So Everquest 2 is pretty neat.

[Parn]

I just recently started playing Everquest 2, and I'm surprised at it being a fairly solid game, and kind of a neat middle ground between Final Fantasy XI and World of Warcraft. It's not as solo-friendly as World of Warcraft is, but it's also not extremely party dependant like Final Fantasy XI is. The combat mechanics are like World of Warcraft, but then you have the added mix of skillchains in Everquest 2 which they call "Heroic Opportunities", but the general concept is similar... except Everquest 2's are much more frequent and better handled.

One of the biggest faults used to be the game's character models which were pretty repulsive, but when the game was introduced to the Asian markets, alternative character models were given for them. These were introduced to the US market recently, and you can switch between them. As it stands, the game now looks pretty damned nice with the new models... the character models put Final Fantasy XI to shame, which is pretty impressive for those of you who've played it and know what I'm talking about.

Meicyn, my Human Warden on Lucan DLere (http://synbios.net/games/EQ2/screenshots/001.jpg)
Another screen of my character (http://synbios.net/games/EQ2/screenshots/002.jpg)

Just a heads up on this game, since PSU looks to be delayed forever. I love all the little details they have in, like my character crouching down as he goes into a halflings home since he'd be too tall to stand up. Or how my friend's barbarian character is tall enough to stand up in water that I'm wading in. Or how your character will not sit down in a spot if his/her head goes below water. I eat that kind of stuff up.

Edit: Note that my graphics are not set to high settings, hence why no one is casting a shadow, and other such effects. I prefer a higher framerate over casting multiple shadows on the ground with real lighting effects. I'll upgrade my Radeon 9800 Pro someday.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Parn on 2006-02-16 21:19 ]</font>

[Kent]

I played EQII back when they were giving out the free one-week trials of it...

I don't know. The game just seemed utterly boring, and uninteresting. Not to mention, "Heroic Opportunities" are kinda... Well, a lot more redundant than the skillchains and magic bursts in FFXI. :/

That, and SOE is now selling currency to players. So no, I don't plan on touching it again. Rich IRL should never = rich in-game.

[Parn]

I fail to see how Everquest 2 can be regarded as boring when it has way more content to it than Final Fantasy XI. It has four times the amount of races, way better looking character models (now, anyways), way more character customization, plenty of classes to choose from, way more skills per class, way more spells per class, way more quests that actually reward you with loot and experience, and overall, way more everything. Heroic Opportunities early on are pretty barebones, but are more interesting later on, especially when you assemble a large party and can actually deliver varied chains. Early on, you're doing chains with your own character which is the equivalent of the Samurai class doing self-skillchains in FFXI, only you're doing it all the time instead of once every two freaking hours. As far as currency for real money, that only applies to specific servers dedicated to that, which are clearly labeled as such. As if it matters anyways, seeing how Final Fantasy XI was flooded with gilsellers and lots of people who bought into that, which didn't seem to affect your ability to play the game.

So in effect, none of your commentary applied. Nice try, though.

[Saiffy]

On 2006-02-16 21:56, Parn wrote:
I fail to see how Everquest 2 can be regarded as boring when it has way more content to it than Final Fantasy XI.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=opinion


So in effect, none of your commentary applied. Nice try, though.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=opinion
Nice try, though.


Played this a bit, got bored really fast. The whole EQ name being tagged on it made me hesitant to even try it, and I'm glad I didn't stick with it. I guess if you found fun with it, then all the more power to you. But it just wasn't my cup of tea, I vastly preferred FFXI, don't know why, just did. Albeit, I did get bored of FFXI within 8 months.

But! This is all just my....
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=opinion
http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

[Kent]

On 2006-02-16 21:56, Parn wrote:
As far as currency for real money, that only applies to specific servers dedicated to that, which are clearly labeled as such. As if it matters anyways, seeing how Final Fantasy XI was flooded with gilsellers and lots of people who bought into that, which didn't seem to affect your ability to play the game.

Right. Because Square-Enix's banning of over 700 real-money traders and removing over 300 billion gil from the economy, is promoting real-money trade, just like Sony Online Entertainment, because it's the exact same thing as selling money to players of your own game.

So in effect, none of your commentary applied. Nice try, though. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

[Parn]

Actually, you only singled out a specific point in my post and dwelled on it. Your attempt to switch me on the defensive isn't going to work, though. You made nothing but ignorant comments about the game and I called you on it, so blabbing on about Square Enix nuking gil farmers well over a year after they've done their damage is moot. Station Exchange for Everquest 2 applies to only two of the game's twenty-eight servers. You are ignorant, so I suggest you quit while you're ahead.

---

As far as opinion Saiffy, you're allowed to have one of course, but I imagine you hated the game's art direction, which is fine and all. I too didn't give Everquest 2 much of chance before the character art upgrade. It wasn't until the recent art direction changed that I really gave it the time of day. The original art was repulsive, and after all, if you find the art repulsive, you're not going to enjoy the game. It's not too unlike how I loved PSO but hated Diablo, despite their sharing many similarities. Graphics and art direction can make or break a game.

Kent's comments were ignorant, and I didn't much care for his dropping on by and making them. His commentary about EQ2's skillchains being "redundant" while championing FFXI's was absurd (as if FFXI's were somehow not redundant... as if anyone can use that word in regards to another MMORPG when you spend 3/4 of your leveling in FFXI sitting at the entrance of a handful of specific chosen maps for countless hours killing the same crabs, beetles, and crawlers endlessly... I know it well enough because I did it too, all the way to level 71 with promises of how the end-game is fantastic, only for it to be a crock, Dynamis sucks and so does camping HNMs). His commentary about Station Exchange was ignorant since it applies to only two of the twenty-eight servers (as if the playerbase in Everquest 2 would have tolerated this activity on the normal servers... get real).

[Atayin]

All in all, I hated EQ2. I was really into it for about a week, but then I just fizzled out and got bored. My old room mates, however... they STILL play that game religiously. One of them has some kinda level 45 duel weilding bruiser guy who owns in physical combat.

I think that EQ2 is just for certain kinds of people. It's got a ton of content, but for some reason it just didn't draw me in. I'd never go so far as to say that the game sucks just because I don't like it, though. There were a lot of things that I could tell a lot of work was put into in order for people to be able to enjoy a deep and immersive online world. I can't stand the game personally, but I really respect it.

[Parn]

I think the atmosphere of the game has a lot to do with it. It has a different kind of playerbase, that much is certain. It's similar to the split between Final Fantasy XI and World of Warcraft... the atmosphere and presentation of Final Fantasy XI is preferred, but as far as gameplay goes, World of Warcraft is far superior. Art direction and atmosphere can sway an opinion though.

It's kind of like how Phantasy Star Universe is very attractive to me, but Hellgate: London doesn't interest me one bit.

[Atayin]

Too true. I think the reason that I played Ragnarok Online for so long was purely because of it's atmosphere. Really interesting sprite-based graphics and the coolest game soundtrack I have heard to date.

[Link00seven]

I played Everquest but I didn't get into it all that much. I'm a huge fan of WoW though, and I think its probably the best MMORPG to date.

I haven't ever played EQ 2 now, but maybe if I can get one of those free trials somewhere down the road i'll give it a shot. As for now, i'm all for WoW.

Glad to see you found a game to play that you enjoy!

[Kent]

Parn, you just have to be an ass about everything, don't you? :/

I come in, state my honest opinion, then you start flaming me about it left and right. I can see you like "being on the offensive" no matter what. I didn't try and start any arguements here, I just stated my opinions, and some facts on the matter, and you turn around and start insulting me directly.

Apparently, having an opinion different from yours, deems me "ignorant."

The mass-banning of RMTers and removal of all they money from the economy actually did help. "After they did their damage," even, as prices started rapidly deflating in a matter of hours after it happened, and are still on their way down. I realize that SOE's homebrew RMT only applies to two servers, but you say that repeatedly, as if it makes much of a difference. Yeah, it's good that they're not doing it on most of their servers, but that, in no way, whatsoever, means that they still aren't promoting it on the others. Just get off your high horse for once, and start treating others as equals for a change.

[Parn]

On 2006-02-17 12:31, Kent wrote:
I realize that SOE's homebrew RMT only applies to two servers, but you say that repeatedly, as if it makes much of a difference. Yeah, it's good that they're not doing it on most of their servers, but that, in no way, whatsoever, means that they still aren't promoting it on the others.
When did I say they aren't promoting it on the other servers? I think stating that two of the twenty-eight servers utilizing Station Exchange kind of acknowledges the existance, you know? Yeah, you realize that it's only two servers after I told you. Who are you trying to kid. You tried using the point as an example of a reason not to play the game. The fact that it's only on two servers is very much relevant. As if because it's being promoted at all that this somehow deems the game completely unworthy of play... are you for real. You're not fooling anyone, certainly not me at least.

You dropped on by and took a dump on my post with two ignorant comments about the game. I'm not going to blow sunshine up your ass and throw emoticons after every other sentence to make me sound cute. You say something ignorant, and I'm going to call you on it. You can play the poor little victim and throw out the high horse routine, but it amounts to a whole lot of nothing. You're familiar with my posting habits, so you have to ask yourself what you were thinking by posting negative (and ignorant) commentary in my thread.

[Atayin]

One time I outran a guy on foot.. while he was riding a horse. He was moving slower then I was.. I found out that it was because his riding skill wasn't high enough. You had to be there, but it was hysterical.

Decked out looking guy on a fancy, white horse.. moving slow as molasses. I love that. (I'm not bashing EQ2. This was just a funny thing I saw in it.)

[Parn]

Eh, I'm not against reasonable dislike of the game, I'm against commentary that's a bunch of bullcrap. Such as Kent's "you can buy items in the game with real money" generalized (and paraphrased) statement, which is only part of the truth and one of two reasons why I'm giving him crap. Of course, he'll argue that he knew all along that it's only on two servers and that I'm such a gigantic jerk!

[rena-ko]

now now, cool down everyone. keep this topic focused on this game.

and keep in mind, you dont have to understand another person's opinion, but you have to accept it.

[Parn]

Not really. Tagging "it's my opinion" at the end of a statement doesn't automatically make it valid. If I said "only morons play videogames, and it's my opinion", I doubt any reasonable person here would accept such a conclusion.

And if anyone thinks I'm just blowing smoke out of my ass, here's the list of Heroic Opportunities (http://www.eq2arcanum.com/db/Heroic.php), which I might add, are more numerous and just as involving as Final Fantasy XI's skillchains. Then there's the full listing of Everquest 2 servers (http://eq2players.station.sony.com/en/servers_index.vm) and you'll see that only two of them involve Station Exchange, making the RMT comment completely pointless. I may not be the friendliest person in the world, but I don't make stuff up.

[Jehosaphaty]

On 2006-02-17 17:37, Parn wrote:
Not really. Tagging "it's my opinion" at the end of a statement doesn't automatically make it valid.


tagging a post with, "my opinion", is quite frankly comparable to adding "no offense" to one. (see http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=77338&forum=11 for an explanation.)




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Jehosaphaty on 2006-02-17 22:02 ]</font>

[Kent]

On 2006-02-17 17:37, Parn wrote:
Not really. Tagging "it's my opinion" at the end of a statement doesn't automatically make it valid. If I said "only morons play videogames, and it's my opinion", I doubt any reasonable person here would accept such a conclusion.

Actually, a lot of people would just accept the fact that you're an idiot, if you made that sort of a remark. Otherwise, it looks like a valid opinion, to me, and any other intelligent person here. :/


And if anyone thinks I'm just blowing smoke out of my ass, here's the list of Heroic Opportunities (http://www.eq2arcanum.com/db/Heroic.php), which I might add, are more numerous and just as involving as Final Fantasy XI's skillchains.
Doesn't look too impressive, to me. At least, not as much as you seem to think it is. And yeah, before you try and twist it around, that is, indeed, an opinion. ^_^

Learning is fun, isn't it?


Then there's the full listing of Everquest 2 servers (http://eq2players.station.sony.com/en/servers_index.vm) and you'll see that only two of them involve Station Exchange, making the RMT comment completely pointless. I may not be the friendliest person in the world, but I don't make stuff up.
It wasn't completely pointless. It seemed to have enough of a point to get your panties in a twist about it.

Anyway, you say it's pointless, I just say you missed the point, entirely. They are promoting it. You know what promoting something means, right? Actively encouraging it. It's just despicable to actively encourage RMT in an online game, and I refuse to play SOE's sub-par online games for not only this reason (if you knew anything about game creation and management, you'd understand how bad promoting RMT is), but also for the fact that, in my opinion, they're just not fun to play.

You're free to disagree with my opinion all you want, and it's good if you do have your own. Just as long as you stop trying to force it apon me.

[Parn]

On 2006-02-17 22:51, Kent wrote:
Actually, a lot of people would just accept the fact that you're an idiot, if you made that sort of a remark. Otherwise, it looks like a valid opinion, to me, and any other intelligent person here. :/
Except you're not regarding it as a valid opinion at all, the moment you regard me as an idiot for making that kind of statement. The moment you even think less of a person over an opinion, you're not really accepting it. Saying you are is just empty words. That's like gagging at the food on your plate, throwing it in the trash, then claiming you liked it to the cook.


Doesn't look too impressive, to me. At least, not as much as you seem to think it is. And yeah, before you try and twist it around, that is, indeed, an opinion. ^_^
You're just arbitrarily saying that, but here's the cold, hard facts: Final Fantasy XI has 14 chains with one possible effect each, Everquest 2 has 15 chains with three possible effects each. So it occurs to me that when you say something like this:


Not to mention, "Heroic Opportunities" are kinda... Well, a lot more redundant than the skillchains and magic bursts in FFXI. :/
...that you're just arbitrarily saying crap.


It's just despicable to actively encourage RMT in an online game, and I refuse to play SOE's sub-par online games for not only this reason (if you knew anything about game creation and management, you'd understand how bad promoting RMT is), but also for the fact that, in my opinion, they're just not fun to play.
I'm not so proud that I'm unwilling to concede a point when it's made. I did miss that line of thought and I can respect such a thing.


You're free to disagree with my opinion all you want, and it's good if you do have your own. Just as long as you stop trying to force it apon me.
I fail to see how I'm forcing an opinion on anyone when I'm not threatening you in person with bodily harm or death. I'm not forcing anyone to do anything, I'm just stating my point of view.

By the way, I find it particularly interesting that when I argue against you all, I'm not accepting your opinions, but when you argue against me, you all somehow are. Feel free to explain to me how this works.

[Alisha]

interesting but i feel im to far along in ffxi to quit now and frankly the lack of a weaponskill type element is one of the reasons i despise WOW. heck ever pso had a weaponskill type element if you consider advanced applications of photon blasts

edit:i did some looking around. maybee its just perdonal my tastes.i really love the eastern jobs(mnk.sam.nin)but it hink the ffci character models are still the best but the new faces in EQ2 are a lot nicer looking but the armor i saw looks shitty compared to ffxi



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Alisha on 2006-02-18 06:44 ]</font>

[KaFKa]

Parn, you should really learn to shut the fuck up. Just my opinion.

EQ2 just plain doesen't deliver. It has good graphics, an intuitive UI, and even a in-depth crafting system. (*shudder*) The problem is, the game wasn't implemented well, has almost no endgame, and, as Kent has pointed out multiple times, is promoting its own currency for sale.

This does not a good MMORPG make.

[Parn]

I'd take your advice to shut the fuck up, except I'm having a bit of trouble complying with your request. Perhaps it's your retarded username that's affecting my capabilities. Perhaps you're being too vague, such as how I should shut the fuck up, or what you actually mean when you say 'not implemented very well'. Indeed, this is a mystery!

[rena-ko]

warning +1 for parn,
verbal warnings for kafka and kent.

furthermore i'll close this topic.