now that I'm confined to overland maps, and confined to exactly what I can kill. Magic resists are so ridiculous in EQ2 that if I, as tradition would hold, decide to go up against tough MOBs that are a few levels above me, and 1, 2, or 3 ranks higher, they will resist everything I do. Normally it's merely the HP and DPS that makes these sort of encounters difficult. I'm used to dealing with that using some pull and run method ( aka kiting). In EQ2, it's HP, DPS + resists ... so again , essentially there's no going outside the bounds. You're ability to express yourself as a PC is enormously limited x 2.
4) TOO much content early on. Too many spells. Too many skills. Too much gear. Too many quests. Too many reagents for crafting. I know this is hardly a complaint for many people... but I don't like excessive content in RPGs or MMOs, especially when everything is handed to you from the get-go. I like balance, and working towards goals. EQ2 has no balance to me. It's as if the designers said, "let's take all these elements that are high fantasy, put em in a bucket, and shake it around. So now, EQ2 feels more like an environment to me then a well developed game. There's no continuity, no cohesiveness. It's a vast, but all together meaningless collection of zones and content. Zones give it the feel of an old school platform fighter (levels), not an RPG. It's too systematic. Basically the same problem I had with Oblivion and Morrowind, with the same leveling problem to boot. There are many factors to blame for this, like the complete lack of AI also. Battle wise, MOBs are like sitting ducks. They don't even have morale failure.
WoW (playing the free trial) already seems more quaint to me. It is a bit more simple, but the world feels more convincing. It's seamless. The environments are richer. There also seems to be the good old XP curve that many of us have accepted and appreciated for the last 2 decades. You get just the right amount of stuff per level. You're not thrown a handful of spells and abilities, plus perma buffs every level (EQ2). There's a relative feeling of achievement in WoW that leans more to the old school. Never thought I'd say that since WoW is typically considered the twitch gamers MMO. I find this to be untrue ( although there are some really annoying people, but simply more people overall). EQ2 so far has been way easier, and way more idiot proof. I've died 6 times in WoW already (only lvl 16)... and there's a decent penalty to pay for dying. EQ2 dying is meaningless. I tend to kill myself for fun every now and then... like jumping off Kelethin in illussion form. Something about a flying badger makes me laugh pretty hard.
Moving on...
5) EQ2 is idiot proof. MOBs that act as a unit are linked (and highlighted as such) so you know you will pull them all. Add this to the already mentioned lvl/ranking system and basically what you can, and can't kill has been pre-determined for you. It seems like there is too much desire by the devs to control every aspect of what you do. Normal melee is useless as well. You NEED to utilize your skills. Simply swinging your sword doesn't do much damage. This is kind of cool and seems like an advanced feature at first, but eventually it gets tiresome and is one of the many aspects that detract from any form of 'chill factor' in EQ2. Something I wont get into just yet.
6) I HATE fairies and they're now everywhere in EQ2. They've even given the city of Kelethin to the fairies!! Big no no. Seriously what uber emo dev decided this?
Anyway... I'll stop for now since this is becoming a book. Again these are my opinions and I understand not everyone will agree with them. I don't mean to hate on something you may find enjoyable, and I'm truly happy for you if you do. Anyway, how does WoW differ in the long run? Am I going to be just as grumpy as I get deeper into the game?
Things I find really nice about WoW at the low level.
1) Balanced XP gain, leveling, and awards (items, spells, etc.).
2) Less idiot proof and a bit more of the old school ruthlessness when it comes to the availability of information. That is, things are more mysterious as far as MOB encounters, and exploring.
3) Fishing is fun!!! Total chill factor there.
4) Harvesting is fun!!! Not a retarded amount of reagents per harvesting level... and there's herb collecting bags !!!!!
5) Alchemy is old school, and USEFUL!!!! Straight up mana potions, health potions, and buff potions. Think UO!!
6) Seamless environments / no load times. There's something about wandering the forest then coming upon a cave and just wandering in.
7) Can make your own food, make camp fires, and even make bandages while out in the wilderness!! You're totally self sufficient. Again, reminds me of UO. Love it.
So how many of those skills become useless as you get high level?
I've been playing MMOs since the original UO... so I'm old school with some things, but am not closed minded when it comes to trying out new things. Played EQ2 for about 3 weeks. Totally loved it at first but was eventually let down by some persistent dilemmas that are really weighing down on my overall experience and continued enjoyment of the game. What I want to do is outline some problems I have with EQ2. What I then want people to do is tell me how WoW differs. Of course much of what I'm going to state here is my opinion, and I may be wrong on some things. If so, please feel free to correct me, but I ask that we keep it civil please. Also please, no fan boys. I am looking for objective viewpoints from semi-mature, and preferably old school gamers.
Ok. Here are my problems with EQ2.
1) Everything even remotely interesting, be it dungeons, or quests, are Heroic.
Wife and I are a duo. Always have been and for the most part enjoy most MMOs as a duo. EQ2 is very difficult to enjoy as a duo after lvl50 I find. Sure there is plenty of stuff to kill if you like grinding overland maps, but right now we're basically confined to overland maps since almost every cool dungeon, crypt, citadel, etc. is 3 rank Heroic (3 up arrows) meaning 3 or more people. What's worse is that, on our server, there are typically not even enough people who are LFG... meaning we couldn't form a group even if we wanted to. We've tried. Last night there was only 1 person LFG... and they were 20 levels below us.
2) EVERYONE is in a guild. This adds to the LFG problem since everyone just stays within their 'clique'. I don't like guilds. Never have. It doesn't suit my idiom to join a guild... and in EQ2 there are heavy incentives to join guilds, which is why %99 of players are in guilds. One of those heavy incentives is mounts. Almost every worthy mount requires you be in a guild. Ewww!!
3) HATE the level bracket!! This has been a problem with me since EQ1. Add the ranking bracket to the level bracket, and things become increasingly more strained. The sum of it all is now that I'm confined to overland maps, and confined to exactly what I can kill. Magic resists are so ridiculous in EQ2 that if I, as tradition would hold, decide to go up against tough MOBs that are a few levels above me, and 1, 2, or 3 ranks higher, they will resist everything I do. Normally it's merely the HP and DPS that makes these sort of encounters difficult. I'm used to dealing with that using some pull and run method ( aka kiting). In EQ2, it's HP, DPS + resists ... so again , essentially there's no going outside the bounds. You're ability to express yourself as a PC is enormously limited x 2.
4) TOO much content early on. Too many spells. Too many skills. Too much gear. Too many quests. Too many reagents for crafting. I know this is hardly a complaint for many people... but I don't like excessive content in RPGs or MMOs, especially when everything is handed to you from the get-go. I like balance, and working towards goals. EQ2 has no balance to me. It's as if the designers said, "let's take all these elements that are high fantasy, put em in a bucket, and shake it around. So now, EQ2 feels more like an environment to me then a well developed game. There's no continuity, no cohesiveness. It's a vast, but all together meaningless collection of zones and content. Zones give it the feel of an old school platform fighter (levels), not an RPG. It's too systematic. Basically the same problem I had with Oblivion and Morrowind, with the same leveling problem to boot. There are many factors to blame for this, like the complete lack of AI also. Battle wise, MOBs are like sitting ducks. They don't even have morale failure.
WoW (playing the free trial) already seems more quaint to me. It is a bit more simple, but the world feels more convincing. It's seamless. The environments are richer. There also seems to be the good old XP curve that many of us have accepted and appreciated for the last 2 decades. You get just the right amount of stuff per level. You're not thrown a handful of spells and abilities, plus perma buffs every level (EQ2). There's a relative feeling of achievement in WoW that leans more to the old school. Never thought I'd say that since WoW is typically considered the twitch gamers MMO. I find this to be untrue ( although there are some really annoying people, but simply more people overall). EQ2 so far has been way easier, and way more idiot proof. I've died 6 times in WoW already (only lvl 16)... and there's a decent penalty to pay for dying. EQ2 dying is meaningless. I tend to kill myself for fun every now and then... like jumping off Kelethin in illussion form. Something about a flying badger makes me laugh pretty hard.
Moving on...
5) EQ2 is idiot proof. MOBs that act as a unit are linked (and highlighted as such) so you know you will pull them all. Add this to the already mentioned lvl/ranking system and basically what you can, and can't kill has been pre-determined for you. It seems like there is too much desire by the devs to control every aspect of what you do. Normal melee is useless as well. You NEED to utilize your skills. Simply swinging your sword doesn't do much damage. This is kind of cool and seems like an advanced feature at first, but eventually it gets tiresome and is one of the many aspects that detract from any form of 'chill factor' in EQ2. Something I wont get into just yet.
6) I HATE fairies and they're now everywhere in EQ2. They've even given the city of Kelethin to the fairies!! Big no no. Seriously what uber emo dev decided this?
Anyway... I'll stop for now since this is becoming a book. Again these are my opinions and I understand not everyone will agree with them. I don't mean to hate on something you may find enjoyable, and I'm truly happy for you if you do. Anyway, how does WoW differ in the long run? Am I going to be just as grumpy as I get deeper into the game?
Things I find really nice about WoW at the low level.
1) Balanced XP gain, leveling, and awards (items, spells, etc.).
2) Less idiot proof and a bit more of the old school ruthlessness when it comes to the availability of information. That is, things are more mysterious as far as MOB encounters, and exploring.
3) Fishing is fun!!! Total chill factor there.
4) Harvesting is fun!!! Not a retarded amount of reagents per harvesting level... and there's herb collecting bags !!!!!
5) Alchemy is old school, and USEFUL!!!! Straight up mana potions, health potions, and buff potions. Think UO!!
6) Seamless environments / no load times. There's something about wandering the forest then coming upon a cave and just wandering in.
7) Can make your own food, make camp fires, and even make bandages while out in the wilderness!! You're totally self sufficient. Again, reminds me of UO. Love it.
So how many of those skills become useless as you get high level?
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