Tuesday, July 27, 2010

EQ2 Extended? Yes Please!

I have always liked Everquest 2, but for one reason or another I just haven't stuck with the game for any real significant amount of time, not like WoW. Hmm, I guess when looking back at the MMO's I have played since the launch of WoW, none have been able to grab me like WoW has. Maybe for short amounts of time....but this is a topic for another post.

I am really excited for EQ2 Extended, I know for a fact that once it goes live I will be playing. From the information that has surfaced today I have already planned on purchasing a silver upgrade, I will probably purchase some if not all classes and races and most likely if needed I will purchase the level cap increase from 80 to 90. Why you might ask? Well it's not that I am a huge EQ2 fan or have a load of money sitting around, but instead it's from the fact that I will have the closest thing to a lifetime sub to EQ2. That's my thinking anyways, things could change once EQIIX goes into beta testing.

When compared to what Turbine is doing with LOTRO, is much more in line with what I would want out of a game without a monthly subscription price. And I have just really grown a small amount of disdane towards LOTRO in general, which is sad cause coming out of beta I was very much looking forward to playing. I have never been keen on the small amount of races and classes in LOTRO. Does it need to be to the excess found in Vanguard or EQ2, not at all. I am not a fan of the combat as well; yes there was a change, but I didn't notice it when playing my Warden, and it felt worse when playing my Champion. And let's not forget about the constant running around from one part of the map to another, or the standard gather/kill/collect quests that are enough to drive one insane. Please remember these are my personal gripes about LOTRO, if you are enjoying the game than by all means continue.

I did get invited to the beta for the new and improved LOTRO, and all I can say is that it's pretty much the same game. If you have been playing and are a lifetime or paying sub, no change for you. But if you are like me and have been playing off and on for ages and had hoped the F2P switch would have something to draw you in, guess what, it doesn't. If you are not a paying subscriber now, then there is nothing that the switch will do to entice you into playing again. That may all sound a bit negative, but for me there is nothing in LOTRO that interests me anymore, and being able to log in for free doesn't change that.

Well that's my little rant on LOTRO and why honestly that last bit could be applied to EQ2 as well. Regardless, August could be a nice month for MMO's; Champions Online getting a big update, City of Heroes Going Rogue launches and then the beta for EQ2X.

9 comments:

Marty Runyon said...

Excellent points. The only people that these F2P conversions help is people how would play if only they didn't have to pay for a subscription. For everyone else who has already made up their minds, they would be paying the sub if they liked the game enough.

Yeebo said...

I will be playing EQ II as soon as these new servers go live. LoTRO is a love it or hate it sort of MMO [I love it, obviously you hate it...and that's not an uncommon reaction], I'm not sure that going FtP will help it a ton.

EQ II on the other hand, is a MMO that I think anyone would find to be at least "OK" if they give it a shot. It's also completely off the radar of most WoW era MMOers. Going FtP will only increase your visibility for the next 6 months to a year (I expect it will become dead common after that), SOE is wise to do it with EQ II now.

I doubt they will do it with their other games real soon, because EQ II is the only one really positioned to attract a mainstream (read: WoW from now until Cataclysm) audience in terms of basic mechanics. Someone fresh out of WoW will be utterly stymied by EQ, Vanguard, or SWG. EQ II, on the other hand, plays very similarly at the lowest levels.

Jayedub said...

@Anjin - My thoughts exactly.

@Yeebo - Believe me, I used to love LOTRO. And you're right, LOTRO and EQ2 will need to release ASAP before Cataclysm launches. I was comptemplating doing the Station Access for maybe a month just to play some EQ2 and Pirates of the Burning Sea, but now I don't have to!

Ardwulf said...

Great post, with good notions all-around. Couple of points:

EQ2X "beta" will basically be launch, and it's coming in August. Right around the corner.

Play EQ2X with us! Our DDO bunch discussed this tonight, and we're going to pick up EQ2X as a second title. This goes for Anjin as well!

Jayedub said...

Thanks for the kind words. So beta is going to be launch, sweet! That means it's just around the corner so I won't have to wait long. I will definitely join your group, it should be quite a lot of fun!

Ardwulf said...

Oh, and Yeebo's invited too!

Ardwulf said...

You folks can apply at ebontribunal.guildportal.com, where I'm going to build up infrastructure in preparation for the launch.

Blue Kae said...

Think you hit the main point on both the LotRO and EQ2 changes, they're not really free to play, they're free to try. Gamewise nothing is changing.

Jayedub said...

Maybe using the word disdane with LOTRO was a bit harsh. It's more like I am just frustrated with some of the game, cause I should love it.