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Rathisponge

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Question from a previous Everquester....

Hello, I was searching through google and stumbled upon these forums. I was wanting an answer to a question before I decided to jump into EQ2 and you all seemed quite capable of answering it. I used play to Everquest (the original) for many years and I was in a decently higher end raiding guild. I started playing around the time of Planes of Power, so I wouldn't consider myself an "old school" eq player. But I digress, my question is this : how much of a "time sink" is EQ2 in comparison to EQ1? I know on EQ1 for me to get much of anything done I had to be on for at least a few hours each day. This was grinding for experience and AAs, trying to start groups etc. I didnt really do much with crafting skills. But I was wondering if EQ2 is as big a timesink as EQ1 just because I dont have as much time as I used to a few years ago. I would like to know if EQ2 is a game where you can get on for maybe an hour or two, maybe a maximum of between 6 or 8 hours a week and actually get something productive done. I remember in EQ1 an hour was about the time needed for me to get a group going and I had to stay in a spot for hours to actually get a decent amount of experience to make it worthwhile. Sorry for the long winded post, let me know if you need anything cleared up. THANKS!

01/26/08 10:35

Tyrlien

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

Hiya! Unfortunately I can't compare EQ2 to EQ1 as I didn't play game. But I think it boils down to what you want to accomplish in the game? Any MMORPG is a time sink in one way or another. :-)

Unless pre-arranged, most raids will take a little time to organize. A lot of guilds have websites where they do pre-arrange events so that may cut down the waiting time you describe above.

If you just want to get on and play and complete a few quests in an hour or two, that's more than do-able. A lot of the content in EQ2 is soloable. If you don't want to solo, get yourself into a good active guild and you shouldn't have any problems.

Crafting has been simplified and crafters are no longer interdependent on each other for supplies, which is a good thing in my opinion. For example, if I have the supplies harvested, I can craft with my carpenter for 20 minutes and make a full set of strong boxes for an alt.

I don't know if I've answered your question in the manner you wanted but hope it helps in some way. :-)

Tyrlien Darkwynd
Skara Brae Guild - Co-Leader
Everquest 2 - Half Elf Swashbuckler
Vanguard - Half Elf Rogue

01/26/08 16:29

Rathisponge

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

Ah thanks that does answer a little. When you say most of the content is soloable, does that mean you can level up to the max level on just soloing? What are the benefits to grouping up? A re the primary benefits to raiding pretty much better gear? I remember in EQ1 groups were set up by the necessary 3 classes : cleric as your healer, some type of tank (plate class) and a slower (shaman/enchanter). Is this the same case with EQ2? Also are the quests that you do soloable, only groupable or a mix? Sorry for all the questions I just want a good idea of the game. Thanks for the responses!

01/26/08 20:31

MikesterBrau

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

Hi Rathisponge and welcome to the EQ2 corner of GameAmp. From what former EQ1 players have told me and from what I have seen EQ2 is much less of a time sink. I have an alt on Blackburrow that only solo's and does just fine. With only a fair amount of patience and skill you can solo all the way to the level cap just not as quickly. Having said that you will miss out on a lot of the real fun of the game doing that and not all of the best guy will drop in your lap solo'ing. I have known and seen players who do not craft and are really dead set on levels get to level 20 in the course of a weekend play with no trouble and even in the 40's I have seen a player get 2 levels in one 4 hour session solo. The game is very scalable to your playstyle and when you do group special moves called Heroic Opportunities become available that can help you max your in game effectiveness.

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01/27/08 16:31

lani

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

I concur with Mike.

EQ2 is much more 'casual' than EQ was. Too some that's detrimental and to some it's a plus. :-)

The game is indeed solo friendly but (my opinion) also one of the best group-play games. that owes as much to the community that plays it as the game itself*. To be honest, some say it's too easy. I always say that if you can solo the white and yellow mobs, go bust your head on orange and red if you're looking for a challenge. It's all up to you. You can solo-grind to 80 on blues and greens though.

Basic 3 man setup for teams is Tank/Healer/DPS (Damage per second). Tank is often more damage soak than damage dealer, though this varies based on build. If you got a DPS tank, third spot for a controller (mesmerize, slow e.t.c.) is a good choice. You adjust style to size and configuration of the group.

I'm not sure from your post if you're looking for EverQuest with better graphics, or something familiar yet different. If you're looking for the former, you might want to look into Vanguard as well. Despite all the drama and (sorry) Bull Shit surrounding the game it's probably the closest thing to EQ-like "hardcore" fantasy MMOG in circulation now.
If on the other hand you're looking for something that's a little bit familiar and a little bit fresh at the same time and does not require 6+ hours per day of your free time... EQ2 is probably a good choice.

On a side note, I recently resubbed after playing Vanguard for 8 months and got to level 20 in a weekend, with level 14 in crafting. This was in no small part due to me not having to learn the game anew and also from starting in one of the newer starting locations where things take you along for the ride a lot more than the classic starting Cities.

There's enough content to keep you occupied for years. I don't Raid so I can't really tell about that. I do hear raids tend to be of the 4-8 hour variety rather than 48, which I think is ridiculous (the 48 hour ones).

*: i.e. you're more likely to see "sorry, afk a minute. Junior just wet his pants" in group chat than "Awww shucks! Mom just completely blindsided me with a call for dinner even though it's six o'clock and we always eat at six." if you know what I mean.

Edit: LOL, I didn't read your post well did I? I think EQ2 will suit you just fine. :-)

***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***

MMORPG (Roleplaying): Mostly Men Online Role-Playing Girls
MMORPG (Acheivement): Miserable Malcontents Online Rehashing Past Glories
MMORPG (PvP): Macho Men Obviously Really Prefer Griefing
MMORPG (itemization): Misers May Obfuscate Recently Purchased Gold
MMORPG (Social): Virtual Worlds with Virtual Wealth and achievements, but with Real People with Real Feelings.

01/27/08 17:06

Tyrlien

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

Heheh glad to have helped a little then. :-) Yes you can solo to max, it just takes a little longer and you're obviously not going to be able to solo those oranges and reds by yourself.

Benefits to grouping... being able to take on mobs that are a higher level. A group of 6 or even 3 can take on harder mobs than a solo or duo... and that makes perfect sense to me. Then there are the intangible benefits to grouping of just having fun with a bigger group of people.

Raiding gives better gear drops of course :-)

Typical groups.. everyone looks for a healer/tank/DPS... but you can duo, triple and so on with pretty much any combination. A regular group doesn't need a heavy tank, unless you're going after the heroic ^^^ orange and red mobs. Soft tanks - monks, bruisers, or even swashy's can "tank" lighter foes.

On a personal note, the quests I do are a mix of solo, duo, guild group, and multi-guild raid groups. There are many facets to the game, you just have to pick which fights you want to fight when. ;-)

Tyrlien Darkwynd
Skara Brae Guild - Co-Leader
Everquest 2 - Half Elf Swashbuckler
Vanguard - Half Elf Rogue

01/27/08 18:15

Rathisponge

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

Amazing, thank you for the honest and helpful responses I really appreciate it.

"If on the other hand you're looking for something that's a little bit familiar and a little bit fresh at the same time and does not require 6+ hours per day of your free time... EQ2 is probably a good choice."

That definitely describes what I am looking for. I think I am going to give it a shot and I have one final question. There are two digital downloads available from Sony, a 19.99 one and a 39.99 one. The 20$ one includes all the expansions up to Rise of Kunark and the 40$ one includes all the expansions and Rise of Kunark. Is Rise of Kunark necessary for someone who will be starting out as a low level or is it something where the benefits really shine at higher levels? The reason I ask is that in some games Ive played like WoW the expansion released only affected those who where a certain higher end level.

Thanks!

01/27/08 23:18

lani

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

QUOTE

Is Rise of Kunark necessary for someone who will be starting out as a low level or is it something where the benefits really shine at higher levels? The reason I ask is that in some games Ive played like WoW the expansion released only affected those who where a certain higher end level.

Thanks!

You're welcome :-)

Well, Rise of Kunark is more of an all-level expansion than WOW's Burning Crusade was, from what I gather. The last two EQ-2 expansions had new starter content and cities all the way to 10 new levels of stuff at the top. So on the one hand, no you do not need RoK for now. On the other hand, with a large percentage of players playing the new content now (RoK isn't out that long yet) making the other area's underpopulated by comparison. You see how expansion with starter/beginner content can be a two-edged thing?

I resubbed after the latest expansion came out but haven't yet bought it as I feel I have enough to do with my current package for a while yet.

01/28/08 05:38

Tyrlien

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

QUOTE

The 20$ one includes all the expansions up to Rise of Kunark and the 40$ one includes all the expansions and Rise of Kunark. Thanks!

I might be wrong, but the $20 digital download has only ever included the original game. The expansions up until recently were available only through the retail boxes, but they did make Echoes of Faydwer available through digital download at direct2drive.

RoK includes the original game, the previous 3 expansions, RoK, and the 3 adventure packs that used to be available through the Station Pass.

While the original game has tons of content, the expansions add extras other than new starting and high-end zones. They also include the Achievement Points system, and starting with Desert of Flames, the first expansion, the level cap was increased to 60. And as Mikey pointed out above, depending on your playstyle, it is possible to level up to 40 in a very short period of time. In my opinion, RoK is the best bang for your buck. Otherwise, if you decide to buy it later, it will be $40 anyway.

Tyrlien Darkwynd
Skara Brae Guild - Co-Leader
Everquest 2 - Half Elf Swashbuckler
Vanguard - Half Elf Rogue

01/28/08 07:53

lani

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

QUOTE

The 20$ one includes all the expansions up to Rise of Kunark and the 40$ one includes all the expansions and Rise of Kunark. Thanks!

My experiences are different. I bought the first two expansion packs and Echoes of Faydwer through Sony Station Store in summer 2006. I spent a about 90 dollars in two months on the original game plus 3 expansions :-) Never regretted it. The Adventure packs were also available and I never had Station Access throughout that time. SOE probably made those available to Station Access holders first, then decided to open them up wider later. They\'re available to all who want them for about $7,- per pack.

There\'s something odd with my account though, when I follow the RoK advertisement link, I can\'t buy RoK the expansion, and it shows me as not having the Faydwer expansion. Filed a petition about that. Faydwer does work in-game. Maybe I ordered that one through Direct2Drive.

There\'s currently a $20 Starterpack of which I\'m not sure what\'s inside. I\'ve seen All-in-one Up-to-Faydwer packs for as little as $30,- in stores and on D2D, so it might be the whole shebang, or not. It\'s a bit obfuscated if you ask me. But hey, I get confused crossing my room.

01/28/08 13:49

MikesterBrau

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

I started EQ2 by accident in March of 2005 by checking out the trial of the isle link on Guild Portal. I had no plans to play EQ2 and stumbled on to it and with the video tutorials I was hooked right away. Since then I have helped a few people purchase the heavily discounted retail box for between $9.99 and $14.99 via mail order, legitmate ebay sellers, or close out racks at local outlets. So far everyone that started with the original game has ended up liking the game and buying ROK. Having said that though I can say that after almost 3 years of play I still find new stuff to enjoy from the original retail game. Most recently Soulesk Ro off of the Lavastorm zone has been the original release game zone that is providing new sites to see and things to do. Granted my patience for such things is way out of wack from the norm, still fact is the game continues to provide unmatched value for my dollars.
I agree with Lani though that if you want an EQ1 like experience Vanguard is much closer to that than EQ2 and since the original release they have made EQ2 noticabely easier in some areas while some are very challenging if you do not take the time to clear out any potential adds and instead charge right in. EQ2 is not perfect but the more I play other games the more I appreciate what EQ2 offers and why I forsee it as having very long lengs and a viable life of many years to come. Now here is a big shocker, I really really thought that with the release of ROK that some zones, spawns, and contested mobs would be left behind with the new expansion release but it seems balance is in play here and the hot drops and zones from the previous expansions are still having a good deal of traffic and contention.

Founder of Skara Brae (Meta) Guild
http://everquest2.gameamp.com
Skara Brae Main Page: http://www.bardstavern.net

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01/28/08 15:14

Rathisponge

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

Amazing, thanks for all the responses! I appreciate it! I will most likely get the Rise of Kunark expansion. One final question and I promise this will be the last one (hehe), as far as choosing a class. I understand that picking one that you enjoy is definitely a big part of the decision, but as there are different classes there must be some which have an easier time soloing and an easier time getting groups. I remember in the original everquest if you were a cleric, you could get a group fairly quickly and easily. If you were a necro you could solo fairly easily in comparison to other classes. Is this still the case? Are there some classes which are sought after more for groups or those which are easier at soloing? If so, which ones would you suggest? That is, which classes would you say are better for soloing and which ones have an easier time picking up a group (or are the cornerstone of the group)? Thanks again!

01/28/08 17:27

Tyrlien

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

Just to clarify, the Adventure Packs are no longer available for purchase at the Sony Store but are included with the RoK expansion.

Tyrlien Darkwynd
Skara Brae Guild - Co-Leader
Everquest 2 - Half Elf Swashbuckler
Vanguard - Half Elf Rogue

01/28/08 18:26

lani

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

QUOTE

Just to clarify, the Adventure Packs are no longer available for purchase at the Sony Store but are included with the RoK expansion.

Thanks for clearing that up Tyr.

01/28/08 18:38

Tyrlien

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RE: Question from a previous Everquester....

Just to keep everyone happy... the point I was trying to make is that IF you purchase RoK, the Adventure Packs are Included.

Gnobrin's recent post about Station Access? also indicates the Adventure Packs are FREE after you've been subscribed to it for 2 months.

QUOTE

Bonus Adventure Packs - Expand your adventures in EverQuest II with three Adventure Packs: The Bloodline Chronicles; The Splitpaw Saga; and The Fallen Dynasty, all included at no additional cost with a Station Access™ subion once you have been subscribed to Station Access™ for at least two months.

And anyone who doesn't have RoK/Station Access who wishes to pay extra to SOE for the Adventure Packs can certainly pick them up through their account add-ons as indicated.

***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***

Tyrlien Darkwynd
Skara Brae Guild - Co-Leader
Everquest 2 - Half Elf Swashbuckler
Vanguard - Half Elf Rogue

01/28/08 19:38

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