Calling all EQ1 fans that want to give it a try again

[BlueWeasel]

It doesn't seem worth it to try to catch up with 15 expansions.

I'm going for the project 1999. Check it out. It simulates the real time frame of events as they unfolded with the game's release. It will only go up to 2 expansions total. The game has been out for several months and won't use kunark until the fall-just like the original time frame.

I checked the forums and the game has very positive reviews from the players. The programmers are very involved and communicate regularly on the forums. They have a Rants section with people flaming each other for training or camp stealing, just like the old days.

Does Project 1999 work with the Steam version?

 

[Lakedaimon]

It doesn't seem worth it to try to catch up with 15 expansions.

I'm going for the project 1999. Check it out. It simulates the real time frame of events as they unfolded with the game's release. It will only go up to 2 expansions total. The game has been out for several months and won't use kunark until the fall-just like the original time frame.

I checked the forums and the game has very positive reviews from the players. The programmers are very involved and communicate regularly on the forums. They have a Rants section with people flaming each other for training or camp stealing, just like the old days.

yeah as usual the biggest guilds are squabbling over the dragons/cazic/innorruk/maestro/draco

im having a blast personally

 

[Gibsons]

The glory days of EQ... discovering a new zone, seeing new critters... buying new spells and finding half of them sucked, not to mention the fizzle rate. Meeting new people, never knowing who would become your best friend, and who would be that idiot who always trained.

Nostalgia - it's delicate, but potent. Teddy told me that in Greek, "nostalgia" literally means "the pain from an old wound." It's a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone.

 

[laezyre]

Does Project 1999 work with the Steam version?

I don't think so. On the website http://project1999.org/index.php they say you have to buy the titanium version only. They walk you through the set up which involves changing a few files so that you are directed to their server and not the Sony servers. I have a bid on ebay for a titanium version. I saw a few on Amazon for $47 and on ebay for $37. It's funny that you can buy the full fifteen expansion version for $2.50.

It reminds me of the first time I saw a retro galaga arcade game asking 50 cents to play. I thought it was rediculous at first. Why would anyone waste 50 cents on an ancient, outdated game? I remembered buying a cd years ago that had galaga and about 15 other video games from that time period for 9 bucks. It played well on my 386 pc and I quickly got bored of it. But then I tried the retro arcade game and played for almost two hours. What a blast! Some times the original just can't be replaced.

That's what I am hoping this game will be.

 

[laezyre]

yeah as usual the biggest guilds are squabbling over the dragons/cazic/innorruk/maestro/draco

im having a blast personally

Lakedaimon, could I run a few questions by you?

1) Can you be a casual gamer? Back in the day, there were no casual gamers in EQ. My life is way different then it was 10 years ago and I can't spend 8 hours per night playing.

2) Are there enough people to actual find groups typically?

3) Are the owners able to keep the game running well? I just wonder if they have enough time to maintain the entire community on their free time with little money.

Thanks.

 

[Dumac]

A friend gifted me the set on steam...

 

[Lakedaimon]

Lakedaimon, could I run a few questions by you?

1) Can you be a casual gamer? Back in the day, there were no casual gamers in EQ. My life is way different then it was 10 years ago and I can't spend 8 hours per night playing.

2) Are there enough people to actual find groups typically?

3) Are the owners able to keep the game running well? I just wonder if they have enough time to maintain the entire community on their free time with little money.

Thanks.

1) I think you can. Admittedly I played a lot since I discovered this server and now im 49 but I dont really have anything to do other than raid now. Im waiting till Kunark in October-ish to make any alts (Iksar Monk) so im really only playing a couple nights a week now.

2) Any of the major zones always have groups. You probably wont find any pickup groups in say Erud's Crossing or Permafrost, but Oasis, Upper Guk, Mistmoore, Unrest, Solusek's Eye, Nagafen's Lair, Lower Guk are pretty much always busy. The global OOC channel (see point 3 below) makes getting groups a ton easier, and global Auction makes selling much faster and you dont have to waste time sitting in the EC tunnel.

3) There are global OOC and Auction channels - at least one person hates this and spams the server with graphic descriptions of sex involving an Erudite with gold teeth and red shoes (not kidding) before the new character gets banned. Apparently a disgruntled former player (banned) will occasionally Ddos the server or the login server which makes the game laggy periodically, but this has only happened twice in the 15 weeks or so ive been playing. And usually when this happens the GMs are on and give out rezzes for those who died. Petitions are best done through the forums. Ive seen very little downtime, and patching every couple weeks takes the server down for 15 minutes to an hour or two.

 

[JeffNY35]

The glory days of EQ... discovering a new zone, seeing new critters... buying new spells and finding half of them sucked, not to mention the fizzle rate. Meeting new people, never knowing who would become your best friend, and who would be that idiot who always trained.

This strikes a cord and you summed it up well. The mmos of old truely were adventures, not just the game, or the items but the people and the feeling you might discover something nobody else has.

Today, mmos ( or the people playing them ) have it all wrong. They focus on all the specifics yet it feels so empty. There is no adventure. They have become mindlesss treadmills, or more like a mad dash to see who can hit max level or which guild can recruit the most people the fastest, become the l33test. Then everyone flocks to the most powerful guild, in essence just completely killing the thrill of the game. Even PVP to me is ruined because of this. Games are either essentially amusement park thrill rides of pre-ordained meaningless free death pvp ( Warhammer ) or they are "hardcore" aka unplayable because everyone is in a powerguild who wants to gank "noobs" but there are no noobs - just other self proclaimed hardcore players with nobody to kill( Age of Conan )

Its no longer a question if the next person you meet will be your best friend. its a question of how quickly he will become a douchebag, leave your guild for a better one or spam you with a guild invite or leave your group because someone else is doing something that suits his desire to get the next dumb item he or she needs.

The Genre is completely dead to me.

And I succesfully Hijacked this thread.

 

[laezyre]

This strikes a cord and you summed it up well. The mmos of old truely were adventures, not just the game, or the items but the people and the feeling you might discover something nobody else has.

Today, mmos ( or the people playing them ) have it all wrong. They focus on all the specifics yet it feels so empty. There is no adventure. They have become mindlesss treadmills, or more like a mad dash to see who can hit max level or which guild can recruit the most people the fastest, become the l33test. Then everyone flocks to the most powerful guild, in essence just completely killing the thrill of the game. Even PVP to me is ruined because of this. Games are either essentially amusement park thrill rides of pre-ordained meaningless free death pvp ( Warhammer ) or they are "hardcore" aka unplayable because everyone is in a powerguild who wants to gank "noobs" but there are no noobs - just other self proclaimed hardcore players with nobody to kill( Age of Conan )

Its no longer a question if the next person you meet will be your best friend. its a question of how quickly he will become a douchebag, leave your guild for a better one or spam you with a guild invite or leave your group because someone else is doing something that suits his desire to get the next dumb item he or she needs.

The Genre is completely dead to me.

And I succesfully Hijacked this thread.

I agree to a certain extent. It's hard to express how (this will sound lame) "magical" my first months playing EQ 1 were. Call it newbie daze/days, but it was different from any other MMO I've played. There was always something new to discover. It was you and your friends against the unkown, brutal, world that either tore you to shreds or gave you that magical, rare drop. People met their spouses on EQ. People lost jobs and marriages over EQ. You could never be powerful enough, but always wondered what the next group or raid might bring you. Your reputation meant everything- lose it and you might as well delete.
Nothing I've played since then, has given me close to that feeling playing EQ.

I had fun playing guild wars and age of conan pve. I'm looking forward to guild wars 2 quit alot, but nothing will compare to my first year or so playing EQ.

 

[Arglebargle]

All this talk reminds me exactly why I disliked these games, and avoided them (and other MMOs) like the plague, for years. Was thinking of forking over the $2.50 for EQ, as it is no-lose proposition, but there's next to no chance I would really enjoy it.

Nostalgia for that fabled first MMO is usually remembered through very rose colored glasses. I just wish that niche MMO gaming was more available, and that the older games could be viable for folks that like their particular style.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Tempting, but I am so far behind that no one is likely doing the low level content. Wish I could have gotten in on it in the hayday.

 

[laezyre]

If you're worried about being left behind, maybe project 1999 would work. The game is classic only until about October when kunark will be released. No expansion gear or content is available. No worries about catching up with 15 expansions. This is as close to playing in 1999 as possible.

 

[Via]

So -

has anyone bought this and played?

Are the early areas barren? Regardless, Is it fun at all?

I still haven't decided.

 

[Vampirrella]

can one buy the steam version to add on missing expansion packs to an alrdy existing account or is it only for NEW accnouts?

 

[clok1966]

can one buy the steam version to add on missing expansion packs to an alrdy existing account or is it only for NEW accnouts?

As i understand it, yes, plan on this myself. just get the key from steam and apply it to your old account (several in STEAM forums have mentioned it).

I havent played in 7 years an just got in this weekend again.
Old zones barren, yes... and then some, tried a few of the servers and was same on all of them. Last night I leveled in SteamFont and for 2 hours I did a "/who" and never seen a single person. Same with RO (its now one big zone, as is the Commons).. pretty lifeless at low levels. BUT! the new "noob" zone (dragon people one) had several people... so I think its more a "new are is better" then anything.

Game shows it age, and its not pretty in any way shape or form. From when i last played many things have been improved (but when compared to current gen games its still pretty "complicated"). There is a new Tutorial zone which makes getting in much easier, but IMHO kinda overloads ya a bit and then just gives you the bare basic on other stuff. Much better then the old days though. The New Tutorial zone is a nice place to get to level 10..but has one glareing problem, the AGRO range is horribly small (and gives you a false sense of how close and far you need to be from mobs), and when you get into EQ proper you will be getting agro all over. It has Quests, and some ok loot, teachs you grouping (about 4 group encounters) and basicly teachs you the (ta-dah!) basics.

The addition of quests (name over NPC head so you know) is nice and gives one thing that EQ used to lack, "goals" besides equipment or levels.. It makes the grind seem a bit more fufilling. But to be honest after hammering through a few, the grind seemed much faster.

The grind: we all remeber it if we are EQ vets, GOOD NEWS (maybe, i guess depending on how you look at it) you level MUCH MUCH faster now. Most reports are couple weeks to 60.. so its more like that "other" game everybody seems to play. Its still not as "FAST", but thats ok. Mana and HP's regen MUCH faster after battles and overall its just quicker.

POK: Plane of Knowledge was just new when i quit and was the place to be.. not anymore.. it has maybe 30-60 people nowdays. Seems guildhalls are the stuff (buffs donet degrade while in them) and place to "chit chat" and such nowdays.. I personally see this as a negative, it encourages people to stick with a Guild and not interact with others...but... who knows... maybe its better.

tradeskills: been told they are all worthelss except Reserch now.. and sad as that sounds, it looks like its easier nowdays.. In fact the mobs seem to drop nothing but tradeskill items.. really makes looting some work now. I have no idea if im junking a worthwhile object or not. And there is so much NO DROP NO TRADE stuff that i have no idea what its for. You can fill all your backpacks on 5-10 kills nowdays.. i can rember killing cats for pristine hides for hours.. now they drop 5 hides a kill (no not all pristine).

Chat channels: pretty dead.. I'm assuming people are basicly all in guilds nowdasy and dont "barrens chat" like ti used to be... Cant say good or bad for getting help in chat. sometimes i get help, sometimes i dont when asking questions. The old days it was hard to sort through all the answers, nowdays its nice to get one, but you dont everytime.

Overall my "return" has been far more posative then I would have guessed. Once i got past the tutorial and did a few Old world quests (tasks?) a bit of the shine rubed off.. most Tasks have you running for HOURS for a few plat. So I settled into the old grind. Again the luster dulled a bit, but i still found myslef (much like the old days) wanting to kill just one more. I was suprised when i went from 12 to 14 in about an hour.

I would say an oldschool EQ players should revist.. $2.50 is a pretty good price for a 30days (new account) and if it hits your fancy anothe $2.50 will reacitvate the old one with all but the latest (brand new) expansion pack.

Download on steam took me about 4 hours total (10 gigs rouhgly).

 

[Dumac]

The grind: we all remeber it if we are EQ vets, GOOD NEWS (maybe, i guess depending on how you look at it) you level MUCH MUCH faster now. Most reports are couple weeks to 60.. so its more like that "other" game everybody seems to play. Its still not as "FAST", but thats ok. Mana and HP's regen MUCH faster after battles and overall its just quicker.

The long time it took to level was one of my favorite parts of EQ, and, conversely, one of my least favorite parts of WoW. So, for me, that isn't good news.

Basically, they made EQ a lot easier all around to entice a different audience.

I don't really care for it.

 

[clok1966]

The long time it took to level was one of my favorite parts of EQ, and, conversely, one of my least favorite parts of WoW. So, for me, that isn't good news.

Basically, they made EQ a lot easier all around to entice a different audience.

I don't really care for it.

Well i can honestly say its not FAST in any way yet, its just alot faster then it was. I was still OOM after a couple fights, I still had to sit with nothing to do for a time (still longer then i would like) after battles. I do agree EQ made you earn it, and it felt like you did. But I think the changes right now are ok. Again, its still not fast by any stretch, but its faster. I could go from 1 to 60 in oldschool EQ in a month of playing (not gametime) I would say they have shaved 1/4 to 1/2 of that time off. Sitting for 5-10 minutes medding just isnt any fun. In groups it was good for chit chat, very good in fact, but when you play with people all the time even chit chat gets old. I think they have about the right balance right now. I see somebody has a video out of 1-80 in (cough, cough) that other game in 1 day played time.. 24 hours!, and it was 100% legit (or the video seems to support that it is).. (admitidly with support from other players). No way your doing that in EQ.

If you liked EQ... like i say $2.50 is pretty small price to check it out.. Price of one of those Cup of "way to expensive" coffee's.... I would still recomend checking it out.. its STILL EQ, so most of the bad is still there, and most of the good too!

 

[Markbnj]

I agree to a certain extent. It's hard to express how (this will sound lame) "magical" my first months playing EQ 1 were. Call it newbie daze/days, but it was different from any other MMO I've played. There was always something new to discover. It was you and your friends against the unkown, brutal, world that either tore you to shreds or gave you that magical, rare drop. People met their spouses on EQ. People lost jobs and marriages over EQ. You could never be powerful enough, but always wondered what the next group or raid might bring you. Your reputation meant everything- lose it and you might as well delete.
Nothing I've played since then, has given me close to that feeling playing EQ.

I had fun playing guild wars and age of conan pve. I'm looking forward to guild wars 2 quit alot, but nothing will compare to my first year or so playing EQ.

It absolutely was magical, in lots of ways. Look, if you're into fantasy and susceptible to immersion in a multi-volume novel then it's ok in my book to admit you become immersed in games as well. I never played an MMO to compete with other humans, or get the best gear and finish the biggest raids with the most people. I got into MMOs because it was just so cool to log in and enter a world of darkness and danger, and light and beauty (ok, for the graphics at the time it was beautiful).

I remember clear as a bell the first time I logged in. I popped in right outside the gate to Felwithe in the northern Faydark. Somehow I got an initial quest that required me to go to Kelethin and talk to someone. I had no idea where it was. It was night, and dark as hell. Stuff was moving around making noise in the woods. I had no weapons to speak of. I ended up getting a guide to take me, and older player, and as we ran down the path there were orcs moving around in the woods, and other animals that you could hear but barely see. When we arrived at Kelethin and I saw it was a city of platforms in the trees it was very cool.

Other than DAoC I haven't ever once been frightened for my character in a game since. The prospect of your party wiping in Lower Guk near the Frog King... was horrible. Today it would prompt a chorus of howls from the players. But it was thrilling. I remember on one occasion I lagged off the ramp between ships and found myself in the middle of the ocean, nothing in sight, dangerous predators in the water, and all my best stuff on me. I had people sending me tells for an hour directing me which way to swim according to the map coordinates.

Even at the time, facing the prospect of losing my corpse in mid-ocean, I was having a blast.

 

[laezyre]

I've spent some time recently reading the forum of project 1999, the eq emulater. It's all about classic EQ. It's the first release, no expansions for 6 months or so. The newbie zones are busy. You don't have to worry about catching up on 15 expansions. At this point in time, it's the only place to experience EQ like it was back in 1999.
I'm not wasting my time on the $2.50 EQ thing. It's not at all like 1999. I bought the $40 EQ titanium on ebay the other day. I"ll let you know what I think in a few days.

 

[clok1966]

I'm not wasting my time on the $2.50 EQ thing. It's not at all like 1999. I bought the $40 EQ titanium on ebay the other day. I"ll let you know what I think in a few days.

Well I dont think the magic can be recaptured myself. "new" eq is still far to slow IMHO. Spending 10 minutes after every battle isnt fun, I'm not sure how anybody can say it was. I mentioned before its fun to BS a bit when your sitting, but I still think its too long. If you havent played anything new, then yes.. "old" eq might be the place to be. But its pretty hard to argue with games who have replaced "sitting" with "playing". Eq had alot of stuff correct, EPIC raid mobs, EPIC quests for EPICS, HUGE world, none cookie cutter classes that couldnt be replaced willy nilly. Equipment didnt make the player, but it helped the player. Fights could and where scarry as you had some investment in your player so DEATH was something you strived to avoid.

To me the "new" eq has some really good "new" stuff.... Less sitting (as in doing NOTHING). All the skills still take forever to skill, so you have to work. And yes, you are correct some bad stuff. "New" eq levels to fast, you will never learn every nook and cranny of the zones as you try to figure a better spot to hunt. To much crap in the loot, killing puma's and i was getting 6 pieces of stuff, I assume most was vendor trash, but I know some was for tradeskills. EQ never had enouhg bagspace (excellent design, made me think about loot) but now.... wow.. having Six 8 slot bags and i have something in every slot after 5-6 kills.

I guess the old school will enjoy the "old" eq, and really nothing wrong with that. If i could recapture that feel (alpha and beta and launch day player, lasted 6 years) I would in a heartbeat. But the old saying "you can never go home" is true. We have (well I would guess, most have) played alot of the games that came after, Old school EQ was flawed, many games have found ways to fix the flaws (and introduce more flaws).

Agree or disagree, EQ WAS the game, the feeling, the wonder, the exploration, your first cool drop. Never felt that feeling again in a MMORPG, and I'm sure I never will. SO I do understand the want to go back.. but once there... I couldnt stay (eq1999), if ya can, then the feeling must be back for you, and that is a good thing!

 

[Feneant2]

Is the game still 15$ a month? I would consider playing if it was less but not at the same pricepoint of all the new games. Even though it has lots more content, it has a lower player base and terrible graphics now.

One thing stopping me from going back is that my playtime would be a couple of hours a week and I'd never get anything done. I wish other games would do like Eq and allow you to recruit an NPC to fight for you. They are faster but alone it's very slow going unless you pickup group the way through. It's also pointless to try to make friends to group with unless you play the same time. I remember in Everquest 2 when I was playing a new toon, I would see folks I'd group with having gained 5 levels for each I gained so they were in their 60s and I was not even 20 yet. That's been the downside of MMORPGs for years in my opinion, everyone has to rush to the end. Then you end up in a game like WoW where you can reach 80 in a week and still have no clue what the hell you're doing.

It's too bad crafting is ruined, it's what I'd have liked to do. I remember playing on Firiona Vie and making hundreds of thousands of platinums buying and reselling items in the market since everything was tradeable. That was probably the most fun I'd had playing Eq1 actually. Hell, when I'd quit (the game was still popular), I sold all the platinum I'd saved for 500$ (Which had amounted to me earning about 0.25$ an hour ).

 

[clok1966]

Is the game still 15$ a month? I would consider playing if it was less but not at the same pricepoint of all the new games. Even though it has lots more content, it has a lower player base and terrible graphics now.

One thing stopping me from going back is that my playtime would be a couple of hours a week and I'd never get anything done. I wish other games would do like Eq and allow you to recruit an NPC to fight for you. They are faster but alone it's very slow going unless you pickup group the way through. It's also pointless to try to make friends to group with unless you play the same time. I remember in Everquest 2 when I was playing a new toon, I would see folks I'd group with having gained 5 levels for each I gained so they were in their 60s and I was not even 20 yet. That's been the downside of MMORPGs for years in my opinion, everyone has to rush to the end. Then you end up in a game like WoW where you can reach 80 in a week and still have no clue what the hell you're doing.

It's too bad crafting is ruined, it's what I'd have liked to do. I remember playing on Firiona Vie and making hundreds of thousands of platinums buying and reselling items in the market since everything was tradeable. That was probably the most fun I'd had playing Eq1 actually. Hell, when I'd quit (the game was still popular), I sold all the platinum I'd saved for 500$ (Which had amounted to me earning about 0.25$ an hour ).

Still $15 a month yes, player base is small, no doubt. Graphics are not that bad, but yep, not up to a game today (but man it is 10 years old, and maybe 7 years since it had a graphic update)its the game, not the look Couple hours a week will get stuff done now. they have speeded up leveling (its not the 1 to 60 in a few hours like the "otehr" one, but its LOTS faster).
No reason to play it unless you enjoyed it, its faster to level, alot of the "ugly" stuff has been redesigned, still not a spoon feed experiance, still takes time, still has a death penlty that matters, still takes osme thought when you pull.

I'm still mixed on it at the moment. Still a bit to long in leveling for me.. but the "old days" so ring back when playing it and I am enjoying it enouhg I have been in every night since i bought the $2.50 steam pack..

 

[jdwright]

Well, I decided to check out project 1999. Dug out the old EQ Titanium and loaded it up. Everything is working nicely after following the setup instructions closely.

I have to say that I'm almost goofy about getting in and playing my new toon. Grabbed a buddy who has never played EQ before and we're headed in to partner (Druid/Warrior) and enjoy the early play that make up so many of my best EQ memories. First magic weapon to whack wisps, perilous travel, crushbone, blackburrow, polished granite tomahawk (no way). That first trip to High Hold Pass will be sweet =).

My first experience upon entering?

Sit down to scribe my 2 starter spells outside Qeynos front gate. About to place minor healing in the second book slot when Fippy Darkpaw whacks me and I drop it on the ground in the fray. Never found it. LOL

I felt the familiar cringe that I hadn't felt for years, but it passed when I realized that that is what made the game so compelling - anything can happen, prepare for it or feel the ruthlessness that is EQ. Maybe I'll start a guy in Kelethin.

I think I have my feet under me with the controls again now, but I'm sure it won't be long before I get another dose of cringe, but you never know when a skele will drop a cracked staff and make it all worth it =)

 

[laezyre]

Jd,

The waiting is killing me. My EQ titanium is in the mail for several days now. The project 1999 population is rising steadily. Your post made me even more impatient! I keep going back and forth about what class to start. Should I play a melee like before, or try a caster since they rule in classic EQ. I can't wait for my first log in after 9 years =)

 

[jdwright]

The waiting is killing me. My EQ titanium is in the mail for several days now. The project 1999 population is rising steadily. Your post made me even more impatient! I keep going back and forth about what class to start. Should I play a melee like before, or try a caster since they rule in classic EQ. I can't wait for my first log in after 9 years =)

I hope it arrives soon =).

I find myself taking a completely different attitude this time around. I'm trying a class that I have no experience with and I have a new appreciation for all the details. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to enjoy the experience a bit more this time instead of racing to be the biggest/badest around.

It's been a long time for me, too. PM me with your char name and I'll send you a tell in game =)