Was just curious how many people that frequent these boards still actually play EQ.

Since the intro of mercs I can't get enough of it hehe.

I played a Rogue, so Mercs would not be enough to allow me to really do much, and my old guild dissolved so no reason to go back (Lost Fires was the only guild I ever tagged with, and no interest in taking up with a new group). Glad some are still having a good time tho', as it was and is still my favorite for the sheer "WOW!" factor of accomplishing things and progressing.

I can't think of anything I'd like to play less than EQ w/ Mercs. If I wanted to play a solo player game, I'd have installed Dragon's Age by now.

I've been playing a mage a ton recently, mostly solo, 99% without a merc or a group. I really only use a merc to buff me and my pet when my buffs wear out.

I mostly only get to play solo because of my scattered play time of a half hour here and there. I have found a mage to be incredibly fun in these short bursts of time I get to play.

I started the mage on September 29th. He's now level 77 with 706 aa (keep in mind I have one account, so no power levelling, though I did get powered through 74-75 because I happened to be grouped with a few guildies and the xp flew.

I am still playing amazingly enough. Not the old Necro that I had originally but a rogue for the past few years.

I still play my necro that I have for many years. Looking forward to the new Underfoot Expansion coming soon. Playing with a bunch of people who played during A.R.s days, in RIP.

Kel- Mercs and soloing are not going to be a big part of Underfoot, its going to be an ass kicking for all.

i was thinking about making my re-re-re-re-re-re-return to EQ with Underfoot.

Still playing my ranger and IB is right....UF is not merc friendly eepppp

Im still playing Immortalis - although he is on The Nameless server now.

What are server populations like now? 100 people, 200...etc? Are there guilds that actually raid and don't hack? I remember when peak hours had over 2k per server.

Heh, 100 people? Our guild and the closest competing guild put together would make 100 most nights. If I had to guess, I'd say probably 700-1000 per server during peak hours.
And most raiding guilds don't hack--after all, hackers don't need large guilds to beat events. The biggest concern these days is a couple of raid events that can semi-legitimately be done solo or with a small group, due to bad design.

I think about it on occasion, but with a 3 month old that runs my schedule the moment I walk in the door being an afk sk isnt me on raids. /longs for the day of the fd sk
/kick its your kind of loot.... lol. Someday once I retire if eq is still around ill be back or I win the lottery thou I think the latter is the more likely case. I just cant play if I cant dump a ton of time into it. its a curse

*hugs* Nekko. Evolone and myself were playing up until October but some in game events which I will not go into turned us off from the game which has now resulted in the sale of both of our accounts :( It was a sad day but hey life goes on.

We are now enjoying Aion for the time being with some old Cestus Dei members. <3

Still playing. I am on the Rathe. My namesake handle (Lummus) has been retired for 7 years now but soldiering on with Summul who is tagged to an Aussie guild as the only Yank officer. From what I hear UF is going to be a cleric Renaissance of a sort since mercs can't hack it (or bad clerics either).

I also have a druid, mage. chanter and rogue at lvl 85 with around 1k AA each. I keep on saying I will lvl up Lummus one of these days......

As for Underfoot...well. I wish it had not been released during one of my busier periods at work since B-Dad. I am too tired after work to do more than kill my Dragon Age party and sip my drink. I am early release enabled, but I won't log in until the weekend.

... From what I hear UF is going to be a cleric Renaissance of a sort since mercs can't hack it (or bad clerics either).
...


UF definitely brings the rebirth of real healers. Mobs are beating ass. Trash is hitting me for 6.5k. One named was busting us up for 10k plus AE bombs which 2 mercs just couldn't do jack against cause they dont do group heals. We tried to 2 group it - respawn was so fast that one group wasnt able to keep up enough to even get a good attempt in, so I brought in another group. That's when we learned about the AE bombs lol.

Im diggin the new expansion (or was - not preflagged and they had it unlocked on accident to everyone until last nights patch). The loot blows everything else away. Its not even really worth doing SoD stuff anymore. Attuneable items are blowing away my korafax gear.

It feels good for things to be a challenge again and actually require brains - at least thats my impression so far after only going at it for 2 days. I havent done any missions/progression stuff yet either.

I got an email from SOE to come back for free with all xpac's, so I am playing on the 51/50 and SoD emu. The merc's really do change the game, easy to get xp these days!

The undead in cooling chamber rape ass. They are like mini raid mobs.... lol

Pallies these are not the undead you are looking for /waves hand.

The undead in cooling chamber rape ass. They are like mini raid mobs.... lol

...


I had a regular skelly in there hit me for over 41k dmg in less than 3 seconds the other night lol.

The group I have been taking through progression stuff (now working on Tier9 progression missions) has been severely tank heavy (war, war, sk) just to handle adds or recover from a death.

Im personally liking UF a lot and haven't really busted TOO deep into it yet - because its kinda HARD again, which is nice.

Fippy must DIE.

Fippy must DIE.

ohhh noes .. poor Flippy:D

I am entirely satisfied with how the game has changed. Early levels are easy, the end game is hard. As it should be. XP flows at decent rates. Every class kicks ass these days. With mercs, rez is always available. There are no corpse runs.

I'm constantly amused by people who come back and complain at how easy it's gotten. That's the point. Anyone can come and be top notch these days. And that's a good thing.

I think the crux of many of the complaints is less that they made the game to be easier, but instead of fixing the myriad problems with what EQ used to be, they largely replaced it with a slightly different game. If nothing else this is a great case study for game designers in how to design for longevity ... if primarily by what not to do.

My son has talked me into trying the Shards of Dalaya, mostly due to the differences he is describing in mobs and maps, etc. Fresh exploration could be fun. :p


Edit: Gave this a try, and there are enough differences to make it enjoyable, and enough of the old school feel to also stroke the need for nostalgia. Am currently installing on second pute to two box. :)

Basically playing EQ for free, with older graphics and changes due to the Lore.

My son, after hearing some of my stories of EQ (even though many of them were horror stories), my 14 yo son convinced me to open my two old accounts. Oh the horror, I remembered why I quit. I had died, got frustrated and logged back in too late to recover my corpse...I have no equipment on my Ranger. :')

Check Shadowrest (off of the Plane of Knowledge)? Your old corpse might be there, depending on how long ago this happened.

Was in Blackburrow at lvl 18 tonight on my new Ranger, collecting Gnoll ears for the Newport (Qeynos) faction quest, working to get to ally so I can get the Gate Neck piece. Made the mistake of pulling a Gnoll Beastmaster that was partially in a wall while I was barely above 50% health, and got two Gnoll Wardens and the beastmaster all on top of me. Popped in Surefall fully equipped, and just have to deal with the experience penalty for the death.

I am really enjoying the "newness" again of EQ. There is enough change in the lore, mobs and quests to make it almost a new experience. :)

Ailwon
Also, all your equipment is most likely outdated.
check your rewards for some more appropriate defiant equipment.

Good point. If you're on the Tribunal (which you would be if you last played on Ayonae Ro) I'm sure some of us could help you out, too.

I'm not sure what rewards you were speaking of, but I managed to loot and buy some ornate defiant equipment. My Paladin was still fully equipped and there was 5000 plat in my bank. Could that be the reward? I honestl;y have no idea if it was money I had saved. I actually stopped playing in 2003...7 years ago. :(

I'm liking the newness as well. Playing some Halflings with my son...for some reason he loves them (he's Bhambo, I'm Bhamboo). Finding my Paladin (Thurogard) much more enjoyable to play right now than my Ranger (Ailwon). Planning on finding out what a "Hot Zone" is tonight.

Also noticed that the Hill Giants are gone from Rathe....from what I read they dropped a lot of the Ornate Defiant stuff. Getting some off of Frost Giants in Velious though. Kinda fun to re-equip.

If I recall, Hot Zones meant exp bonus.

And seriously, 2003?!?! It should be like a whole new game, hehe.

Hot zones mean an exp bonus and typically some extra loot, though how the extra loot works varies from zone to zone, I think.

We had someone return from a 7+ year absence as well--Tigole, now Cheezweens. He's all caught up to the rest of us (more or less) and semi-actively raiding.

Found the rewards in the "Claims" menu. I have been doing some of the hot zone and armor quests for equipment upgrades. Up to level 10 on the halflings and we've only played together a few hours...I remember it taking weeks to get to 10 and months (and months) to get to 20 back in '99. I took him into Black Burrow to experience trains. Luckily there was some guy stirring up some real beauts for us. :p

I've really been debating coming back casually. Thing is... I played a Human Druid.. heh.

So... I could start over, or start on my level 65 (max level at the time) human druid. Have they made druids more viable for raiding at the higher levels? I remember when I played you needed 1 druid for the skin buff and any more were just taking up space.. we weren't great healers or damage (that's the point of being a jack of all trades I suppose). Have they made druids more viable for raiding, or if I want to feel needed to I need to make a Cleric / Wizard?

Druids are much better healers now, and raids almost never have too much healing. Our damage dealing ability has lagged behind, though.

Sometimes I think about coming back and levelling in purely Old World zones like Antonica with no help. I think everyone has that dream briefly.

Sometimes I think about coming back and levelling in purely Old World zones like Antonica with no help. I think everyone has that dream briefly.

That is one of those dreams that half way through you realize its a nightmare. Sure, I still have my "Everquest Binder" with print outs of all the old world maps, the quests, the various blacksmithing and tinkering recipes, etc... but that doesn't mean I could ever subject myself to that again.

Pull 1 of those bandit farmers, have a hundred brigands run through a wall at you, and you die, lose your level, and forgot you bound in Ak'anon? Maybe that was fun once ... but no thanks :)

That is one of those dreams that half way through you realize its a nightmare. Sure, I still have my "Everquest Binder" with print outs of all the old world maps, the quests, the various blacksmithing and tinkering recipes, etc... but that doesn't mean I could ever subject myself to that again.

Pull 1 of those bandit farmers, have a hundred brigands run through a wall at you, and you die, lose your level, and forgot you bound in Ak'anon? Maybe that was fun once ... but no thanks :)

Some of us like our games with a chance of failure.

GOD mode games are for the young ...and cheesy!

Sometimes I think about coming back and levelling in purely Old World zones like Antonica with no help. I think everyone has that dream briefly.

That is what made Shards of Dalaya so much fun for me. Zones are basically same maps, but changed in mobs and levels to some degree. The quests are different, the Lore is different, and with a much smaller player base (I don't think I have ever seen 500 at one time on server) you are able to feel more a part of the 'game'.

It is still EQ with the graphics and such, but there are sufficient changes to make it part nostalgic and part new game. And, it is free.

You do need the titanium set installed, but other than that the only cost is voluntary (I chose to make a monthly donation for a set of J-Boots {Scale of Wolf} to make my getting around easier). You are restricted to only two active accounts, meaning only one active and one boxed, but other than that most of the rules are similar to early EQ days.

I used to use the Sewers below Qeynos (now Newport) to level fast, but got my ass smoked in an instant by some gnolls lurking down there. I got to level 30 in North Badlands (old N. Karana) and still much of the East BL (old EK) is yellow and red. You have two options for travel: druids and the Mansion of Portals, which also has traps that can kill you. Interestingly, the Mansion of Portals uses the zone map from Vex Thal, which really had me freaked first time I entered it waiting for a mob to jump me.

If you are thinking about messing with EQ again, this might be a fun way to do so. I am having a gas.


Edit: 3 modes of travel, as Wizards can still move you as well.

Wow, cheers Byl - that sounds definately worth a try. I'm ordering a new PC next week (haven't had one for at least a year! Been using an old laptop) and I'm 90% sure I'll try and make time to give Shards a whirl. I'm just really worried about only being able to spend literally a couple of hours a week on it - but perhaps if I just play one of the old school solo classes it won't be too much of a prob.

Wow... I think I'm going to give that a try too. I still have the Titanium install files I DLed when I gave one of the Emu servers a try a couple months ago. This sounds like it will take care of my nostalgia craving ; D


Thanks Byl

Hey all..


I tried to get into SoD the eq emu thingy but it says I need up to Gates of Discord to play.. I only have the discs up to Lost Dungeons.. Basically I am going to have to just patch the whole damn thing to get up to Gates so I can then patch over to SoD correct? Any other ways of just getting up to GoD?

Hey all..


I tried to get into SoD the eq emu thingy but it says I need up to Gates of Discord to play.. I only have the discs up to Lost Dungeons.. Basically I am going to have to just patch the whole damn thing to get up to Gates so I can then patch over to SoD correct? Any other ways of just getting up to GoD?

I don't know. I have the Titanium edition, and loaded that, and it was all I needed.

Was working on a quest for the Newport(Qeynos) ring/faction, and had to go to Guk with my lvl 37 Ranger to get some ground spawns, and my ass was handed to me. But I did kill my first Hill Giant solo today, and got 38 from the exp. Fun times again! :D

Haha... I've been playing nightly with some friends. We each have two characters and formed an adventuring band, so while I could probably be around 15 now if I was playing solo, we are all right about level 10, killing in BB.

My character names are Murphys (warrior) and Akom (cleric).

Osig, I got Titanium edition off a torrent site. Scanned for viruses, installed, patched with the SoD patcher and it runs great.

Haha... I've been playing nightly with some friends. We each have two characters and formed an adventuring band,

Be sure to take a shot at the Beetle Queen (Adept) before you pass level 14. A good group used to playing together should make it a fun encounter, but being an Adept there is a level cap, and with the Beetle Queen I believe it is 14. I am sure you have seen her; she is on the hillside between Blackburrow and Surefall by the ruins.

My PC comes next week - definately gonna give this a try!

Their market system drives me insane, though. I've been spoiled by WoW. I understand why they don't want a searchable marketplace, but STILL, hehe.

I actually renewed my EQ account for a month just so I could run my Rogue through Guk and lower Guk to refresh myself on which zone-connections came out where. For the Newport ring quest a segment involves obtaining ten ground spawns in lower; a breeze since nothing sees thru invis in either upper or lower. I am now a Sergeant in the Newport (Qeynos) guard ranks, and plan to get my Captain's ring soon. :p

I also got my faction to ally with the citizens and received my gate neck item; gate neck deposits me just outside the bank, by the Office of the People.

I actually renewed my EQ account for a month just so I could run my Rogue through Guk and lower Guk to refresh myself on which zone-connections came out where. For the Newport ring quest a segment involves obtaining ten ground spawns in lower; a breeze since nothing sees thru invis in either upper or lower. I am now a Sergeant in the Newport (Qeynos) guard ranks, and plan to get my Captain's ring soon. :p

I also got my faction to ally with the citizens and received my gate neck item; gate neck deposits me just outside the bank, by the Office of the People.
Wow .. brings back memories of getting lost in Guk and Lower Guk when going there farming and to get the Dark Elf mask for my Bard and Rogue friend(s)

where would one get the emu? Used to play on one when i first retired back on 02/03 somethin like that, currently playin on trib with a couple friends from back in the day, even can play my cleric dandie again its crazy... SOOO many memories, even found the first dork i thought was "uber" lol akalee

just google Shards of Dalaya, and it will give you a page with the wiki, forums, setting up account, downloading the patcher, etc.

"Wow .. brings back memories of getting lost in Guk and Lower Guk when going there farming and to get the Dark Elf mask for my Bard and Rogue friend(s)"

I went there for the Dark Elf mask too. Was really surprised when I ran thru the other day checking the layout again that I was friendly with all the froggies on both levels; cannot recall if that was something that came with the Froglok insertion into EQ, or if I somehow got it another way. /shrug
All different mobs and loots now in the SoD realms tho.

My group is killing in upper Guk now... though its called something else on SoD... Halls of Malith or some such.

"google Shards of Dalaya, and it will give you a page with the wiki, forums, setting up account, downloading the patcher, etc."

is it like the old eq emu? can you solo offline and such? or online just free or somethin?

or online just free or somethin?

Yeah, online, and free. And enough changes made to make it close to a new game: no bazaar or tunnels, and buying/selling done at the banks; many towns/areas (Highkeep, Rivervale, Parts of Freeport, Kaladim) have been wiped out, and any left are now undead; zones have been populated with different level mobs than before, such as the East and West Commons (Plaguelands, now) are like 50+; boats are once again the mode of travel for those without a druid or wizzie friend nearby, exceept for those zones connected via the Mansion of Portals zone; lots of new quests and mobs and factions. Fun times, definitely. :D

I have even seen (just today, actually) other names that pop up on these forums active in Shards. Wood Elf Druids are still a popular choice. ;)

sounds nifty, how is the game tuned, more towards now with all this defiant gear out stating all gear till 80+? or is it more like back in the day, when you got a drop it mightv'e been an upgrade? also how hard is everything? like it was 8 years ago when pop was out? i think ima just have to talk the time and d/l and try it for a week after my current suscription runs out, although i am havin fun with the old friends i found in reg eq

sounds nifty, how is the game tuned, more towards now with all this defiant gear out stating all gear till 80+? or is it more like back in the day, when you got a drop it mightv'e been an upgrade? also how hard is everything? like it was 8 years ago when pop was out? i think ima just have to talk the time and d/l and try it for a week after my current suscription runs out, although i am havin fun with the old friends i found in reg eq


Old school, as far as gear. I am duo-ing a ranger and shammie, taking it nice and slow and having fun pursuing some quests and such. There isn't any plat market that I am aware of, so if you want something you work to make the money and save up for it. I am wanting a Charred Bolster belt (33% haste) and they average 14-17k. I have not gotten to over 1500pp yet before spending on something, so that could give you some idea, heh. :p

Tradeskills are in game like Live, but seem to be a bit harder to get skill-ups, which has me bummed as fletching is important for Ranger.

what server everyone play on, thats on boards that is, see a few familar faces, tho have to admidt back in day i mostly just laughed at L2 hating everyone and everything in flamers wasn't really that much of a poster, mostly made signatures for boards back in day

And Nekko if you read this, tammo said hi

Man that sounds like a lot of fun - If I had enough time to put current EQ down and pickup another game, id jump on the bandwagon.

My new Dell should be here within days - you've won me over Byl, can't wait to give Shards a whirl!

BTW... I have a Dell mini 10v that I just bought from a lady at work for $100... I bumped it up to 2GB of ram and it can run SoD fine and can run 2 instances at 1024x600 playably with no graphics turned down... I was pretty impressed. I know EQ is an old game, but still.

Wow - sounds good. I wouldn't use it for games but handy to know it's capable as well as being practical.

I've heard bad things about the mouse pad with the buttons beind integrated?

Yeah... that leaves something to be desired. I'm going to convert it to a touch screen ; )

Need a mouse to play any games anyway, though.

My new system is here - but think I'll have to wait until the weekend before I get time to take a stab at Shards. Going to give Dragon Age: Origins a whirl first. Yay =)

Veil of Alaris release today. 18th EQ expansion....still going.

Yeah the language thing kinda sucks in order to buy AA's, but at least its not that hard to do.

They were at least very creative with Named mobs this expansion. They are like mini raid bosses for groups - give emotes, have to do certain things like in a raid to dmg them etc.