trying to decide if I want to try the EQ progression server

[dwightyo39]

An old EQ/WoW friend told me about the EQ progression server that will go live soon. I used to play from around early velious until WoW vanilla.

Some of my old EQ friends are going to give it a whirl. I'm very tempted but I don't know if a person can have fun on EQ without playing hardcore. Granted I was new to mmos, had a dial up Internet connection, and clueless about the game, but it took me a long time to level. I worry that the game will unlock multiple expansions before I can even sniff max level.

Anyone feel similar?

[zephid]

You won't know if you like it until you have tried.

[Wonaryn]

Yes, the single method to know exactly is to try it by yourself. Don`t understand what is the problem..)

[dwightyo39]

True enough.

I have my rose tinted glasses on when looking back at EQ. It was so different than the other 2 mmos I've played (WoW and Tera).

A friend and I were talking about how you might spend a few hours leveling in a zone in wow. In EQ, I think I spent a month in The Overthere chain pulling mobs to an xp group. Or lake of I'll omen, etc. I don't think I'd like the leveling grind or that I ever did. It was my desire to play in high level raids that motivated me to stick to it.

I do fondly remember how the world felt big because you didn't queue or teleport everywhere (minus druid/wizard ports).

[Rorke]

I wouldn't do it. It's going to suck because the community in 2015 is going to be a lot smarter and overall better players than the community when the game launched. No matter how much you want to experience what you experienced in the past, it can never happen again.

[dwightyo39]

The smarter players thing might be a good thing. Less newbs wiping groups.

However, I just thought of a potential deal killer for me. I'd forgotten about meditating while having to stare at your spellbook. Ugh.

[WskyDK]

Tried to EQ2 prog server (Deathtoll-PvP).
It's not the same. It can never be the same.

Dunno about the PvE server, but on Deathtoll there's really only two guilds in all three factions worth raiding in.

[Cosmic Janitor]

I wouldn't do it. It's going to suck because the community in 2015 is going to be a lot smarter and overall better players than the community when the game launched. No matter how much you want to experience what you experienced in the past, it can never happen again.

While trying it is the only way to know for sure, this here is also something very important. It will never be like the first time - never.

[Samoflange]

Because part of the charm of EQ vanilla was that nobody knew what they were doing, being pioneers. Now people know the exact pathings, spawn times, rares, and possible loot drops. It's completely different.

Still, I'd say the no multi-client boxing (but separate boxes allowed) would be the best feature to the progression server thus far. Boxing really undermines the grouping mindset of EQ.

[dwightyo39]

Because part of the charm of EQ vanilla was that nobody knew what they were doing, being pioneers. Now people know the exact pathings, spawn times, rares, and possible loot drops. It's completely different.

I didn't think of it like that. Good point.

- - - Updated - - -

Although, I never played EQ classic or Kunark when they were current content.

A different friend talked me into trying EQ about a year ago. Managed to get my old account activated. After about an hour I logged out. Too much had changed. I think I'd be more likely to enjoy it if it was a version of eq I'm more familiar with.

[ro9ue]

Because part of the charm of EQ vanilla was that nobody knew what they were doing, being pioneers. Now people know the exact pathings, spawn times, rares, and possible loot drops. It's completely different.

Still, I'd say the no multi-client boxing (but separate boxes allowed) would be the best feature to the progression server thus far. Boxing really undermines the grouping mindset of EQ.

So much truth to this.

When I played EQ, a whole game session could just be me running to the Oasis. Or maybe just running to Freeport bank and chatting with people. Everyone was just so awestruck by the whole 3D world exploration at the time that we didn't really care about shitty game mechanics or some of the hardships of travel, dying, leveling, etc.

At this point though, I think that initial feeling of wonder expired and it just going to be a bad experience. However, I did go back to EQ after a while a few years ago and it was a great nostalgia trip exploring, but the gameplay itself compared to say GW2 or ESO is really bad.

I'm not so sure it's even possible to recapture the essence of EQ at this point anymore. Everyone just wants 30m gaming sessions and a clear progression path or they get frustrated.

[dwightyo39]

So much truth to this.

When I played EQ, a whole game session could just be me running to the Oasis. Or maybe just running to Freeport bank and chatting with people. Everyone was just so awestruck by the whole 3D world exploration at the time that we didn't really care about shitty game mechanics or some of the hardships of travel, dying, leveling, etc.

At this point though, I think that initial feeling of wonder expired and it just going to be a bad experience. However, I did go back to EQ after a while a few years ago and it was a great nostalgia trip exploring, but the gameplay itself compared to say GW2 or ESO is really bad.

I'm not so sure it's even possible to recapture the essence of EQ at this point anymore. Everyone just wants 30m gaming sessions and a clear progression path or they get frustrated.

There were still plenty of newbs for me to play with when I first tried it in 2001 too. I don't really care about raiding. I did enough of that in my EQ and Wow (classic - wotlk) days.

I guess I'd be looking for a nostalgic trip through old school EQ. One of the things I miss are dungeon crawls. Be it with a 5 man party or solo.

Some of the most fun times I had in EQ were with my old roommate. We had level 65 shadow knights with decent raid gear. The two of us would go through Kunark dungeons like howling stones, Chardok, and sebilis. We were powerful enough to do it but it was still a challenge. You actually had to pull carefully. Feign death was our friend.

Problem is, I'm one of those guys who actually likes WoW. I could cut out a lot of my wow time and just do my weekly arenas. I wouldn't really need to be one of those people who has to rush to max level in EQ.

[dwightyo39]

Well the timing of this server's release was bad for me. Due to RL and the fact that I still pvp on a couple of my WoW characters, I'm only level 8 or so and haven't played for over week. I enjoy the game, but the community seems even more elitist poopsocky than I remember.