Anyone still playing this?

[Adder]

Been tempted to start EQ2 again myself. Haven't played for about 6+ months now. So many changes I'll be missing most of them if I tried to say what they were, but I will give it a go for general things!

Server stability/lag : On release it was terrible, almost unplayable. For me the biggest improvement was making a stable and lag(ish) free environment. Instantly took away some of the horrible unrecoverable deaths that happened, stopped groups splitting up because of downtime.

Levelling/Quests : Quests are worth doing again past level 10, some are still simple and offer simple rewards based upon the time put into them. The risk or time v reward seemed to get a lot better with many quests rewards being revamped, along with moderate XP given.

Rare monsters needed for quests are no longer such a "camp" as well as spawning more often they introduced unique place holders for a lot of the named mobs you need. Made it alot easier to understand where you needed to be and took out a lot of the time waiting for quest mobs to spawn.

Introduced "vitality" which is double exp for the time you have vitality. Basically every 20mins (or so) you get 0.2% Vitality. This goes up if your logged in or not. Gives little to someone who plays 24/7 but for the more casual gamer it means you�re able to level a bit faster, in essence an incentive for the casual player. (You have separate vitality for trade skills and adventure exp)

Trade Skills : Want to make that item but need a group of friends who are different trade skills classes to make the needed components you can't make? No longer! I would say around 98% of items you can create you could do on your own by making to basic components that are needed.

Instant Zones and Keyed Zones : Much shorter re-enter times, most places only require 1 person in the group to have done the "key quest" (if needed) and all can enter.

Raids : Lot of the raids can be done in less than an hour, hardly any of the old "kill 1000 mobs to get to the next raid target" 1/2 the raids require you to zone in....which is when you see the raid target standing 100ft away from you. (More thought into making raids different, most raids require the right tactic rather than numbers or 3 hours solid. (risk v reward still a little suspect)

There the things I can think of that have made the biggest difference, best enjoyed with a group of friends who can play together regularly (imho)

 

[Gottaa]

I was actually tempted a while ago to fire up the original EQ again and see how things were but was amazed just how many expansion had come out and going back (and getting the expansions) would have cost close to 100 quid which seemed pretty insane. I was curious if the payed expansions which had come out for EQ2 had meant anyone wanting to try EQ2 would then come across something similar, although not that expensive I'd imagine.

Glad to hear it's more enjoyable for peeps again though, nice to see that Sony can actually improve a game.

 

[Cathral]

Adder covered most of the improvements.

There are 2 Full expansions out currently (Desert of Flames and Kingdom of Sky). and 2 adventure packs which are basically massive quests that cover a wide range of lvls to complete and give skill/spells and pretty decent items. For example Bloodlines Chronicles starts at early 30's but the end mobs are 40^^^ heroics. To get to that point it will probably have got you to 40 of higher its that big. Splitpaw scales up to your lvl as you enter so you can start at 20 for example and still go back at 60 and fight lvl 60 mobs.

There is another expanion due in about 6 months give or take and another adventure pack in a matter of weeks.

If you have the Kingdom of Sky expansion Achievement awards are available. Lvl 20+ you gain xp towards lvls in achievments to spend on skill lines (think talents in WOW and your not far off). Each line has a requirement like having a sword in your main hand or being mounted etc. Some of the skills are excellent like self res, immunity to aeo, extra dmg etc depending on class and line you take.

All classes now start at lvl 1 unlike release. At release to become a paladin you would start as a fighter then become a crusader then a paladin. Now its Paladin from lvl 1 onwards. Makes it much easier to know what your want to do with your char from the start and whether you like the class.

New patch coming means you can betray your city at any lvl and depending what class you are you will get to change it. For example Shadowknight betraying will become a paladin, Necromancer a Conjuror etc. Not sure whats going to be involved in betraying but its going to be gaining faction with your new chosen city so wont be easy.

I havent played much pvp as enjoying pve too much. I know its qeynos vs freeport and there is a lvl range where you can attack (think its 8 lvls below but no limit above) and some of the skills are changed on those servers like taunt switches the target so you need to retarget.

Thats what comes to mind though I am sure there is lots more.

When Cuk migrated to WOW the guild was on Splitpaw so if you come back and play thats where your chars will be.

 

[Adder]

Didn't know about the betraying at any level and changeing the class! I was always a little upset that the Bruisers had such a quick mend timer, that is tempting indeed! Would be amazeing to solo then.

Whats Kingdom of Sky like Cath? I was a little idddipointed with DoF when it came out, got into it a little later on with some amazeing zones with the Efreets/Poets Palace.

 

[Flight]

I was actually tempted a while ago to fire up the original EQ again and see how things were but was amazed just how many expansion had come out and going back (and getting the expansions) would have cost close to 100 quid which seemed pretty insane. I was curious if the payed expansions which had come out for EQ2 had meant anyone wanting to try EQ2 would then come across something similar, although not that expensive I'd imagine.

Glad to hear it's more enjoyable for peeps again though, nice to see that Sony can actually improve a game.

EQ1 has Titanium edition, which is all 10 expansions for 15 quid. You can either use it to create an account or add all missing expansions (and the freebies that came with them) to an existing account.

EQ2 has had two expansion. If you buy Kingdom of Sky, which is pretty cheap, it includes the original game and both expansions. There are two optional adventure packs, which cost about 7 quid each and you download in a couple of minutes. I've been playing in one of them, Splitpaw, for the last few days and its a lot of fun. Plenty of solo and group instances.


The biggest change (apart from things like dumping group XP debt and doing away with the class system, so you now start at lvl one as your choice of class) is there is a greater emphasis on providing solo play. Group play is still better, but there is lots to do if you log on and need to solo.


Ggules that was me in Nek; it was actually the pets called Flight, I was on a Necro alt I did say hi a couple of times but you seemed afk for about an hour. Bumped into you afk on the dock in TS also.


Forgot to mention that the next expansion, towards the end of the year, will add a new starting city (looks like being Faydwer yayyyyy \o/ ).

 

[Swither]

Keep reading stuff about how even ninja pc's struggle with this game.

Any ideas if a AMD xp 3000ghz, nvidea 6800GS and 1gb ram would cope?
Would it look like crap?

Heard that the current trial eats ninja pc's, but does full game also?

 

[Cathral]

I have a lower spec pc than that that runs it fine and still looks good.

 

[Swither]

EQ2 has had two expansion. If you buy Kingdom of Sky, which is pretty cheap, it includes the original game and both expansions. There are two optional adventure packs, which cost about 7 quid each and you download in a couple of minutes. I've been playing in one of them, Splitpaw, for the last few days and its a lot of fun. Plenty of solo and group instances.

\o/ ).

Flight are you sure KOS pack includes DoF?
No mention of this on official web site faq. Also seen posts on official forums from peeps saying it wasn't included?

Tempted to try this, but don't want to mess about buying 2 packs if I can help it.

 

[Adder]

Bane mate until your level 40 you can't really do DoF anyway as every single mob/quest is level 40+ so I wouldn't worry about it to much if your thinking of having a play about. More worth getting Splitpaw Saga and Bloodline Chronicals as you can do them at lower levels.

 

[Cathral]

You can also download the expansion packs if needed too though not sure on the price. It will also take a while

 

[Gottaa]

It's not so much about that an expansion can't be used, it's the fact you'd need to buy the game, then one expansion, then the next, then some other one. All people want is a button to buy the game with everything at a reasonable price, it's not too much to ask is it

 

[Gulia]

We just bought Kingdom of Sky and have more than enough to keep us occupied be it soloing, duoing or grouping.

We have also bought the two downloadable expansions, one of which we completed as a duo which was great fun to do and cost about a fiver for a couple of hours work and some nice gear to either pass to twinkies or to sell.

Also apparently if you complete the adventure packs with one char and another one is just starting it you can still join and do it all over again which I find rather nice.

Have put you on my friends list Flight, sorry about being afk (I'm a woman and we do that lol )

But I have to say its not eq1, but it feels more like home than wow, I for one would love to see more 'old' faces back in the playing field with no pressure just having fun..........so go on, give it a try what is there to lose, (prob equivalent of a curry with beer hehehe)

Anyway huggies to all

 

[Darakor]

I am still playing, but I am on the server that time (and CUK) forgot... ;-) Ie, I am playing on Splitpaw.

KoS is quite nice as an expansion, it is pretty big and should keep people busy for a long time.

Current chars:

66 Troubador
53 Assassin
37 Paladin
16 Necromancer

However, I am beginning to grow bored, since a lot of my friends have left the game recently. Still, I cannot remember the last time I played an MMORPG for 18 months without a serious break. EQ, probably.

Dara

 

[Swither]

Buying

Been playing the 7 day trial and really like this game.
Didn't try it near launch as graphics card wasn't up to it...so far ok.

Love the berserker so far and tried necro and shadowknight.

Think I'll stay with berserker, but still trying other classes.

Any tips?

What server should I play on once my copy arrives? Splitpaw or Runnyeye?
I take it ClanUK is not active now....so best lag free I suppose.

Q for u players...can I transfer my trial char to a server of choice when I get full copy or do I need to roll a char there? Restricted servers for trial it seems.

 

[Gottaa]

I think the trial servers are the US one's, and it's a US trial and there isn't a UK version of it with the UK servers, so basically start again. But then the island is capped at level 6 I think so doesn't take long to get back to where you were.

 

[Flight]

Love the berserker so far and tried necro and shadowknight.

Think I'll stay with berserker, but still trying other classes.

Any tips?

For someone new to the game the two pet classes (Necro and Conjurer) are by far the easiest to solo.


Spells and combat abilities can be upgraded through App 1-4, Adept 1-4, Master 1. Master 1 is roughly 2-3 times more powerful than App 1, but rare. At level 14, 24, 34 etc you get to pick one out of four options put to you to be raised to Master 2. This is the only way you will get a Master 2.

App 2 are vendor sold. App 3-4 and Adept 3 are player made (adept 3 uses rare components). Adept 1 and Master 1 are mob drops.



Do try out the crafting system. There are nine different, split into three groups.


Craftsman - Provisioner (food and drink), Carpenter (house furniture and large storeage boxes), Woodworker (bows, wooden weapons, hex dolls).

Outfitter - Tailor (cloth and leather armour, bags), Armorsmith (plate and chain armour), Weaponsmith (metal weapons)

Scholar - Jeweller (Scout class combat abilities upgrades and Jewellery), Sage (Caster spell upgrades), Alchemist (Fighter class combat abilities and spell upgrades)


Provisioner is the easiest (in that its the only one which doesn't have you running around the different crafting 'tables' - it is all at the one).

Make sure to do the nine step quest inside the crafting instance - this gets you to crafting lvl 10. You also get a feel for each crafting class as you make one item from each class. Then you choose one of the three generic groups, then at lvl 20 you choose your class.



So my tip : a really good choice until you get the hang of the game thoroughly would be to go Necro or Conjurer and choose the pet defensive stance as your lvl 14 Master 2 choice and do Provisioner as your first crafting skill.

With these two classes they are so powerful that it doesnt matter if you upgrade any of your spells or equipment whereas you might have a little bit of an 'underwhelmed' experience with other classes if you dont keep up with spells/combat abilities improvements, weapons and armour.

 

[Git]

playing Nagafen hunting Q's on a 17 Fury is fun only server i could bring myself to try in an SOE game, only a couple of days old though so still picking up alot of things.

 

[Swither]

Cheers for the tips Flight.

Necro seems ok, but so preferring a melee char so far.
As I said, I'm still trying out different classes, but melee is looking like my fave so far......nice to have a warrior type that can actually hurt mobs!

 

[Adder]

Monk was a really fun class to play after level 20ish, when you get FD and mend the class really starts to come into their own, that said I was a little green about the bruisers having such a better mend that the monks! damn them.

 

[Cathral]

Though monks do get group feign death and can invis/stealth which bruisers cant

Seen monks join a group deep in an instance and have no trouble reaching and a brawler do the same and barely reach us alive having to feign every few mins