EQ2 a review

[OldnBold]

I have to declare here that I am not a fan of SOE in any form .. five years of EQlive has weaned me from any thoughts about starting an SOE fan club.

I post this review not because it has a negative slant but because I actually thing the reviewer has done a good summary of the game in BETA.

Yes this game is in beta so things can change. I wish all of you well who chose to sail in EQ2:

http://tinyurl.com/6f72k

[OldnBold]

Oh and here the arch-devil Smedley's take:

http://tinyurl.com/3w4wb

[Twiz]

Thanks for that oldnbold...I quit reading hers after she listed the druid spells 1-19 and conveniently "forgot" to eliminate the ones that were just stronger versions of a previous spell...which tells me her review was going to be biased. Well and her complaining she didn't get the same druid spells that a druid gets in EQ1.

I had already read the one from the Smedley a bit back.

Shrug...just another reviewer who thinks EQ2 is supposed to be EQ1 with better graphics when it has been repeatedly said it will NOT be that. I will make my decisions after I play the game...

[OldnBold]

Fair enough Twiz .. did you note what hardware she was running?

[Twiz]

Sure did...I run an FX-53 with a 5950ultra 256 and I STILL can't run Asheron's Call 2, although everyone insists it must be my machine...but I can run everything else...so very possible it's her machine if my Asheron's Call 2 problems are my machine...

Check the eq2 forums...new post about things almost negating what she wrote (ie, real changes to the game), which is what beta is all about...

I really don't want to sound like a fanboi, because I am very critical about computer games, but until a game is commercially released, it is always up for changes...well, at least until it goes gold...

[Bayle]

i read quite a bit of her review, and i have to agree, it is a bit biased. everyone can read the same books, but get their own take on it, thats just how we percieve things, which is limited to our minds. in her case i honestly sense prejudice. (eq1 vs eq2 arguments) i enter into this game with this in mind, its not eq1, i want to enjoy the game as much as possible, and betas are designed to allow designers to learn from reviews, if theyre smart anyhow.

alot of the arguments she makes might be valid, but some gripes are avoidable, if you know griffons are bugged, dont ride one? i want to explore myself, but if i am running late for a meeting with someone, i may ride one, but for the game is the experience of exploring, and just taking time to smell the flowers.

i still value the review, as it offers a negative to compare the glowing ones to. it also shows that the beta didnt impress everyone.

thanks for posting it man, now if it the game turns bad, i can say i was warned, hehe.

[OldnBold]

Originally Posted by Twiz

I really don't want to sound like a fanboi, because I am very critical about computer games, but until a game is commercially released, it is always up for changes...well, at least until it goes gold...

Even then it is up for change as in EQlive being patched in a major way for DX9 ... interesting to see what goes gold ... they are in a race with WoW.

[Twiz]

Originally Posted by OldnBold

Even then it is up for change as in EQlive being patched in a major way for DX9 ... interesting to see what goes gold ... they are in a race with WoW.

First, here is the link to the changes being implemented now...

http://eq2vault.ign.com/fullstory.php?id=2648

Followed by my debate...

Well...when they upgrade to DX9, they do have to make it work with it ..that aside, I disagree with second comment as I see them as games for two completely different audiences...a lot of us don't like PvP or RvR which is what I see WoW as...fast leveling so you can get into PvP sooner (keep in mind I have given it high marks in stability since the stress test, and will likely play in the open beta, so not trying to dismiss it in anyway). I see EQ2 shooting for the audience that likes to play RPGs with the time and effort that goes in to making your character stronger, exploring, and generally being a social kind of game, without worrying too much about griefers...which is what I think RPGs is about...interaction...not necessarily grouping all the time, but in-depth interaction with the world around you, learning the lore, etc...in the end it may just be we like different types of games. Or it could be, that other than the atrocious SWG launch, I have never really had any issues with SOE...well, except they seem to think SWG = how many Jedi can we squeeze into the universe...

[OldnBold]

Interesting m8

Just a couple of points on your synopsis.

1. EQlive as they call it now started exactly the same way as EQ2. Trade skills, quests, roleplaying etc etc etc. Admittedly it did not have all the bells and whistles of the current graphics subset but Kunark was cool. You could roleplay to your heart's content. Take your time with tradeskills etc ... than came the expansions (SOE money grab but who can blame them they are a commercial enterprise).

2. With the expansions came another driver ... the dumbing down of the game to attract more people. No longer could you go invis into zones like Great Divide ... risking life and limb metaphorically of course to get your tooth which enabled unbridled access to the zone. They just opened it up for everyone.

3. With the expansions came a different type of player ... the hard charging level at all costs. The game changed but continued to grow.

4. Further expansions added half finished and buggy as hell, including the infamous GoD expansion (Gates of Destiny) which added mobs that were five lvls above the players, a class the Berserker which is still broken today (I know I have one) and content that is only playable by the highest lvls of the game.

5. The latest expansion OoW (Omens of War) added more top lvl content, a starting area for newbies similar to the ship type thing in EQ2 and not a lot else.

6. The hard charging players started to leave after the debacle of the GoD expansion and that is when SOE called a summit to try to set things right. Mr Smedley said they recognised that the majority of players were lvl 50, they still made the next expanion for lvl 65+, he said they needed to communicate more with the player base, has not happened, he said the SOE cared about it's gamers, has not happened.

So I do wish you well all who sail in EQ2.

My prediction is that EQ2 will go the way of EQlive for one simple reason MMORPGs that rely on roleplay die. They will make it into an FPS hybrid, as they did with EQlive ... they have to to make it commercial. WoW will keep them honest and I believe beat them in the end purely and simply because they will have the numbers. You cannot put such a large chunk of the audience offside as they have done with EQlive.

None ... repeat not one of my fellow guildies in EQlive are going to EQ2 .. they are going to WoW. Purely and simply baecuse of the way they have been treated in the game. The last seven months has just been the icing on the cake.

I really hate SOE in case you didn't realise that.

[RedMan]

Would be interesting to see SOE structure.
Its a bit harsh to judge a developement team based on other developers histories.

I've played Planetside which is ran completely by SOE and it hasn't been that bad at all. I was very pleased with the experience.

SWG another completely different experience. A different developement team and game manager.

Then there is EQLive, some expansions I belive were developed by outside companies. That comes down to I suppose resources available and trying to run a game, not so much money grabbing I think. Though I don't know the full history behind EQLive.

Each seperate game should be judged by its merits. I'll probably tend more towards WoW, mainly because from what I've seen it'll have an 'Australian Market'. SOE I think only tends to look to other countries if it promotes a release there, it might sell its games overseas on shelf, but its focus is only on countries where the servers are.

That was a killer for SWG for me. And don't wanna get caught in that with EQII. Otherwise, probably would've headed for it. I'll wait for the reviews in the end though. And the focus on other countries might be different between teams.