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How come EQ II doesn't attract more players?

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  • John.A.ZoidJohn.A.Zoid Member Posts: 1,531

    For me...



    Too top heavy no new players to do group content with at early levels

    The graphics are good but the art style sucks and everything looks generic or plastic

    PVP sucks

    Not a seemless world, I hate zoning.

  • John.A.ZoidJohn.A.Zoid Member Posts: 1,531
    Originally posted by Moirae


    Ignore daffidoll, she takes every possible chance to slam EQ2 and obsesses with whatever she doesn't like about it over and over and over.



     

    the post seemed fine to me and i'd agree with the points

  • Jeff44Jeff44 Member Posts: 459

    Amongst the typical anti-this game and anti-that game blather is a lot of good information and insight into what EQ2 is today. I think several here have answered your question well.

    EQ2 is certainly not perfect, and the truth is that Sony deserves all the bad blood that was generated over Star Wars Galaxies.

    While the game is not as easy as some, and easier than others, to me it remains the best example of what I want in a fantasy MMO. There are things I would improve, and things I would do differently, but for my $15 a month it is the best game of its kind on the market. Nothing else comes close.

    When something surpasses it, I will move.

    user
  • Daffid011Daffid011 Member UncommonPosts: 7,945
    Originally posted by Moirae


    Ignore daffidoll, she takes every possible chance to slam EQ2 and obsesses with whatever she doesn't like about it over and over and over.

     

    Moriae, 

    Feel free to point out anything I have posted that is in error or incorrect.  If all you want to do it trade personal insults and stick your fingers in your ears about what are some honest and real issues then be my guest.  At least try reading what I have written with an open mind before you resort to ignoring the discussing and just dishing out personal attacks as you usually do to people that share a differing opinion than your own. 

     

    Sure my post wasn't praising the game, because this thread wasn't looking for cheer leaders to pat each other on the back.  I thought my post was constructive, well behaved and most importantly on topic.  It is very much based off what I have read many times and just recently experienced in the game. 

  • Jefferson81Jefferson81 Member Posts: 730
    Originally posted by RiddarEQ2


    Most people want PvP nowadays. EQ2 wasn't designed to be a good PvP game so people who want pvp who go to this game wont like it. Gamers who like EQ1, Vanguard etc... will like EQ2. Its the gamers who are more into the WoW/WAR type games that wont like EQ2.
    I think the truth is that the majority of gamers want PvP over PvE, which is why i believe WoW has turned more into a PvP game since launch because Blizzard know PvP is more popular.
    I'm just glad the younger community enjoy PvP over PvE because the community in EQ2 is fantastic. 95% of the community are friendly and mature.

    This is just not true because the non-PvP:ers outnumbers the PvP:ers with atleast 10 to 1.

    The PvP:ers are just more vocal (aggressive) on the forums than the non-PvP:ers.

    It just comes down to marketing and I guess that the word to mouth routine doesn't work that well afterall. 

  • sktslimesktslime Member Posts: 28

    I quit playing eq2 because on my server the freeportians were the vastly outnumbered side that struggled to fight during pvp. Also people were never online when i played, late from 12:00am-4:00am pst. Maybe ppl do now, but im just waiting for a better game to replace it.  btw i forget my server name.

  • DrukstylzDrukstylz Member Posts: 189

    People don't tend to eat in restaurants that are empty, the same applies for games.  Zones, once your done with a zone there is no reason to go back. This does makes the world feel limited. Its true the community is friendly and helpful however this is all in chat as you rarely run into anyone.   After a few days I realized even if this game is fun, I may end up like one these discombobulated voices, floating around the chat channel. Welcoming fresh blood and watching...watching.

  • robby5403robby5403 Member Posts: 368

    Graphics are overaged *they need to be updated like EQ1 or Wow or DaoC catacombs*, no gamecards (for users that don't want to use credit cards) or paypal payment system, no large pvp chapter like wow, frequent lags. (Correct me in those if I am wrong since I only played the 14 day trail). :P

  • Daffid011Daffid011 Member UncommonPosts: 7,945
    Originally posted by Jefferson81

    Originally posted by RiddarEQ2


    Most people want PvP nowadays. EQ2 wasn't designed to be a good PvP game so people who want pvp who go to this game wont like it. Gamers who like EQ1, Vanguard etc... will like EQ2. Its the gamers who are more into the WoW/WAR type games that wont like EQ2.
    I think the truth is that the majority of gamers want PvP over PvE, which is why i believe WoW has turned more into a PvP game since launch because Blizzard know PvP is more popular.
    I'm just glad the younger community enjoy PvP over PvE because the community in EQ2 is fantastic. 95% of the community are friendly and mature.

    This is just not true because the non-PvP:ers outnumbers the PvP:ers with atleast 10 to 1.

    The PvP:ers are just more vocal (aggressive) on the forums than the non-PvP:ers.

    It just comes down to marketing and I guess that the word to mouth routine doesn't work that well afterall. 

     

    I think there is more than enough evidense to support the suggestion that more people want to have access to good PvP than those who do not.

    For example:

    World of Warcraft has more PvP servers than it does PvP. 

    Age of Conan and Warhammer both have reached over 750,000 users within a very short amount of time.  Both of those are PvP games.

    Most of the bigger titles out right now have a PvP focused theme.

     

    This isn't some phenom of PvP people spamming posts on message boards to seem numerous.  The PvP market is pretty big just by looking at the titles and their numbers.

  • robby5403robby5403 Member Posts: 368

    Look at GW, over 5 milljon players with more then half playing pvp.

  • HorusraHorusra Member EpicPosts: 4,411

    110 pvp to 119 pve servers on the US side of WoW is not more pvp...if anything it is balanced.  That being said it has been proven time and again that the general mass of players want the opportunity to battle another human, but in a controlled not free for all fashion.  I think that is what separates pvp crowd.  Ones that want open kill what you want take all their loot at one end of the spectrum and those that want pvp that has strict rules and no real loss to the character.  I think on that spectrum you would find more down toward the controlled pvp than toward the open pvp.

  • OwynOwyn Member Posts: 337
    Originally posted by Jefferson81

    This is just not true because the non-PvP:ers outnumbers the PvP:ers with atleast 10 to 1.

     

    That perhaps used to be true five years ago; it is no longer so.

    In fact, even four years ago when WOW launched, their "pvp servers" (keeping in mind that every server had pvp, these just had more open range fighting) were more popular than the regular servers.  If you look at the last four years of MMO releases, virtually ALL of them have pvp as a major element.  That's not an accident - that's developers recognizing that players who appreciate having some form of limited, opt-in pvp are now the dominant demographic.

    These are not kids, either.  ;)  Remember, the average MMO player is still 26 - the same as it was six years ago!  Daedalus shows only a quarter of players are teens and preteens.  So it's not some "rampant influx of kiddies" that has made pvp more popular.  ;)  It's that the playerbase has changed their taste over time.

    Now, don't confuse opt-in pvp with full pvp - a very different story!  Although full or near-full pvp is gaining greater and greater traction (as seen by the heavy population on AOC and WAR open pvp servers), it's still nowhere near a majority.  But games lacking in some core pvp element are missing the mainstream boat.

    There's still a substantial crowd of players who enjoy a totally non-pvp environment, mind you.  They just aren't the majority, anymore.  That started changing when DAOC released in 2002, and it's been continuing steadily ever since.  PvE only is still too big to be called a niche market, but it's not the main market anymore, either.

    Owyn
    Commander, Defenders of Order
    http://www.defendersoforder.com

  • Jeff44Jeff44 Member Posts: 459
    Originally posted by robby5403


    Graphics are overaged *they need to be updated like EQ1 or Wow or DaoC catacombs*
    At low quality, EQ2's graphics are nothing to write home about. At high quality, however, they still rival what you see in game that are 4 years younger. The trick, of course, is having a system to run it.
    no gamecards (for users that don't want to use credit cards) or paypal payment system,
    Absolutely correct. This also ties into the whole "SOE not promoting EQ2" thing as well. They need to do more to make access to the game easier, IMO
    no large pvp chapter like wow,
    Since EQ2 was never designed for PVP, it does not excel in this regard. However, there are some who still enjoy it (not that I am one of them).
    frequent lags. (Correct me in those if I am wrong since I only played the 14 day trail). :P
    I have not had lag in the game in years - although there are so many reasons for lag that it might be fine for some and not for others.
    EQ2 is not for everyone, and frankly I doubt that I would enjoy the game as much if it had WOW's population and customer base. On the whole, the game seems to appeal to gamers who are looking to do more than raid or grind (although you certainly can do both) and who appreciate the number of things one can accomplish in the game other than strive for the next armor upgrade. Between interactive player housing, crafting that remains interactive (although much easier than it once was), guild leveling, the new guild halls, various collections, live events run by game guides and the like I find that EQ2 fits my needs right now as the place where I can enjoy myself in an MMO - no matter what mood I am in at the moment.


    Good luck to you!

     

    user
  • MoiraeMoirae Member RarePosts: 3,318

    1. What the hell are you talking about "no game cards"? Have you even bothered to look for any?

    EB games sell 30-90 day game cards. How do I know? Because I've bought them when I didn't have a credit card.

    If EB games has them, then other places have them too.

    2. EQ2 was never created for PvP. They have not hidden that fact. PvP was an afterthought. But for me, this is what makes the game so great. The behavior of the PvP'rs is the problem which I think has been shown in this thread.

    3. What lag exactly are you talking about? The only place I lag is in the cities. Everywhere else is just fine.

    I can't stand liars. How about some people on here try actually researching things or being honest?

     

     

  • mlp071mlp071 Member Posts: 16
    Originally posted by ste2000





    I bought all expansions til Rok, but I am not coming back, and like me many veterans won't, because of RoK and how it killed the game for us.

    Also I don't see any hipe or interest in the new EQ2 expansion like previous years, so don't count too much on many new players.

    Anyway, SoE knows how many customers they are losing..........giving 2 months free play to old veterans like me to tempt them back is a sign that the game isn't doing well, no matter how you wanna put it.

     

     

    For me RoK was final nail in the coffin. I played game from release and survived all buges that came with it.

    Crafting use to be something, quests lines and leveling use to be more important, but after i leveled from 70-80 in less then 7 days after RoK came out, i knew it was time to go.

    It was not same game as it use to be.Even most recent 2 month free offer didn't even got me tempted for a bit.

    I would be more tempted with VG then EQ2 right now, but i believe that MMO' s that i like to play are thing of the past now.

  • BuzWeaverBuzWeaver Member UncommonPosts: 978

    Its interesting to see the varying perspectives and rationales. I came back to EQII during the Living Legacy promotion in June. After having beta tested the newer releases I gained a greater appreciate for EQII, particularly the changes SOE has made since launch. Its hard to follow the graphic arguments, EQII has some very nice graphics for the age of the game.

    EQII is substantive and soulful. The game gives players a sense of accomplishment and provides diversity of play. It is unfortunate that more people aren't playing it, but that has more to do with the Newer Player mind set than anything else. New Gen players are all about the action and instant gratification.

    Right now MMO's are going through a cycle. I'm sure in time developers will stop spoon feeding the New Gen players and perhaps turn their attention to players that provide subscription retention. Right now its about players using word of mouth to get people to come back to EQ or EQII. The Living Legacy Promotion was a great idea. According to SOE they had a 20% increase in subscriptions during the promotion.


    The Old Timers Guild
    Laid back, not so serious, no drama.
    All about the fun!

    www.oldtimersguild.com
    An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it. - Jef Mallett

  • d3moliti0nd3moliti0n Member Posts: 63

    I think another big reason is because the graphics engine is horrendous, people with awesome, top-spec PC's still can't run this game maxed out because of the way the graphics engine handles things. That is one of the main reasons I quit, I have a system that is capable of running all of the modern PC games yet when it comes to this I get crappy framerates at some of the top graphics settings. I know that graphics don't make a game but I think in EQ2's case the graphics engine plays a big part in why people don't play the game.

  • teraflop122teraflop122 Member Posts: 20

    EQ2 is retaining its player base just fine. The player base isn't growing because the game isn't advertised!

    I'm sure it's been said many times before, but the graphics engine is incredibly CPU dependent. I'm running a 1.8Ghz C2D and an 8800gts. At 1.8Ghz (1920x1200) the game will only run smoothly on Balanced. Overclocked to 2.4Ghz, it'll run on High Quality without breaking a sweat. Up till recently the game has run on just a single core, which means "upgrading" from a 3 Ghz C2D to a 2.66 Ghz Core 2 Quad could actually decrease the performance. The latest patch doesn't really make a difference; first core usage increased by five or six percent, second core stays at 100 percent.

  • MoiraeMoirae Member RarePosts: 3,318
    Originally posted by d3moliti0n


    I think another big reason is because the graphics engine is horrendous, people with awesome, top-spec PC's still can't run this game maxed out because of the way the graphics engine handles things. That is one of the main reasons I quit, I have a system that is capable of running all of the modern PC games yet when it comes to this I get crappy framerates at some of the top graphics settings. I know that graphics don't make a game but I think in EQ2's case the graphics engine plays a big part in why people don't play the game.

     

    Oh stop spreading that old ridiculous crap. Honey, my computer is 3 years old, and I load it on high settings just fine. The only place I have lag issues are in the cities. You obviously haven't played the game in a long time.

     

    My specs?

     

    2 gigs Ram, Geforce 7600GT w/256 mb ram, athlon 64 3700+. Definately NOT top end. In fact, its on the low end of computers now. I can't play ANY of the new games that recently come out, and I most definately can't play Crysis. But I can run EQ2 just fine. Btw, that Athlon? Its a SINGLE CORE CHIP. And EQ2 just added support for multi cores.

     

    You know, if you're going to lie, at least do something plausible.

  • fozzie22fozzie22 Member Posts: 1,003
    Originally posted by Moirae


    1. What the hell are you talking about "no game cards"? Have you even bothered to look for any?
    EB games sell 30-90 day game cards. How do I know? Because I've bought them when I didn't have a credit card.
    If EB games has them, then other places have them too.
    2. EQ2 was never created for PvP. They have not hidden that fact. PvP was an afterthought. But for me, this is what makes the game so great. The behavior of the PvP'rs is the problem which I think has been shown in this thread.
    3. What lag exactly are you talking about? The only place I lag is in the cities. Everywhere else is just fine.
    I can't stand liars. How about some people on here try actually researching things or being honest?

     
     

     

    Try living in the uk baby..i havent been able to get hold of a box copy of EQ2 since DoF ffs,its a shambles over here..it'd sell i know it would but when our big retailer cant get it (GAME owned i think by your EB iirc) or wont gamestation then the games in trouble,you need people picking up impulse buys in shops..and if theres non in the shops they cant buy them..its a visious circle,one of SOE's making too.

     

    Even amazon and play.com have big trouble getting hold of copies of the boxes and frankly i see the same probblem coming in a couple of weeks when TSO comes out,for me at least TSO is the first expansion of EQ2 i wont be buying for reasons that will become aprarrant in time,but even if i was going to buy it i know that i would have ahell of a time getting a boxed copy of it,i'm sick and tired of D/Ling everything i want a box for my money :)

  • NocumaNocuma Member Posts: 97

    I think some of the reasons EQ2 is not growing as fast as Wow is ppl who have spent 2+ years in another MMO will find it hard to leave 2 years of work for another game.

     

    Second "Friends"

    After playing a game for 2+ years you make alot of friends on that game, and if none of them come over its not going to be as fun as your old MMO.

     

    Word of Mouth

    I would say * and this is a guess from playing both* that the average age of  EQ2 players is MUCH older then the average age of WoW players. So it is more likely for someone who is 24 and under to talk about a MMO to co-workers....friends....family... what have you then someone in their late 20's early 30's. 

     

    The older MMO players have more patients then the newer Gen who want everything and want it now..... EQ2 is not that kinda game. Examples are the LONG quest lines... like the one for the Prismatic weapons....the Peacock questline.... claymore..... etc etc that could take months to finish. 

    *** And with the expansion being group heavy I hope it will being back the Old EQ I remember.***

    _________________________________________________________________________________________
    image

  • bahamut1bahamut1 Member Posts: 614

    As much as I hate to admit it, Daffido11 is right. You know how much of a "fanboi" I am, but you can't help but admit that EQ2 is for natural modders. People that like to change up and do a bunch of stuff on their own. It really isn't very welcoming to newbs.

    Plus the fact that each expansion is vastly different in one way or another. It seems every time they get something working and everyone likes it, they chuck it all out the window and try something completely different w/o using any of the ideas that worked from last expansion.

    "Granted thinking for yourself could be considered a timesink of shorter or longer duration depending on how smart..or how dumb you are."

  • eccotoneccoton Member UncommonPosts: 1,340
    Originally posted by robby5403


    Graphics are overaged *they need to be updated like EQ1 or Wow or DaoC catacombs*, no gamecards (for users that don't want to use credit cards) or paypal payment system, no large pvp chapter like wow, frequent lags. (Correct me in those if I am wrong since I only played the 14 day trail). :P



     

    overaged? I just do not see that. I see great graphics. Just my opinion but they are some of the best in the business. One of my game play screenshots riding through Thundering Steppes.

  • fozzie22fozzie22 Member Posts: 1,003
    Originally posted by bahamut1


     
    Plus the fact that each expansion is vastly different in one way or another. It seems every time they get something working and everyone likes it, they chuck it all out the window and try something completely different w/o using any of the ideas that worked from last expansion.

     

    My god this post has it all the devs dont learn they just rip the sheet up and start again and that for me is the most frustrating thing about EQ2,instead of progression we get wildly different xpacs every year and its coming (sadly i might add) to the point where i've had enough of the game.

  • Jeff44Jeff44 Member Posts: 459
    Originally posted by bahamut1


    Plus the fact that each expansion is vastly different in one way or another. It seems every time they get something working and everyone likes it, they chuck it all out the window and try something completely different w/o using any of the ideas that worked from last expansion.

     

    Hey bahamut1,

    I'm lost on this one. I can see where ROK went in a different direction (far too powered-up compared to the other, older starting zones), but could you explain a bit more about what you meant?

     

    user
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