I do play EQ (most of my free time goes into it!) and so does my brother. Sourced, for those who still remember him, is also an EQ junky in the mean time
So far, EQ is the first and only game I've played over the Internet. Haven't got experience with games like UO.
Basically, if you take the game at face-value, it's no big deal. The game takes place on numerous maps, called zones, and each zone is different. It's all fully 3D, and each zone has specific features, like ruins, mountains, hills, forests, towns and outposts, etc ... There are desert regions, grasslands, forest, snowplanes, etc ...
Each of the zones has its specific range of MOB's (Monster Or Beast), although a MOB may occur in more than one zone. These MOB's can vary in level from 1 to 65+. Player advancement goes from lvl 1 to 60 (max is 60 at the moment), and during that development you gain numerous skills (that you must train for them to remain functional!). Basically, when you kill a MOB, you gain experience, if it's not too easy for you - MOB's that are about 6 levels below your current level will not gain you any experience anymore. You can loot the corpse of the MOB for items and/or money (though some drop nothing). MOBs respawn over time, so you can keep killing them.
As far as gameplay is concerned, that's it. The real beauty of the game is in the Multi-Player aspect. At higher levels (30+), most classes will have a hard time solo-ing (means you take on MOBs all by yourself) for experience. The MOBs that gain you any exp will wipe the floor with you if you're on your own. When you team up with a few people (max party size is 6, and you should try to team up with people about your level), you usually can defeat MOBs several levels above the group level. Besides that, when in a group, you have a bonus to experience, depending on group size - larger groups gain overall more experience.
It's this grouping - best done with friends - that makes the game so much fun. You combine your skills with those of others, and together you defeat MOBs that would mean certain death to any of you when you would be alone. Also, the socialising with other people (group, guild, friends, whatever...) is quite an important aspect of the game.
The game allows you to choose various different Races and Classes to play, each with its bonusses and drawbacks. Erudites for example make great wizards, but they are physically weak. Ogres make great warriors, but they are an evil race, and therefore will not be able to enter good-aligned towns (there are evil and good towns, though).
The main problems with the game come in various details:
- As mentioned by Buck and Equis, you can't log on to play for 30 minutes and then go again. When you log on, expect to play for at least a few hours, maybe with a short lunch/dinner break, but nothing more.
- Larger raids on higher levels require many hours, and you should plan these in advance. This is not casual playing, and I know there are players who really shift their RL (Real Life) workschedule around to make it to such a raid. These raids are perhaps the cherry on the pie of the game though.
- Anti-social behaviour of other people. With usually about 1500+ players online during American peak hours, you're likely to run into jerks. Most people will be just like you and me, but some can be really annoying. Luckily you can report them to GMs (Game Masters), who work for Verant (EQ Creators).
- KS-ing, or better said, Kill-Stealing. When camping with a group at a certain spot, waiting for MOBs to spawn, it can occur that other players rush in, and steal the MOBs away before your group can kill them. It happens, and it is considered asocial behaviour.
Advantages:
- Guilds are around, and they greatly add to the social aspect of the game. Expect to make many friends when you join one, friends that will help you when you need it.
- Also, you will meet other people that you'll see around for quite some time, and they too can become friends (you actually can make a 'friends' list in the game).
- No matter your level, the game remains challenging. I'm level 29 now, and still I am fighting to survive the MOB's ... it isn't getting easier. This is because you shift your territory of operations into more and more dangerous areas as you advance.
- Quests. Yes, there are quests in the game. Although the world is fairly static (next week it will look pretty much the same as it did last week), you can perform quests. Usually, a quest gains you a nice item, and some are really worth working for. I've written down a number of quests I'd like to do, and know that it will take me quite a while ... but the gain is worth it
- PK-ers can exist right next to 'normal' player characters. PK-ers can only kill other PK-ers ... and it is clear who these people are. Otherwise, 'friendly fire' is off, so you won't be able to take damage from other players, unless you either enter an Arena (you get a warning message that you're in pvp area), or start a duel with someone (and then only that other person can harm you). Actually, there are three servers, specifically dedicated to pvp.
Basically, the game is what you put into it.
I've seen the game for nearly 2 months as my brother played it, but didn't think much of it. I started on the first day of Christmas (wow, people ARE generous to newbies on that day!
) because my brother told me I should just try it, and have been hooked since.
We're playing on the Lanys T'Vyl server. My character is a lvl 29 Cleric named Kaysha Soulsinger. My brother has a lvl 29 Wizard called Daemion Immolatus, and Sourced has a lvl 28 warrior, called Seleana Ravenscar. We're all proud members of the Glade Knights (a guild). Say hi to us if and when you drop by
[This message has been edited by Maurice (edited 02-07-2001).]
AoE and this got old quick. I would like to learn . Weasel