My thoughts about "The EXP Grind"

Aldreth · February 2005

I don't know about all the other EQ2 players out there, but I haven't even felt a smidgen of "The EXP Grind". I feel like i'm cheating though, considering that all I do, is wait for the 200% EXP Bonus to go into the next level. Then "Grind" for a couple hours, ding, time to do something else for a couple days. I like this WAY better than any other MMORPG i've played, as long as your willing to wait for that bonus to go into next level, I really feel no grind whatsoever. I have all the time in the world to do quests, group with friends, take a jog through some beautiful scenery that I haven't seen before, or check out the latest changes with our seemingly DAILY patches heh. No RVR kinda does suck, coming from DAoC, but who can complain with content content content!

EQ2 just seems to get more and more fun daily, oh yeah, and to whom-ever said the game ended post 20, your wrong IMO, I've had way more fun since I passed 20.

Nihilanth · February 2005

i dont feel it either, and i dont really even wait for the bonuses. i just hit level 30 tonight and i dont see myself slowing down any time soon. im having an absolute blast. the game gets progessively better after 20 IMO despite what many people say.

Razorback · February 2005

I have to hand it to SOE for the way they have made the EXP work since the last patch. Im almost 36 in both Weaponsmithing and Ranger now. Because I can only play a few hours a day these days I too find myself in constant double exp mode and I seem to be moving along at an acceptable rate. So far I have not felt the "grind" as it were at all. Given how fast some of my guildies have hit 50 I dont think there is a grind to speak of, it all depends on your play style.

If you combine quests with killing you can level really quickly even in the 40's. If you want to do it the hard way and just sit in the same spot and solo kill, sure you can turn it into a grind if you want. But an intelligent balance of questing and killing keeps you moving at a rate that is ok for even the most casual player imho.

zethcarn · February 2005

I agree, the vitality bonus is a brilliant idea (also known as rest exp for World of Warcraft).

Funny thing is that they hid it from players for the first few months. Why? I don't know but that was stupid. I would notice my friend gaining exp twice as fast as me for no apparent reason. I thought he it was a bug and it made me mad at the time.

Scaris · February 2005

I have yet to feel a grind. I often look down at my bar after doing a bunch of questing and wonder how in the world it got up so high already and then see I am near a ding.

Hashman · February 2005

What you could do is what I call ping pong. Play your main until bonus wears out, then your alt(s) and go back to playing main. Also because you get double xp for crafting too which has its on bonus xp you can do that as well. Perfect for casual players like myself.

Radmuz · February 2005

After just playing EQ2 for a couple of weeks I see myself also using the vitality bonus. Once it runs out I am done with that character and switching to an alt. Of course this has resulted in me leveling slower then if I was sticking to a single character. But I am not worried about that.

Having played WOW from closed beta until a couple of weeks ago though I do see leveling being more time consuming in EQ2 then WOW. It can be argued both ways about that being good or bad, and I am not going there. But leveling is slower in EQ2 then WOW. Actually the whole game seems to be slower paced then WOW.

Hashman · February 2005

There is a new International law that anyone who compares the online games World of Warcraft and Everquest 2 would result in being sent to Guantanamo Bay for an undisclosed period. Didn't you watch the news?

Razorback · February 2005

LMAO Hash

Jodokai · February 2005

Originally posted by Hashman
There is a new International law that anyone who compares the online games World of Warcraft and Everquest 2 would result in being sent to Guantanamo Bay for an undisclosed period. Didn't you watch the news?

I am SO going to jail.

Scaris · March 2005

Originally posted by Jodokai
Originally posted by Hashman
There is a new International law that anyone who compares the online games World of Warcraft and Everquest 2 would result in being sent to Guantanamo Bay for an undisclosed period. Didn't you watch the news?

I am SO going to jail.

Man, they may just skip jail for you Jo and have a firing squad.

OK everyone what am I missing here? I have been on double experience since the big patch that added all that stuff, or made it more apparent. I have been wondering why if I am always gaining double experience, thats not just "normal" experience, why isn't mine going away?

superhero13 · March 2005

All of you are on crack. What game should you have to play for a day then log off for 2 days or more NOT to feel the grind??? Listen to what you are saying. A good game you would want to play over and over and constantly like the first EQ.

There is a HUGE grind. So much so that when my guild all zoned into Blackburrow and the server crashed...losing 2+ levels and all the entries in our quest journals, we decided to quit.

Im amazed at the lies people tell themselves.

Jodokai · March 2005

Speaking of lies, what was your character's name?

superhero13 · March 2005

Which one? In which version of EQ?

You doubt that I even had a character? What kind of weak argument is that?

Strigoi - Enchanter
Booomba - Brawler (hmmm guess I didnt play..oh wait Boomba sells pickles in Freeport. Nah..that couldnt be I would have had to play the game to know that)
SwampStrider - Ranger

and a few others.

my clans men...Mazsta, Starla, .....too many others to name.

next>?

Im still laughing at the post where someone actually thinks the right way to HAVE to play the game is to play for 3 hours then log off for 2 days....

/kicking screaming and laughing on the floor.

Scaris · March 2005

Originally posted by superhero13
All of you are on crack. What game should you have to play for a day then log off for 2 days or more NOT to feel the grind??? Listen to what you are saying. A good game you would want to play over and over and constantly like the first EQ.There is a HUGE grind. So much so that when my guild all zoned into Blackburrow and the server crashed...losing 2+ levels and all the entries in our quest journals, we decided to quit.Im amazed at the lies people tell themselves.

I never said it, nor do I do it. If you play EQ II so that there is a grind I suggest you go back to EQ 1 because you will get a hell of alot more out of your playstyle.

Oh and lastly, I have never lied over a VIDEO GAME.

Hashman · March 2005

There is no right way to play ANY mmorpg superhero although you can't really say there is a grind in EQ2 surely not?

xminator · March 2005

Oh there is a grind if you go looking for it. There most certainly is a grind if you follow a "how to level" guide. Its very easy to fall into grind mode if all your looking at is that xp-bar. Its not the only way to level tough. Even playing 3 hours a day (and while not hardcore its still way above the recomended time spent online without getting social fallout ) its hard to run out of vitality.

This game is rewarding the extra effort it takes to *not* walk up to a pull-spot and kill for hours without moving. The guy that do stand in one spot will get to 50 faster, but most likely will be the one talking about the grind. It cant be compared to for example the shadowlevel grind of anarchy online. That is 20 levels (loooooong levels) killing hundreds of the same mobs in the same spot for months 40h/week. Thats grinding. This game is nowhere close to that.

Scaris · March 2005

Originally posted by xminator
Oh there is a grind if you go looking for it. There most certainly is a grind if you follow a "how to level" guide. Its very easy to fall into grind mode if all your looking at is that xp-bar. Its not the only way to level tough. Even playing 3 hours a day (and while not hardcore its still way above the recomended time spent online without getting social fallout ) its hard to run out of vitality.
This game is rewarding the extra effort it takes to *not* walk up to a pull-spot and kill for hours without moving. The guy that do stand in one spot will get to 50 faster, but most likely will be the one talking about the grind. It cant be compared to for example the shadowlevel grind of anarchy online. That is 20 levels (loooooong levels) killing hundreds of the same mobs in the same spot for months 40h/week. Thats grinding. This game is nowhere close to that.

I completely agree. There have been a few spots in the game where I almost fell into the grind some levels mindset because I didnt stop to look around at new options and zones and was starting to get into the rut of do what ya know. I completely dodged that however the moment I realized where it would lead and started checking out some new zones and quests in those.

Saren42 · March 2005

yea, i haven't felt the grind yet, then again i do do a lot of killing in FG, so, thats adventurous, and fun, you work your way to the back as far as you can go, then work the way back out, and back again or get back as far a syour gorup can go and stay aourdn there, it is fun, and not quiet a grind, the closest ting i have felt to a grind is when they gave us that addition 150% xp bonas rught after that weekend of downtime, but it wasn;t even fellgin liek a grind, but it could have been considered one, casue, i got a gourp and we sat there in CL killing elephants for like 5 hours streight, i got like 4 lvls out of it, lol, it was awsome

Phen · March 2005

Whatever the motivation or reasons, EQ2 is taking the hint from WoW in a lot of areas. I do not think that is a bad thing. I think it shows a willingness to succeed. I played EQ2 when it was simply unbearable and I am now considering returning. It used to be that the grind was terrible and grouping was absolutely needed with group xp loss. Regardless of whether some idiot was fooling around or left the area but did not disband yet and died.

Do not be offended that EQ2 is borrowing the best from other games. It is a good thing. Those that do not learn and grow will die. And EQ2 was still-born. I have hope now....

Wickes · March 2005

What "hints" or ideas has EQ2 taken from WOW ... other than some dumbing down to please the masses, I must have missed it.

Scaris · March 2005

I like his little shots at EQ 2 while he talks all sweet to me. EQ 2 was still born? Give it a rest already. The exp was fine before, this making it rediculously easy to get experience now is to much as far as I am concerned. I dislike alot of what that patch put in, including the double experience. I had no problem playing solo or grouped before that was put into the game, I am sorry EQ 2 was apparently to hard or unbearable for you.

Wickes · March 2005

Exactly, lol ... we should at least get dinner and a movie first eh

Scaris · March 2005

Originally posted by Wickes
Exactly, lol ... we should at least get dinner and a movie first eh

hahahaha

darquenblade · March 2005

A little off topic (well, a LOT)...but Fadeus, your new sig is pretty cool.

The only thing is it looks like Chainey has a fly on his nose and he's trying to look at it--his eyes look close together LOL

Scaris · March 2005

Originally posted by darquenblade
A little off topic (well, a LOT)...but Fadeus, your new sig is pretty cool.The only thing is it looks like Chainey has a fly on his nose and he's trying to look at it--his eyes look close together LOL

hahahaha. Well umm, ty for the compliment on the sig. Umm duly noted on the eyes. ::::03::

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