EQ2

[Murgos]

So, since I'm at work and have a cubic butt-load of programming tasks to do I thought I would come here and post about some of my impressions with playing EQ2 over the weekend.

First thing I want to talk about is the economy at level 13.  It has vastly improved over the first month of the game.  At level 13 I am entirely kitted out in store bought orange con chain, a nice shield and two orange con weapons (a 2-h slash and a 1h bash) all of which will last me until at least level 20 AND I have over 1 gp in the bank.  All just from doing quests (I've done about 70 so far, with less than 10 hrs played) and only killing mobs in the course of those quests.  My recollection of my first trip through the teens is much more severe, I remember a lot of scrimping and saving to get armor and weapons and spells and just generally not being able to afford anything that I would be able to use for any long period of time.

At first when I looked at prices on the merchant boards I was a bit worried, everything seemed to be inordinately expensive but now that all my equipment through level 20 is pretty much taken care of I can see why the prices are what they are.  Imbued player crafted items for my level are a couple of gp each, considering thier quality and that anything I buy is just bonus and not really required to be competative this seems fairly reasonable to me. YMMV.

The game looks great, I really can't get over how much smoother it looks and plays, on 'balanced' settings the detailed textures on things like walls, the ground and especially armor all really look excellent.  Unfortunately, the character models still pretty much look like ass, there should be a new set of character models (for the Korean launch) coming down the pipeline sometime in the next couple of months though so we will see how that goes.

Combat is, so far, fun and fairly quick.  Not as fast as CoH but comparable to WoW playing as a non-rogue.  My crusader is quite capable of taking on multiple white and yellow con mobs at once and beating them down in short order using a varity of spells and abilities, my scout class (predator) from my initial run was the same way until about level 18 so I'm going to leave the jury out until I see how things go around the level 20 point where mobs get much tougher.

I haven't really tried grouping much except for a couple of minutes with Cheddar's mage but we spent more time tripping over our feet than actually fighting stuff.  My recollection from previously was that grouping was where EQ2 shined anyways so I doubt if that experience has really changed all that much.

I would like to get a guild going simply because there is a whole extra portion of the game that you miss out on by not being guilded and that is status collection.  While guilded almost everything you do results in a personal status award which you can use to buy (special status related) things or get discounts.  There are also whole sequnces of guild only city orientated quests (called city writs) that you can do to raise your guild experience level, which unlocks yet more status items for purchase.  The status items are not really mandatory for the game; better equipment stat-wise drops from mobs out in the game world or can be created by players.  Status purchases are the cool little extras that make the game enjoyable, like special titles and cool little gee-gaws to pretty up your apartment (like swords to hang over the fireplace).

I'd like to see what the rest of you guys think about the newb experience in EQ 2 as it stands now.  Myself, I'm pretty happy with it, it doesn't seem so much like work any more and was really just fun running around and exploring a big playground.

And now I will go back to my regularly scheduled activity of trying to turn some doofus's nested and repeated if else statements into functional, maintainable code.

[Cheddar]

I am going to write a review after one week, but I will sum up my impression thus far as such: "Everything I hate about Everquest seems to have been ripped out and tossed out the window.  The couple things I did like were improved upon and made shiny.  I am a happy noob."  For some reason it reminds me of playing NWN and other offline RPG's, what with the voice overs and such plus the way quests are handled.  So far I am feeling the stirrings of enjoyment; the game is easy enough to track, but complex enough that you have to think before switching spells/equipment.  I like that.

Also a guild sounds like a good idea.  Count me in!

PS. To anyone else that wants to try things out along with us other noobs:  Wal Mart has the game for 20 bucks (comes with a free month).  So far everyone in our diminishing group is adhering to the no spoilers mein.  Feel free to message me on the boards or via my email (stefanslaght <at> gmail.com) if you have any questions or want to join us. 

[UD_Delt]

If you all need general advice and don't want to visit spoiler sites I can attempt to help you out without providing too much information. I have a good knowledge of adventuring w/ a 48 Swashbuckler, 22 Conjurer, and 19 Warrior (Guardian). I also have very good understanding of tradeskills w/ 50 Weaponsmith, 50 Alchemist, 49 Jeweler, 49 Woodworker, 42 Provisioner.

A difficult part of EQ2 is the number of quests that require a specific mob or mob type. I found that without spoiler sites I would often outlevel the quest, by generlal grouping or doing other quests, before ever finding that mob. I guess in general that's a good thing and it means there is almost too much content but I personally didn't like having to go back and delete old quests that I just didn't have time to do before leveling.

[Sauced]

I rolled up a Priest over the weekend, got to 10 and went Cleric, so feel free to add Sauced to the list of peeps to look for when you're out questing and what not.

[Furiously]

It really is a great game up to level 20ish, where it becomes EQ1.

[Murgos]

50 Weaponsmith, 50 Alchemist, 49 Jeweler, 49 Woodworker, 42 Provisioner.

Carpal tunnel therapy pretty cheap these days?

Seriously man thats some clickin right there.  Is that all on one character or do you have to use different characters for each Artisian skillset?

[shiznitz]

I have noticed a bit more n00bs in the game. Antonica is no longer deserted. However, these may be alts since T2 resource prices have shot up (4s for tubers! MONEY!) so maybe there are a bunch of alts with fat money purses churning tradeskills.

[UD_Delt]

That's 5 different characters. Basically leveled up to support my adventurer with what he needed over the last year. I started playing a week after release.

I'm a lazy crafter though. I don't do the whole clicking buffs thing unless I'm doing rare combines or actively crafting. The vast majority of those levels come from playing poker on the laptop when I just glance over every 2-3 minutes and click a button and let the game do it's thing without my influence. It's also helpful having a large guild feeding you whatever harvests you need whenever you need them.

With the addition of the cross-over skills crafting also became much quicker to level. At each x0 (10,20,30, etc...) level you get tons of new combines. With new combines comes discovery experience and discovery experience means fast leveling. If I'm actively involved getting to level 25 only takes 4-5 hours now. Of course that 4-5 hours is spread across 2-3 weeks in order to rebuild vitality.

[Murgos]

What are cross-over skills?  Do you get to do recipies from other branches now or are you still entirely dependent on the whims of some other crafter?

[UD_Delt]

What are cross-over skills?  Do you get to do recipies from other branches now or are you still entirely dependent on the whims of some other crafter?

Cross over skills mean you can make any subcombine in the game regardless of your actual class. You can still only do finished combines of your actual class ie... an Armorer is the only one who can make Armor, an alchemist is the only one who can make potions. But now anyone can make inks, steel sheets, liquids or what have you. Refines still only cost one fuel (liquids, metal bars, lumber, etc...) but the actual subcombines will cost double fuel if not native to your class.

[Yegolev]

It really is a great game up to level 20ish, where it becomes EQ1.

Thanks for slapping me to my senses.  Those other guys can go to hell for making me want to buy EQ2.  You go to hell and you die!

[Soukyan]

It really is a great game up to level 20ish, where it becomes EQ1.

Thanks for slapping me to my senses.  Those other guys can go to hell for making me want to buy EQ2.  You go to hell and you die!

Ah, but getting up to level 20 or so should give you a month's worth of playing fun. Come on. 20 bucks and a free month. You really can't go wrong.

Of course, you won't see me there, but that's not because I lack the desire. ;)

[Signe]

You could just play the free 7 day Refuse Isle trial over and over.  It'll be every bit as exciting!

[Soukyan]

You could just play the free 7 day Refuse Isle trial over and over.  It'll be every bit as exciting!

Effing brilliant, that is.

[Cheddar]

I am officially a level 12 Druid now.  Went hunting with Schild for a bit today, he is around 11 or so now.  Anyone know what we need to do to form a guild?

[Sauced]

A group of 6 and 60 silver, I believe.

Got to 11 cleric last night.  What's your char name, Cheddar?

[Cheddar]

A group of 6 and 60 silver, I believe.

Got to 11 cleric last night.  What's your char name, Cheddar?

Deoj.  Schild is, well Schild.  Everyone elses name escapes me at the moment (Stray and Murgos both started also).  I know Schild promised to put down the elf pr0n and play with us tonight though.  Watch out though he is an RP fool.  I will be back on tonight around 11pm or so.  Also rumor has it that one of the other admins purchased the game and will be starting soon; let the speculation as to whom it is begin!   

[Signe]

S-Child is Schild, Sauced is Sauced, Altan is Stray, Teucer is Murgos and Deoj is you.  That's the recent ones.  The ones who have been playing for a while don't count because they're uber.

I watch you all.  Closely.

[stray]

I changed my name. Then quit.  You're not watching close enough.

[Cheddar]

S-Child is Schild, Sauced is Sauced, Altan is Stray, Teucer is Murgos and Deoj is you.  That's the recent ones.  The ones who have been playing for a while don't count because they're uber.

I watch you all.  Closely.

Holy shit that is a little scary.  Where are the obligatory boobies?  You are slipping. 

And Stray, you quitting for good or is this a temporary development?

[Signe]

Yes, I remember that you quit, Stray... but you are so up and down, you make my head go round.  You are very hard to keep an eye on. 

For Cheddar: 


 
Don't think of her as old.  Think of her as a finely aged emmentaler.

[stray]

Yeah, I think I'm out, man. Not necessarily because I'm disgusted with the game itself (which is a miracle really), but because of the aforementioned ATI issues I'm having. The solutions (if they can be called that) aren't really worth the trouble to me.

[Signe]

I dl'd the Isle of Bile trial.     I've been standing in the same place for hours with no real motivation to move.  Earlier I re-found my hate for the horrible crafting set up which is what stopped me dead in my tracks.  I said stuff to S-Child, who ignored me, and watched Murgos log in but I rudely snubbed him and didn't say hello.  Some guy asked me to move because I was standing on something he wanted to click and I emoted rude gesture at him.

I'm having a kind of lazy day.

[Cheddar]

Man I love me some older leather skins, thanks babe!  Experienced woman for the win?  Anyhow I would say it gets better Signe.  It does.  Maybe.

[Sauced]

That was fun last night.  I installed TS this morning, just have to dig out the old microphone from the basement.  I think the last time I used it was for Camelot RVR in the old Roger Wilco days.

[Fargull]

I have actually taken the hesitant step into EQII... even with Rasix's comment.  Anyway, I rolled up a priest, but have not made it off newbie island yet.  Will post my name tonight as I don't remember it.  Anything I should aim at? 

[Cheddar]

I have actually taken the hesitant step into EQII... even with Rasix's comment.  Anyway, I rolled up a priest, but have not made it off newbie island yet.  Will post my name tonight as I don't remember it.  Anything I should aim at? 

Fill up on those nifty noob bags.  Unlike the ones you buy once you get off the island, these ones weigh nothing.  We look forward to seeing you on the mainland!

[Murgos]

That was fun last night.  I installed TS this morning, just have to dig out the old microphone from the basement.  I think the last time I used it was for Camelot RVR in the old Roger Wilco days.

Crap, were going to have to use code to talk about you now.

[Sauced]

Crap, were going to have to use code to talk about you now.

That's true, and I'm really sorry about that.  But at least now I'll know why Schild goes afk every 5 minutes.

[Cheddar]

I fucking hate Gnolls. 

[Soukyan]

I fucking hate Gnolls. 

How... random. ;)

[Signe]

Oh!  I read that inside out.  I thought he said he hated fucking gnolls... which is fair enough.

My eyes fool me like this all the time.

[Ezdaar]

Dammit now I want to resub.

[schild]

Go ahead, we need more for a tiny guild. But remember, we're playing VERY casually.

[Ezdaar]

I'm about as casual as you'll find. I'll probably reup when I find the DVD in the unpacking mess.