Everquest Dragons of Norrath Review

[HaemishM]

In case of EQ addiction, break glass.

[Murgos]

All I got out of that was she has been playing EQ for 7 years.  After that I kind of zoned out, I mean I kind of knew there had to be people still playing from the earliest of days but I never conciously wanted to admit to myself that someone like that really existed.

Oh and, holy shit! The Level cap is 70?  I can't even imagine the zombie like button mashing required to make that milestone.  The experience required for each new level might not actually be exponential but it seemed pretty damn close when I was playing.  I quit playing CoH shortly after I crunched some numbers and determined that I would need to kill something like 1500 white cons to level again.  The campers in EQ have got to be working into the 100's of thousands of mobs killed per level by now.

[stray]

Oh and, holy shit! The Level cap is 70?  I can't even imagine the zombie like button mashing required to make that milestone.

Actually, "button mashing" for 70 levels would be an improvement. Fun even.

What we've been dealing with so far is even more lame.

[SuperPopTart]

This is true. EQ has pretty much been a cauldron of repetitive behaviour left and right for a few years at least. But ya know, I don't hate so much the last few expansions. Just that they've been making us level to 100000.

I've heard rumours the level cap will be 80 soon. But I am doubting it.

[Samwise]

The only comment that comes to mind involves offal and the polishing thereof.

[Paelos]

So how much time in hours are we talking to catass your way to the level cap of 70?

I think in DAOC I capped 50 at 30 days /played.

[shiznitz]

The increased level caps after 60 (65 and now 70) were accompanied by much higher exp zones. I found the grind from 60 to 63 (when I quit) much easier than the 55-58 by a long shot. I was 58 when PoP came out and the exp just flew by in the PoP zones. My play time just happened to be getting crowded out by life or I would have made 65 without much effort.

[jpark]

I feel in retrospect - as illustrated by the conclusion of this review - that SOE has realized 5 years too late that more expansions should not have concerned themselves with advancing that horrible patchwork of zones, but instead advancing the gameplay itself.  This last patch, like a few that proceeded it, seems to take some tiny steps in that direction.

Sounds like they are introducing the email and auction system seen in WoW.  Sooner or later it has to occur to SOE that EQ, not EQ2, remains their beach head against WoW and that is probably where they should focus their expansion efforts.

[SuperPopTart]

At /played I currently have 78 days played. Since 2003. And I am 68th.

[Paelos]

At /played I currently have 78 days played. Since 2003. And I am 68th.

Yeah, if that's any indication, it'll take 2,000 hours to reach cap. That's literally the same as working on a full time job, 8 hours a day, five days a week, with two weeks vacation. For one year.

[SuperPopTart]

I probably play these days about a half hour a night, maybe, if that and if I am not working. Since it takes about 3 kills in WoS to even get 1% of full, actual experience I'll reach 70 sometime in December of 2007.

[Soukyan]

I probably play these days about a half hour a night, maybe, if that and if I am not working. Since it takes about 3 kills in WoS to even get 1% of full, actual experience I'll reach 70 sometime in December of 2007.

By then, the level cap will be 90 and you'll be far behind the curve. Save yourself the trouble and quit now. ;)

[SuperPopTart]

I actually sat on the couch last night saying "I should just quit. Seriously. Why do I continue."

Then oh yeah..

Guild Wars isn't out yet for me to play.


Plus, when I am REALLY tired and can't sleep I log into Everquest and immediately get tired. So it's kind of like warm milk and cookies without the calories.

[Ralphie]

First-time poster here.

Anyone know what the rentention numbers would look like if they were measured by character level? I think the numbers are probably strong where the advancement curve is shallow, then does like an inverted bell curve as it gets steeper. If the max level is 70, I'd wager that the 60's are one of the stronger rentention groups, but that it drops off once people hit 70.

If that didn't make sense, maybe they push the level curve to keep people playing. I think the numbers would probably show that to be a solid retention strategy.

This is pure speculation, but it seemed to hold true back when I was playing.

--Ralphie

[HaemishM]

We might be able to analyze those numbers if anyone gave accurate fucking subscriber numbers these days.

[Ralphie]

I don't think they'd release numbers in that format. OTOH, I'd bet my 401k that they are looking at those numbers internally.

--Ralphie

[SirBruce]

We might be able to analyze those numbers if anyone gave accurate fucking subscriber numbers these days.

...

Bruce

[SuperPopTart]

I don't think they'd release numbers in that format. OTOH, I'd bet my 401k that they are looking at those numbers internally.

--Ralphie

SoE doesn't release negativity. At least that is what they would like you to believe.

Oh, and your avatar totally rocks. That movie is my all-time favourite Christmas Movie. <3 Ralphie!

[Signe]

My favourite Christmas movie, too!

[Sky]

How do you even track retention in EQ?

Both of my accounts are still active and being played, though I haven't owned them for years. So technically, I've been 'retained' since launch, and I also count as someone who bought in with the Kunark expansion and has played since.

[Murgos]

Both of my accounts are still active and being played, though I haven't owned them for years.

Heh, in that light I've made more off my EQ accounts than Sony has...

[Big Gulp]

Sooner or later it has to occur to SOE that EQ, not EQ2, remains their beach head against WoW and that is probably where they should focus their expansion efforts.

That boat has already sailed.  People who've abandoned EQ for WoW or EQ2 simply aren't going to be coming back.  They'll continue to squeeze some money out of EQ, but really their time in the MMOG sun is over.  Unlike UO, EQ isn't unique.  It doesn't scratch any particular itch that can't be scratched elsewhere, and better.

[Strazos]

Oh, and your avatar totally rocks. That movie is my all-time favourite Christmas Movie. <3 Ralphie!

I too concur that your avatar is, in fact, the Shiznitus.


...I need an avatar, but everything I think of is so...trite. 

[Samwise]

Feel free to borrow one of mine.  Every time I think of something that I think might be a good avatar, I make a point of saving it for later.

[schild]

What's up with Fox and Scully at the end there?

[Samwise]

I thought at some point they might make good avatars?     They're at the end because the page is generated automatically and the images are alphabetical by filename (ph33r my Perl skills).