All Posts by Elikal

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Originally posted by Samuraisword
I recommend waiting. Too many unsubstantiated claims are being made.

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I once would never have expected to say this - once enjoying WOW myself. Blizzard is a greedy, arrogant, self-righteous company. Mind ya, this has nothing to do how I like or not like WOW. It's just about the company. They are not communicative and top arrogant.

All this moral crusades and self-righteous folks complaining about this and that which should be banned. I see that drawn out all too easy by every kid whining that someone else is playing in another way, for other goals or whatever. Ya ya, its all in the EULA... bla bla bla. I could not care less. Rules are... well set by ppl who have the power the set them, they make things not good and bad in itself, they don't take our human, individual duty away to THINK and judge for ourselves what is REALLY right and wrong.

Just take gold farming: I think a majority of people here would always defend the so called free market in real life, they believe in the right of every person to do as job whatever he/she wants (unless its not killing or robbing). Most people defend the system of the market, of demand and supply, of free trade of all legal goods, or in other words: we believe in capitalism. The opposite, socialism, controlled market just a decade or so ago fell. We have SEEN where a controlled market leads to: it doesn't function.

So, WHAT are chinese gold farmers do other than finally follow those American values of free market and capitalism? What is in demand has a market. USA advocates to free the market in other nations, US government always complains against nations who close their markets to US products and US corporations. Naturally only as long as the idea works for the BENEFIT of USA. As soon as some French or Chinese or whatever nation DARES to buy holy American corporations (as happend in game industry) all those free market advocates in US suddenly cry out "that wasnt what we wanted with free market". I am sick of this bigotry, this pharisean self-righteousness. Either free market is right or not, for all or no one, everywhere or nowhere.

Now dont DARE to come with "oohh, but gold farming so has ruined the prices" Goddamn, I KNOW it has, I suffer from it as much as anyone. But look out: thats whats going on in RL economy everywhere. That is the result of the ideals we stood for: that free demand and supply balances out in the long run. Things get expensive or cheap by the same simple, unbreakable laws of economy, in games and out of them. WHAT is REALLY disturbing the market is that in every MMO there is a part NOT free market. (Take mounts, usually sold by set prices.) If you give all items to free market in a game, it WOULD balance out. In SWG for example, where housing and mounts are crafted, there is inflation, yes. BUT: while everything is more expensive in numbers, everyone is richer in credits, so the result is, the value of things has NOT risen. In a partially controlled economy like WOW or EQ2 however this free flow is mainly disturbed by "money sinks", who are controlled prices, which essentially is socialism.

YOU kept telling the world, that finding a market niche and exploiting it to the max is good and drives the world, NOW dont the heck complain if the world finally DOES that.

Call me old fashioned, but I really prefer the monthly subsription. No back doors, no details, just pay 15 bucks and off you go and at the end of the month you know exactly how much you have left to fill your refrigator with.

"By my size you judge me, do you? But where you should not!"

Well, I can't chime in into this. Size does NOT matter. On the contrary, if anything all I hear about the size has made me more sceptical than any other detail hear about Vanguard. I just can hardly imagine a huge world as this can be really filled with enough fun (in the broadest sense) to be good. What good does it do, if 20 of the 24 gig are boring, empty landscape, having 20 gig I never use, besides the we-have-no-fast-travel-system-ride-8-hours 20 gig screensaver?`

Really, games are about fun and content and story. At least last time I checked. So whats all that fuzz about the size? Is a Whopper a better menu than real food because of the size?

No, that makes me suspicious - more than any other detail I hear about this game. There is no friggin way ppl can programm 24 gigs of game and they are all fun. And besides, I understand things are always geting bigger and more demanding, but the pace has clearly accelerated and at some point it just skips to be consumer friendly. The hardware demands of recent RPG for example are by NO WAY justified by what I see and get (Take Neverwinter Nights 2, Gothic 3 as examples for that.)

So, enlighten me, for what is it used? 20 hours intro video? 50000 NPCs with long dialogues? 300 settings of textures to chose?

Well, its Archlord, Anarchy Online (anyone still plays that!?) D&D and that dubious Maple Story... I don't trust free MMOs. Never played one, but there must be a hook. What is supposed to be free usually costs the most.

Maybe its just desperation of those companies. I wonder when we get a Dark and Light ad, heh.

No offense MMORPG, its ok, the site is free and up because of that. T'was just a small rant. :P

IF I play VSoH (not sure yet) it's what I always have: much coffee and 1-2 big pipes smoking. ^^

I don't really eat anything while playing. Rarely.

I know; ppl who know me and know how many hours a day I play MMOs keep telling me I'll probably die while playing an MMO - but hell, what better way to die when your high end char dies? Quite a new definition of Permadeath. >:D

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Originally posted by boognish75

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Originally posted by Elikal

Well I guess I am kinda spoilt. I played EQ2 since day 1 and recall how the zones where full with ppl. I levelled with the masses and whereever I was the majority was. And while WOW wasnt my kind of game, they have LOTS of players, and you see it. Most zones always have ppl running around at every possible time. I was riding thru Ant & CL and it was quite empty - ok it was early afternoon, but still.

IMO EQ2 now is maybe a bit too solo-friendly. I solo regularly myself, but I had some eye openers. I recall there were those Scarecrows you've seen right when you got out of Qeynos, and back then they were Heroic ^^ so you NEEDED to group to defeat them; the result was, it was easy to find a group, because EVERYONE needed one. Now those same scarecrows are simple solo mobs, and naturally everyone does solo them and as a result it is pretty difficult there to find someone to group with you. I admit its difficult, because a lot of ppl have only time for soloing - or not the nerves for grouping, which is ok by me, but the result is a game with 100s of soloers eventually.

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there are 2 scarecrow fields in antonica ones are solo friendly, the other is not solo friendly, the 2nd scvarecrow field by the ts griff tower are heroic, the ones by the nq griff tower in antonica are not heroic.

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Well it's just an example, many mobs and places were made easier. And besides, I did not SAY EQ2 is dieing, I said it felt in some places like it would be dieing, I am not sure, so I wanted opinions of others. I vividly recalled how filled of people Antonica and TS always were, or Blackburrow, so I thought it might be nice to make a Fae and mix with other players in the old zones, only to see those zones where empty in those few times I went in and looked. Yeah in Ant where about 25-30 ppl but 60% were above lv 30 and so obviously bypassers.

Btw how do you properly write "dieing"? It looks kinda wrong (non English here, heh)

So I am looking for opinions and observations. As said, I didnt like WOW, but the starter zones of WOW were always full, even now, when I watch friends roll new characters, Goldshire and Ironforge areas are still crammed with ppl.

Well I guess I am kinda spoilt. I played EQ2 since day 1 and recall how the zones where full with ppl. I levelled with the masses and whereever I was the majority was. And while WOW wasnt my kind of game, they have LOTS of players, and you see it. Most zones always have ppl running around at every possible time. I was riding thru Ant & CL and it was quite empty - ok it was early afternoon, but still.

IMO EQ2 now is maybe a bit too solo-friendly. I solo regularly myself, but I had some eye openers. I recall there were those Scarecrows you've seen right when you got out of Qeynos, and back then they were Heroic ^^ so you NEEDED to group to defeat them; the result was, it was easy to find a group, because EVERYONE needed one. Now those same scarecrows are simple solo mobs, and naturally everyone does solo them and as a result it is pretty difficult there to find someone to group with you. I admit its difficult, because a lot of ppl have only time for soloing - or not the nerves for grouping, which is ok by me, but the result is a game with 100s of soloers eventually.

A grindfest is - in my point of view - any game where you have to grind LONG levels until you get some good rewards and good quests later. MUCH later.

In EQ2 practically every interesting item you get much, much later. Just take the prices for horses and housing, or soon the cloaks (a guild cloak costs 50 plat for a guild to create!) So all I hear is that Vanguard IS catering high level characters just as EQ, EQ2 and the like, so in that way YES it is supposed to be a grindfest unless they have some nice low level surprises they accidentally forgot to advertise about.

It's really a shame, if you have little time because you still have a job, and reaching high levels takes a long time for you, you'll hardly ever see anything nice in most MMOs, and VSoH will be even more in that trend. I never will forget how SOE advertised EQ2 with the new profession hats - only to find out only characters of the highest levels can wear them! >< Not even a toned down hat for 30somethings. I hate moneysinks just as much as timesinks. A game should be about adventures and stories, nothing else.

Well since I was invited into the beta I played EoF a while, after I had closed my EQ2 account some time ago. Most quests above LV45+ or so just got far too longwinded and complicated for me.

Anyway, I'd like to know if some people have hard facts, like subscriber numbers or such, for EQ2 and any serious analysis if EQ2 will grow or die. The addon beta looked really good, I must say, but when I went to my old servers (Antonia Bayle and Crushbone) most of the zones looked as Dead can dance: quite empty. Maybe it was bad timing, but all those places I once knew full of people where a bare and empty of players, like the Qeynos city zones, Blackburrow, Thundering Steppes, really depressing to see.

So, was it a coincidence? How easy/difficult is finding a group when you are not in a power guild, for instance? Especially when starting a new character?

Any impressions or facts?

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Originally posted by Calgore
            This just seems like the same old story rehashed with a few more toys, and people are going crazy for it! It's the same "Step into a realm of magic and mystery with an ever evolving player dependent story. Get magic swords and kill goblins and junk." that I've been reading on the backcovers of boxes for the past decade! These fantasy MMOs seem like a joke, the core of this game is unoriginal, with a few bells added on.

             I am not attacking your game, I am just wondering if it's just me or does this game look like unoriginal grindplay poopsockage with eyecandy and a few new features.

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Well, I think a vast majority of people does want to be told the same stories over and over again, maybe only with a little change here and there. Basically, since Homers Ilias and Odysee all possible human stories were told! Everything afterwards is only retelling the same in a different way. And thats what 99% of games, movies, TV soaps and (gasp) books do. If you want novelty, next time reincarnate in a different species. Maybe that sentient Ocean of Lem has different tales to tell.

Just that you prefer (maybe) Sci-Fi doesnt mean its more original, really. Most really original stories were so strange and exentric that only a very small minority enjoyed them, which would be quite an elitaristic thing.

Stories are always references to the known with a small change and surprise.

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Originally posted by Samuraisword
When you attack a mob and can't hurt it, then you know it's too difficult for you. When a mob kills you, then you know it's way too difficult for you. It's not realistic for mobs to have color tags indicating their level or difficulty compared to you. Vanguard will be realistic and harsh and the strong will survive, the weak will perish and whine, and the women will lament.

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In Germany we once had a political party that was based on this idea. Look at history books to see where this kind if ideal leads to, my friend.

I play to have fun. My RL, work and everything is where I proof myself against mobs without difficulty tags, aka the boss, so in spare time I prefer to have a LITTLE bit more fun, alright?

Thanks for the good info. ^^

Well, I agree, it is good to decelerate combat and make it more strategical, thats good for me too. I just found it a bit too long in the movies. Taking that last newest move with Jedff Butler and Brad M... (what was his name again, well aradune), commenting it (in that tone as if they took sleep pills).

That last fight we see against those Skellies, man it took minutes and minutes! Delving through a Dungeon might take days in that way. I mean, I dont want it as fast as WOW, I really enjoy the idea of a difficult game, but I have work and a family to care for, and well, that looks like the game is only playable by pupils or unemployed with big time. No offense meant, but thats how it looks.

I have seen now several videos and in everyone which showed combat, taking down a single enemy (or a small 2-3 mob) took AGES. I mean, I dont want a MMO to be as fast paced as a shooter, but RPG-style combat, while looking ok, never was stunning enough to watch for such extended times anyway. Any knowlegde if combatting really always takes that long?

Oh and as we are at it: all name tags are red, so there is no con colour as in most MMOs? Do mobs give any hint to their level or difficulty?

Thanks in advance for all folks answering. ^^

Well as far as I know the last beta stage will be "big", whatever that means. It is often called "open beta" by Sigil PR bla bla, because they feel many = all. Still you MAY be unlucky no matter how many "many" is.

As to how to enter it... err... post on the official forums, tell everyone

a) Brad is god

b) you have a high end dual core comp

c) explain in details why VSoH is so great

Ass-Kissing opens many doors. You might not want to look in the mirror after you delved to deep into asses, but hey, you got a beta key then!

I played WOW for a year and EQ2 since day 1, with breaks. Both are good games, but for different needs. I focus on those things I value EQ2 as the better game.

1. Freedom: Each race can play each class. I love that, because some crazy mix exists, and many players roleplay that mix VERY good and convincing. I still recall an Orge Paladin and hell he roleplayed this char SO DAMN good, better than a 100 human Pallys. (Kowtows to that olde AB server Orge Pally. If you played there you know him, heh.) YOU make the character. You have also a great number of ways to customize your appearance, so much less clones than WOW.

2. The new addon, Echoes of Faydwer who comes soon will contain all addons and the original game, so its a good opportunity to start now.

3. The quests are a bit more interesting and give a bit more realm lore IMO. The design makes a more real and less cartoony feel, which I prefer.

4. EQ2 got a much bigger stream of additions and improvements, the devs really work with their game, while Blizzard practically leaves all as it is, so little really new things.

The only thing you have to face is the EQ2 quests are more complex, often you need assisitance, where in WOW a mayority of quests can also be soloed. WOW in that way is "easier" and more solo-friendly quest-wise. You need to put more work into the quests in EQ2 (hence the name, heh).

Those things may or may not apply to your needs, they are the points I personally think of at first. But as others said, make the trial. ^^

I am a NGE victim. I lost all my professions, Creature Handler, Pikeman, Scout. There a