re: MMO that you wish you were in on day one and still played today

quote:

---

EQ always had a healthy leveling population at all level ranges partially because it took so damn long to level up and most classes couldn't do much without a party.

---

I agree with this.

quote:

---

For this reason, games like EQ were able to avoid problems that newer MMOs have with that initial rush of players. You always felt like there were people around to do things with and it wasn't about reaching max level a sap to catch up with others.

That said, it becomes a problem when these games get older and more and more content is added on top of the old stuff. I don't see how anyone could start from scratch in modern EQ given the desolate population pre-level 80. New MMOs don't have this problem as progression is designed to be completed solo

---

But I'm thinking of things like Planes of Power and Gates of Discord and beyond. I hated EQ post Luclin. It was not fun and became a simple loot and level chase rather than an adventure.

quote:

---

But I'm thinking of things like Planes of Power and Gates of Discord and beyond. I hated EQ post Luclin. It was not fun and became a simple loot and level chase rather than an adventure.

---

EQ was never a game where you could get very far only playing a few hours a week.

In newer games, you get left behind pretty quickly but it's extremely easy to catch up. That's essentially why WoW has a gear reset at the start of every expansion. In EQ, it always felt like you had to have the best gear from the previous expansion before you could really dig into the new one.

That said, raiding and endgame content was never initially developed to be consumed by the majority of players. In WoW, pretty much everyone raids once they hit the level cap.

quote:

---

EQ was never a game where you could get very far only playing a few hours a week.

---

I disagree with this. Sure you needed some long sessions but until Luclin, I still only played maybe 10-15 hours a week and did fine. Completed high level dungeons, juggled 4 different characters, had good gear. I did run with a good guild at the time though.

quote:

---

That said, raiding and endgame content was never initially developed to be consumed by the majority of players. In WoW, pretty much everyone raids once they hit the level cap.

---

Funny enough, I've played nearly every major American MMO....except for WoW. Not once. Which is strange I know.

quote:

---

Funny enough, I've played nearly every major American MMO....except for WoW. Not once. Which is strange I know.

---

It's not all that different in the other games. Rift, SWTOR, EQ2, gw2, FFXIV, etc all follow a similar model. It's a lot easier coming into these games late than EQ.

DAoC has nerfed XP requirements so much that I figure advancing to the level cap is a matter of days at least. It's also a lot easier to solo in that game. I don't know much about the grind post-level cap.

quote:

---

DAoC has nerfed XP requirements so much that I figure advancing to the level cap is a matter of days at least. It's also a lot easier to solo in that game. I don't know much about the grind post-level cap.

---

The problem with that game is new players don't really have access to any knowledgebase that details the specifics of your endgame goals and how to reach them. No one really "levels" in the traditional sense anymore that I know of. You either join a guild or pay someone to power-level you to 50 in a few hours, then get all the ToA/Champion stuff out of the way before the real game begins.

If you're with the right people, the PvP experience is still unparalleled. No game can match the spontaneity of open-world 8v8 fights in DAoC, where reaction speed on even what classes to target are so critical. The skill and pace of the combat gives every victory such a feeling of accomplishment. Fights against the best groups require a great deal of coordination to be successful with the way the class dynamics and combat systems work. Hard caster interrupts are central to the whole thing, and are a big part of what makes the game so good.

quote:

---

Is it even still around? I miss the scale of combat in that game.

---

Yeah I still play it. I and a few friends migrate between games and always end up back in DAoC to satiate our PvP fix. It's just one of those games where you have to take it for what it is with its archaic and somewhat antiquated UI, movement, and general gameplay. Many of the intricacies of the abilities and combat mechanics are hidden for whatever reason, and it's an unfriendly game for new players with all that's required to be considered viable.

Adding to the problem are the out-dated guides on shite sites like Allakhazam articles written in like 2006, so it's hard to acquire accurate information on what to do and how to do it. I'm actually amazed when I find new players that have the patience to sort through it all. However, if you have someone to guide you through the process of getting geared/specced properly, the game is still great.