Discussion - New to EQ? What roped you in?

[eqmzr06]

If you are relatively brand new to Everquest (1 year or younger), what enticed you to start playing this late?

For me, I finally got tired of hearing all of my brother's great stories, and decided I wanted to make my own.

 

[Redmonkey]

hmm no new players apparently

 

[vsab]

Surprised there are any. There's so many MMO's out there now.

 

[eqsubi15]

Being part of EQ since the beginning, I've tried many other games and none have ever gave me the same feeling of enjoyment, risk vs reward, etc. that EQ has. This is where it began for me, and this will probably be where it ends

 

[ToppaDop]

I'm not new but it was my first MMO (unless you count Ragnarok Online). I just keep coming back to it no matter how many times I step away. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug.

 

[Redbot]

If you are relatively brand new to Everquest (1 year or younger), what enticed you to start playing this late?

For me, I finally got tired of hearing all of my brother's great stories, and decided I wanted to make my own.

I think you're the only new EQ player in existence

 

[Redfrog]

I'm a 'New Player' just I'm writing this 20 years late I guess...I follwed EQ I beleive during 97 or 98 whever I had first heard of it. I worked at a Computer Sales place and a friend wound up getting beta access..jerk never gave me access until the last week of Beta btw. I played D&D and other Pen and Paper fantasy games as well as computer ones like AOL NeverWinter (I was stil in the ARMY back then), Bard's Tale, Ultima, even some BBS stuff. So Everquest pre release video and what McQauid would talk about in interviwes TOTALLY drew me in ! In some way of hindsight, I was a Roleplayer back in 99...I did not see or even care about game mechanics..if I did think about it, I would have been a raider or MQ'er. I still love what Everquest presents, even as it got smaller in expansion scope, but it still provides so much fun.

My 4 and 5 year old girls love seeing me play EQ.. to the point they are ACTUALLY new players because they like running characters around and doing small stuff in EQ. They even have their own characters. Now I just gotta find some cheap laptops or desktops I can get for them for EQ/School thanks to Covid..

 

[eqmzr06]

I'm not new but it was my first MMO (unless you count Ragnarok Online). I just keep coming back to it no matter how many times I step away. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug.

<gasp> A fellow RO veteran! That was my first MMO, as well. It's, actually, the one I will always return to when I don't have another MMO to keep me company.

 

[ToppaDop]

<gasp> A fellow RO veteran! That was my first MMO, as well. It's, actually, the one I will always return to when I don't have another MMO to keep me company.

Haha - Still remember it very well. I do miss the carnages, the vale, marriage teleport ring and the very first quest (level 10 ice sword). Don't miss pig or horse 3 that much though :P

 

[Arazmus]

Well, I "feel" like a new player. Does that count? My wife and I played EQ for 4 or 5 years back in the day, then switched over to EQ2 when that came out. I've played other MMOs but have always come back to EQ2. I've been following the development of Pantheon and decided to give EQ a try again when they announced the Aradune server. Well, the Aradune launch was such a disaster that my wife and I decided to revisit the Live servers. Then I stumbled across Red Guides. I've dabbled in in multi-boxing before with ISBoxer in other games so I decided to go in whole hog. I haven't played EQ since 2004, but I'm having a blast. It's such an odd mix of nostalgia and "WTF? I don't remember it working like that!" moments. LOL

 

[microscope]

I was new to it in 1999 when the game was new :P It was amazing, a revolution in gaming. And still today it does a lot of stuff you can't get in other games.

 

[wymranar]

I’m going to steal from someone on Reddit and say,

“I have all the stuff I dreamed of when I was growing up, but I still want to be in a dark basement somewhere playing EQ.”

 

[Fueil]

Four years ago, I recruited some of my old guildies from Rift, two of which had never played EQ. I always talked about how exciting and nostalgic EQ was and is. Even when I played Rift, I still logged into EQ.

Anyhow, two of my guildies had never played EQ, so they fired it up and logged in. Within 5 minutes all I hear where complaints regarding the graphics, and you have to examine items to see them?!?! So, I told them it's not about the graphics, the game, community, and the difficulty are the challenge.

I got them all geared out, we were going through some old content, I took them to lower guk (my favorite zone.) They played for about 8 hours in total. They both said, they couldn't get over the graphics, plus the lack of modernization of QoL.

So, I still talk with my guildies from time to time. They ask me what I'm playing, I tell them eq. I get a instantly shocked message of STILL?!?! I just stop asking to play eq, if they want to come into they game, they will on their own. I will help them from their lol!

 

[eqmzr06]

I'm loving all of these responses. Perhaps Redbot is right that I'm like the only true newbie (started 2 months ago). However, regardless of the graphics and lack of modernization, the game's content is still quite fun for me.

 

[Allurex]

Not new 1999 new.. but quit in underfoot came back almost 10 years later.... why one reason The Bard class.... ( the class in general ) but bard mostly I still dreamt of my bard even after 8 years away finally came back joined redguides after I came back now run AL'S COMPANY on luclin.. ( sorry in guild joke there )

 

[Secret Santabot]

I'm loving all of these responses. Perhaps Redbot is right that I'm like the only true newbie (started 2 months ago). However, regardless of the graphics and lack of modernization, the game's content is still quite fun for me.

I believe it is rare for to get new players in it today. Only a small amount of new players find or isboxer. Some of the new players do get scared away from boxing in for a few reasons.

I'm not new to . But what got me in to in 1999-2000 was my dad (I was around 13 back then.). Playing with him on and also getting away from my abusive mom and step dad for a while made it fun for me. When Shadows of Luclin came out i was hooked on Beastlord class and the hot Vah Shir girls. I wish they made a pet command for players to pet Vah Shir players and npcs. Tho if they did they. They might not have fur left on them when I'm done spamming it. lol. I still have fun playing off and on over the many years. Going down the memory lane with it. Remembering the fun stuff dad and the guild we were in did together. But it also brings up a lot of real life bad memories for me. Which makes it hard for me to play at times. Plus the shit SOE (Sony Online entertainment.) did to and Star Wars Galaxies.

 

[methodx]

Played from kunark up until around prophecy of ro, think depths of darkhollow was the last expansion I purchased. So about six years playing 2000 to 2006, started 6 boxing in 2004 but controlling manually. Used mq toward the end but not for running characters as far as i can recall, I don't think the scripts were as well developed back then.

Came back in 2016 for a few months and now again in 2020.

What I find hard to grasp is where did all the time go between 2006 and 2020, what was I doing for 14 years, felt like I spent a big chunk of my life playing EQ and that it was a big part of who I was only for it to feel like nothing now, a short phase that passed, it's weird, think I'm having a mid life crisis.

 

[wired420]

I'm a 'New Player' just I'm writing this 20 years late I guess...I follwed EQ I beleive during 97 or 98 whever I had first heard of it. I worked at a Computer Sales place and a friend wound up getting beta access..jerk never gave me access until the last week of Beta btw. I played D&D and other Pen and Paper fantasy games as well as computer ones like AOL NeverWinter (I was stil in the ARMY back then), Bard's Tale, Ultima, even some BBS stuff. So Everquest pre release video and what McQauid would talk about in interviwes TOTALLY drew me in ! In some way of hindsight, I was a Roleplayer back in 99...I did not see or even care about game mechanics..if I did think about it, I would have been a raider or MQ'er. I still love what Everquest presents, even as it got smaller in expansion scope, but it still provides so much fun.

My 4 and 5 year old girls love seeing me play EQ.. to the point they are ACTUALLY new players because they like running characters around and doing small stuff in EQ. They even have their own characters. Now I just gotta find some cheap laptops or desktops I can get for them for EQ/School thanks to Covid..

I still play Exitilus, Legend of the Red Dragon, and Tradewars 2020 on BBS systems. Lol

 

[Redfrog]

@wired420 I recall LoRD, but not sure about the other two. I used to play a SCI/FI one, which very likely was TradeWars... I want to say I recall playing in MonoChrome and then one day finally upgrading my LoRD to COLOR and it blew my mind to say wow those graphics are SO nice !!

Before I hit Post on this I looked up TradeWars.. yes I did play it..felt a lot like some form of mobile resource game of today but without the fancy graphics.

 

[LamahHerder]

ooooh LORD I forget the mechanic.... but I remember sweet talking some lady (probably a child predator) for a night in the tavern or something in bbs-messages until she gave in and I scored!

 

[Deathredeemer]

I love seeing new players who used to play way back then either start on EMU servers or Live. A lot has changed from back then to now. The most enjoyable aspect is being able to help them now since I am able to either it be with plat, armor, knowledge or buffs.

While the new player community may not be huge, it is still something. Long as we have a community, as we do here at Redguides, I expect to always see new players.