Thursday, June 29, 2006

EQ Progression








EQlive and the new progressive servers were a quick hit as with most new servers I’ve joined. There were tons of newbs and then there were even more returning vets like me who were really newbs. If you think you remember EQ1 think again and then rethink everything you just thought.

I started a few different newbs just to get the hang of messing around in the old stomping grounds of Felwithe, Kelethin, and Halas. It took me hours just to get the hang of the way EQ1 runs again and that in and of itself was a blast. I’ve yet to figure out how to create hot keys since they way I use to do, have totally changed. One good change is that you can open more hotkey banks unlike just the original 10. There is also an option EQ button for options that didn’t use to exist, this is still somewhat confusing. There is a Quest book sort of and I headed off to do some old quests and they didn’t show up in the book so I’m still unfamiliar as to how the quest book works. Though the turn in of Quests are the old way I enjoy vs. the EQ2 way of auto updates you actually have to collect the said items in your inventory and trade them over to the NPC. Yes granted EQ2’s auto update fulfill the bottle necking of some quests it’s just not as immersive in the sense of accomplishment.

As far as the upgrades to NPC’s they are nice, I seen a treant type creature in Faydark that would fit very well in EQ2 much less EQlive. The orcs are a lot less blockier and the Bats, wolfs, skellys are more to my liking then they were even just 3 years ago. Though the old SOL graphics are just something I’ll have to get over if I continue to peruse the land of Norath in the original Everquest. The character models jump less heartily and run more or less the way I remember, like an invalid on crack but I Love it… and hey EQ was never about the graphics and more about the adventures and community now wasn’t it?

Through my 4 hour extent of play time I did have to say it was very adequate in fun and intrigue even though I still know my way around I’m very curious as to the world around me. I really hit me when I found out my old swamp as a Froglok has turned into the Rathe Mt. which was a huge surprise to me and one I wasn’t to happy with since I really don’t know the lore behind EQ1 (Can’t play Frogloks on the Prog servers, I logged an old character on my account) . Though in EQ2 the lore said they hide very deep inside Guk in order to escape those who pursed to destroy them. So I’m unsure how they are stuck in Rathe or if it’s just a lead up to the future of Norath pre-Luclin explosion. (Now that would be an Expansion to see)

Overall I believe this to have the makings of a neat idea server and only time will tell if it’s a real hit. To bad the Elitist out there will activate the POK books and screw over Norath once again. Ahh! The joy of no insta-travel and not even ports at the present, the joy of no bells in the Harbors of EQ2, the joy of knowing what’s out there can actually harm you to the point of frustration….. I believe that’s the biggest selling points of these servers is that every one has to earn their rights and there is no bazaar to even sell shizza …. Old school baby, but for how long?

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