First Bonus XP Weekend Leveling Opinion

Leveling in EQ2 clearly takes more time than it does in WOW.  Even with the bonus XP gain of 150%, I only dinged 3 levels this weekend – now level 17.  I really wanted to end the weekend at level 20 and finish the other five minimum next weekend.  Doing so, would leave me just two levels short of the character and content I left on Nagafen.

Conversely, trade skills zoom by at the speed of light.  I think I logged off at level 13.  I decided to stick with my favorite which to date is Provisioner.  I might do a trade only alt later for carpentry which I enjoyed too.  I don’t think I have the patience or interest in the other trades where I’d have to make many items that would be of no use to me and that will sell really low at auction, just to skill up.  I’ve had enough of that doing WOW professions.  The scribe profession, although advantageous and lucrative in the higher levels, smacks too much of the pain and cost of leveling an Enchanter.  Something I’ve been ignorant enough to do twice!  And the EQ2 version of Alchemy doesn’t have the same potency of WOW – must have items.  I’ve yet to bother with potions in the game.  Just seems like a luxury item that I can avoid while leveling.  Perhaps they are needed in raids, but really not so much for leveling.

In general, it was a fun few days questing and grinding.  I picked up lots of quests and completed the ones that I felt I could stomach. If I happened upon a mob that dinged a quest objective, sweet deal and I kept killing those things.  Every few hours I gleaned the list to remove things I wasn’t going to work on or to remove things that I hadn’t progressed with yet.  Surely not the most efficient but was a method but it was what I was comfortable using.

So far the zones are almost as busy as they were when the Fae were first released which is an excellent sign for the game.  At least in the below 20 zones there were always other Fae around questing and harvesting.  The only time I was alone for any length of time was in the Commonlands which is still preferred for harvesting that tier of nodes versus GF.  Qeynos was about as empty as usual with the exception of a few locations where players were gathering.  I’m not sure if they were there for holiday events or raids.  Some people had pumpkin heads on but I was too busy to stop and ask why they were all hanging around.

GF is being frequented by races other than just the Fae it seems. I saw a wide variety of races hanging at the auction house, bank and acorn lifts.  This also helps to keep the zone feeling active.  And though the crowds don’t approach anything akin to WOW’s major cities, it certainly doesn’t feel dead, which was one of my complaints when I tried EQ2 pre EOF.

Here a few things that I’ve noticed – some good, some not:

Not So Good

• Barren’s like chat in general channels that rivals even the stupidest conversations on WOW – found this surprising on a role-playing server.  30-minute commentaries on the assertion that “most lesbians are hot”, wasn’t something I expected to encounter.  I think EQ2 is becoming less high-brow than it used to be. *shrug*
• Combat casts have slowed – I don’t recall having times when all of my primary casts were on cool down during combat, leaving me with nothing I can cast.  I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the ZOMG-nerf-because-it’s-OP-in-PVP short bus has been making a tour in EQ2.  I’ve played through this much content four times with a casting class and never had this issue before.
• You won’t upgrade your gear quick enough if you don’t hit the major quest lines – I was level 12 and hadn’t upgraded my robes yet.  I was buying small upgrades to fill in the gaps but the robes were out of my pocketbook range.  I was able to correct that problem after I went on a harvest tour and happened across a few rare items which I eventually sold for 30g or so.  That nice little pocket change let me upgrade my robe, jewelry, all of my secondary spells to Apprentice IV and my primary spells to Adept I.  This is not so much a bad thing.  I mean, hey – they expect you to be doing quests.  I’m okay with that, I'm just not going to do it, if I don’t want to do it. *Smile*  I’ll roll as though this is an alt and pay my way to gear whenever it becomes necessary.

Very Good

• Teleportation thingies – don’t know where they go and was pretty sure I was too low to go for a safe visit, so I didn’t try them, but they looked hella cool.
• Borrowed mounts!!!!! – I’m not sure if EQ2 put this in before LOTRO but being able to borrow a mount to cut down the travel time is awesome.  Once you’ve uncovered the routes yourself on foot – ala gryphons in WOW, you can use a land mount to travel along a predefined path.  The mount isn’t under your control but who cares; it saves a lot of time running back and forth.  I think they’re free too.  I don’t remember seeing any noticeable debiting of my funds.
• Deities more closely integrated – Although I didn’t look into yet, I saw Deity representatives all over Kelethin.  I think this will make it easier and more obvious to new players that they exist.
• Improved item information – items that can be used in crafting have enhanced tool tips so new players realize that they might want to keep those items.  It even lists which level of recipes the items would be used in.  This is extremely helpful in the beginning when you have very little inventory, bank or vault space, as bags, trunks, boxes, etc., are still a bit pricey for the newly rolled.  Similarly, the items that can be turned in for reputation (sorry I know that isn’t what EQ2 calls it but the word escapes me) are also clearly marked now.

I’m definitely sticking around for a while.  I will be here until WAR.  Not so sure anymore that I’ll even return to WOW for WotLK, unless the zones are an amazing must see journey.  I don't know if I can make the leveling trek again knowing where I'm going to land at the end.  Yeah, yeah, I said that last time but how could you resist the first expansion?  If the new zones prove to be a must see, then I'll warm up the Druid or perhaps skip along with my Priest.  Until then you can find me as Alysianah on Antonia Bayle.  Drop me a line if you're on there.  Hoping Star sends along a guild invite. *hint*

Comments

[Romagoth]

Quote “most lesbians are hot”.....LOL at that one. Are you sure you weren't playing WoW by mistake? BTW, they are probably talking about the movies, because in real life I have not seen too many "hot" lesbians. In any case, I became rather tired of those type of conversations in Wow, it was one of the reasons I quit. That, and the "Republicans are better than Democrats" arguments or "We should not be in Iraq" conversations. There are many others, but I will spare you. I am glad you are enjoying EQ2, I have decided to bypass it at this point and wait until AOC comes out next year. I know you said you aren't into it, but I stumbled across a short interview in regards to the Dark Templar class and it seems pretty cool (here is the link for anyone interested): http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/13988

It seems like a cool game so far, but we will see. I have nothing to lose if it sucks, and a lot to gain if it is good, right? As for WoW WOTLK next November, I am not sure right now if I will play that one either. Like you, I know what waits for me at the end of another ten levels, and it does not excite me. I will reserve judgment for when I see what it looks like. Does anyone know of any other MMO's coming out in the next six months or so?

[Saylah]

@Roma... I'm done with the pre-release hype machines - game cancellations and perpetual delays have soured me on them for now. The only game I know I must try is WAR. Unless information comes out of the final beta that it's pure crap, me trying WAR is a given.

As for the others like AOC, it's a wait and see game. Not looking at classes or anything until these other games actually release and the player feedback is good.

[stargrace]

Sweet got a character name! My power's been out all of today so I haven't been around, but now that it's all taken care of, I should be hunting you down shortly *grins and cackles*

[Mottster]

Actually, I've been looking at PotBS which is scheduled for release in January 08. Being someone who has been around the MMO block, I think it looks like it could a bit different. Haven't been able to get into the closed BETA to check it out myself.

Short of that, I don't see any other real quality options upcoming for MMO playing.

[Saylah]

@Star - found and happy for it. Thanks for the speedy guild invite!

@Mott - I would have like the idea of PotBS except that you can't board each other's boats and the PVE combat looked a little awkward. I agree that with the lack of anything of interest for the rest of the year. Hence, my return to EQ2.

[Mottster]

@Saylah - How is the leveling in EQ2 now? Back when it first came out I made it to Level 20 and then it was all grouping from there on out. I've heard that there is alot more solo content, any comments?

Well, maybe once the game is released they'll look at adding that functionality to allow you to board other peoples boats. Since I haven't been able to be in any of the beta testing can't really comment on the PVE combat action.

But, I've probably played the last of WoW.

[Saylah]

One thing you'll notice if you're a Fae is a lot more groups in the lower zones versus the older starting areas. For this reason you'll see players of different races leveling in Greater Faydwer.

Can't say if there is more or less solo content. But I've soloed thus far and I'm level 22. However, I tend to choose classes that can solo as it's my primary play style anyway. The Illusionist is really good for this purpose.

The leveling curve is steeper than WOW but I'm not in a hurry to get to the end, so that doesn't matter so much.