eq2 won't recreate the nostalgiacised parts of eq1

is nostalgiacised a word?

Quoth CWags :

The "good old days" are whenever you are a newbie, basically. That can
only happen once. It won't happen again in EQ2, WoW or any MMORPG you
ever play again. Sorry.

Me, I'm glad that my newbie days happened when *everybody* was a newbie (
except for the few ex-beta players), but it's a pretty narrow window of
opportunity.

"The Good Old Days" never come round again...

Palindrome

warclone@ev1.net (CWags) wrote in <l6pgd05pbphmm00r1cfvpi2df2v70c3hpq@
4ax.com>:

Yes, you had to be 60 and before that you had to be 50.  
There was never a time post beta when cool was defined as anything other
than power gaming.  
Now, during beta there was more role playing but even then power gaming ws
more admired than RP.  Ever wonder who that Rogue on the box was at
release?  

Well, no. Everything you mention is only a short term surprise. Sure
you can go to a dangerous trek to the frozen barbarian homeland, once
or twice. After that it becomes old hat.

This is the problem with MMORPGS, you are playing in six months and
things are not new anymore. Then they add an expansion, but it doesn't
solve the problems of Gfay and East commons being too familiar and
unused. It doesn't solve the problem of West Karana always sucking, so
no one really used it for more than passing through.

After five years west karana, Gfay and east commons still ALL SUCK.
Gfay and east commons got small updates for newbie quests, but for
some odd reason they did not get a more major overhaul like Nek woods
which actually got added camps of orcs that were never there, and
such. East commons still having only a couple orc camps after 5 years
is just weird.

So I really don't agree, since the same thing will happen in EQ2. An
area will be fresh and new at first then get old hat. This will keep
happening until people start making more advanced mmorpgs which
constantly change, automatically with some form of chaos tools and no
human intervention.

The static "zone" based model just leaves a lot to be desired because
they forget old zones. Since the same people will be doing EQ2, I
honestly don't think that will change.

I remember a long time ago where people were complaining about a dark
elf camp suddenly being dropped into lesser fay. Abashi, or someone,
defended it by saying EQ was a dynamic and ever changing game so
people should expect that. The thing is, he was greatly exaggerating.
The truth is that its a barely dynamic pretty much NEVER changing
game, except for new add ons (which are essentially new static
content.)

An example is that dark elf camp in lesser fay, many players would
probably not even view that as a change since for the better part of
five years its been there. A change like that is not dynamic, since it
is a perm change. Later they've done stuff with "zone change events",
but even those have been static zone changes which change for weeks or
months and then revert back. Then they do the same change again next
time, with the same loot.  

Its all just too dang static. The things you are talking about were
the way you felt when the game was new and the areas fresh. It was
almost like the game was whispering in your ear that it would always
be that way, that you'd always be discovering new things. We found
out, all too soon, that even a fairly casual player will exhaust
content before the next addition.

You logged in and wondered about this great power struggle in freeport
between the paladins and the militia. After six months, you were no
longer wondering since nother ever changed. After five years, nothing
still has changed. When I first started playing, I never dreamed that
such things would just stay exactly the same like that for five years.
I fully expected to log in next week and find that the paladins had
gained control or something and then the week after that it went the
other way, perhaps with quests that players did having a hand in this.

So for me, part of the attraction was that the game SEEMED like it
COULD be dynamic. I never dreamed that it wasn't in the least.

The problem with a fresh start, in a static world, is that it "isn't"
for very long. My guess is EQ2 will be just the same, buy the game and
Whee!!! Six months later and I'll be going, "yawn, same old thing."

I used to love to run my Halfling characters up to Halas at level one just
so people could marvel at them in the newbie area.  The role-play was cool
and it was pretty hard to get one there at level one.

Oh yeah, and cool was having a last name!  On Rallos Zek, when someone came
into Halas with a last name, it was like a parade or something.  We would
talk about it in guild chat and wonder what they were doing and what
exciting things might be about to unfold.

I and a few friends have recently returned after several years exploring
other worlds, particularly Albion.  And, as returning players we have talked
about many of the changes.

First, the Plane of Knowledge and the transportation there.  While we find
it very convenient, we have also pointed out the lack of adventure involved.
Just as you say, managing to make it across Antonica alive at any level
below about 15 was a true challenge.

Next, The Bazaar, while it is very convenient to have such a place to buy or
sell anything, it has removed the incentive to do quests and obtain items
for oneself.  Like the quest for Morin's Sword.  Ages ago, this was a
worthwhile quest to do.  Now, if one saves a little coin, one can simply buy
a better weapon.  No risk, no effort.  "Why bother doing this quest when I
can buy the UberXxX Blade in the Bazaar?"

I enjoyed questing and as much as I like my newbie being able to quest for
his beginning armor, there was a time when getting ANYTHING with a stat on
it was a serious challenge and well worth the reward.  Hells bells, getting
a set of Banded Armor, no stats at all was a special occasion.  We worked
our butts off to get our Smith up in level and keep him in coin so he could
outfit us all.  "Bah...who needs that crap now, go to the Bazaar and for Xpp
you can get a full set of MagnificoxXx Armor.  And it looks cool too!"

We also discussed the basic run speed of everyone, no bonuses of any kind.
Either our speed is a tad higher or the beasties are a tad slower, because
there was a time when getting in trouble without any speed increase, SoW, or
Selo's you where dead.  Period.  No questions.  If you held out in battle
too long you would not get away and you and/or your party would die.  Now, I
have noticed, I can stay just far enough ahead of the pursuing beast that I
can make it to safety.  No real fear of death.  Having been a Paladin, it
was a point of pride for me that if my group got into trouble I would hold
the rear as they escaped, even if I died.  That, to me was part of being a
Paladin.  I made a good many friends that way.  Now, there is no reason to
worry, since everyone will be able to stay far enough out of range so as not
to die before we can escape.

Do not get me wrong, we are enjoying our return, but there are some things
that we feel are missing.

--
Finduilas, Taelesin, Eathan, Singolo, Daeron, etal

Heh.  I just wish people would hunt in the Commonlands and Karanas again, or
the orc highway of Oasis of Marr.  Nowadays everyone's a twink alt getting
PLed by their main on the primary account. :)  One thing I do to keep the
game interesting with my necromancer is avoid LDoNs and PoP.  I've gotten
him to 54 with maybe one group of each.  I've had a great time going out an
actually exploring.

With my main, a 65 rogue, I try to get folks to go to old zones like Old
Sebilis and Howling Stones.  The zones aren't fantastic for experience, but
the loot is much better than PoP for the casual player (i.e., someone who
doesn't have 4-6 hours a night to raid).  Plus these zones don't require you
to be geared up with a multitude of goodies from the elemental planes.

Kroduk Tekulve
65 Half Elf rogue of Freeport
Drinal Server