Originally posted by Mikeha Classic is coming so I have to get the Lineage 2 vibe going.
Yeah classic is a huge success in korea and in russia so they are going to bring it over to EU but we will be able to play from NA with a decent ping. I know its a grind fest but for some odd reasons the grind in L2 is fun.
First of all... for music, agree with OP 100%. L2 has, hands down, some of my favorite game music. I think it's the mix of the amazing melodies, and that a lot - possibly all? - is performed by live musicians/orchestras, and not synthesized, that really helps to nail it.
A few of my favorites:
Caravans Crossing - Love the lilting nature of this, and how it builds with the horns and strings toward the end. Just wish it were longer.
Call of Destiny - One of THE definitive L2 tracks for me. Little brings memories of classic L2 flooding back for me like this does. The beginning of an epic tale. Also, female vocals... love female vocals.
After The Storm - The answer to 'Call of Destiny', and it's like the closing of a chapter. The way it ends with a call-back to Call of Destiny's opening is just awesome.
Those are three stand-outs for me, but there are so many others I love.
Not gonna lie... I still get goosebumps listening to this music. There's been more than one composer writing for L2, but Bill Brown's music has always stood out the most, by far.
Something else that gets the nostalgia going like nothing else is the sound of Keltirs outside DEV. Don't know why, but starting a new DE and running across that field between the Temple and DEV, hearing the Keltirs calling out was always a favorite moment for me. Maybe odd.. but there ya go lol.
As for the "grind" of L2... that's such an interesting thing to me. I hate grinding xp in most MMOs. But there was something about leveling in L2 that never felt like a grind. For me it was, first, that it was never about "grinding levels" to me. Due to the safety in numbers of L2, you were almost always out leveling with others, and discussion was always happening. Plus, there was always the threat of being attacked at any time by other players. It's never been the xp'ing I remember about L2. It's always the memories of fun conversations and insane moments that erupted out of nowhere.
Same goes for leveling in FFXI. It never felt like a grind, because the xp'ing (almost) always took a backseat to discussion, joking around, etc.
A friend of mine would go up to floor 10 of Tower of Insolence, and solo for hours. It was completely relaxing to him. He'd just be on Vent/TS talking with us, and having fun with the mobs up there.
I think it had a lot to do with the fact that while leveling was certainly an important part of L2... it was really about so much more than that. L2 can be a tough nut to crack. It took time for L2 to click with me. I originally started with Beta, and then played into Prelude, and then on and off through C1 and C2. It wasn't until C3 that it finally "clicked", and I got completely drawn in. L2 can be very slow in revealing itself... but once you get past that initial impression, and the game begins to open to you (especially if you join an active clan/alliance), I think that's when it really clicks and you go from someone who can't see what the appeal of the game is, to someone who looks back on it fondly, even years later. I say all of this, of course, about classic. GoD is a whole other animal.
Comments
First of all... for music, agree with OP 100%. L2 has, hands down, some of my favorite game music. I think it's the mix of the amazing melodies, and that a lot - possibly all? - is performed by live musicians/orchestras, and not synthesized, that really helps to nail it.
A few of my favorites:
Caravans Crossing - Love the lilting nature of this, and how it builds with the horns and strings toward the end. Just wish it were longer.
Call of Destiny - One of THE definitive L2 tracks for me. Little brings memories of classic L2 flooding back for me like this does. The beginning of an epic tale. Also, female vocals... love female vocals.
After The Storm - The answer to 'Call of Destiny', and it's like the closing of a chapter. The way it ends with a call-back to Call of Destiny's opening is just awesome.
Those are three stand-outs for me, but there are so many others I love.
Not gonna lie... I still get goosebumps listening to this music. There's been more than one composer writing for L2, but Bill Brown's music has always stood out the most, by far.
Something else that gets the nostalgia going like nothing else is the sound of Keltirs outside DEV. Don't know why, but starting a new DE and running across that field between the Temple and DEV, hearing the Keltirs calling out was always a favorite moment for me. Maybe odd.. but there ya go lol.
As for the "grind" of L2... that's such an interesting thing to me. I hate grinding xp in most MMOs. But there was something about leveling in L2 that never felt like a grind. For me it was, first, that it was never about "grinding levels" to me. Due to the safety in numbers of L2, you were almost always out leveling with others, and discussion was always happening. Plus, there was always the threat of being attacked at any time by other players. It's never been the xp'ing I remember about L2. It's always the memories of fun conversations and insane moments that erupted out of nowhere.
Same goes for leveling in FFXI. It never felt like a grind, because the xp'ing (almost) always took a backseat to discussion, joking around, etc.
A friend of mine would go up to floor 10 of Tower of Insolence, and solo for hours. It was completely relaxing to him. He'd just be on Vent/TS talking with us, and having fun with the mobs up there.
I think it had a lot to do with the fact that while leveling was certainly an important part of L2... it was really about so much more than that. L2 can be a tough nut to crack. It took time for L2 to click with me. I originally started with Beta, and then played into Prelude, and then on and off through C1 and C2. It wasn't until C3 that it finally "clicked", and I got completely drawn in. L2 can be very slow in revealing itself... but once you get past that initial impression, and the game begins to open to you (especially if you join an active clan/alliance), I think that's when it really clicks and you go from someone who can't see what the appeal of the game is, to someone who looks back on it fondly, even years later. I say all of this, of course, about classic. GoD is a whole other animal.