So how's that boat?

[thedu]

I remember what a big deal boats were when they were being discussed as the land/water route way of getting to EoF.  I'm curious how many people still use the boat now that you can go through DoF as a workaround - or have friends/alts/guildies to port you.  I haven't touched a boat in months.

[StrafaeSwiftleaf]

<p>use it all the time, and i love it. The only thing that would make it better is if it traveled through the ocean of tears...</p>

[Josgar]

I like the boats too =D

[Finora]

<p>I can't say I love it, but I don't hate it. It isn't like the old EQ1 boats where you sit on the thing for half an hour real time twiddling your thumbs. It doesn't take any longer than the spires to KOS really so no big deal, though when I can I definately prefer other means of getting to Faydwer.</p>

[Lightstrider]

<p>My main is a fury, but I still use the boats on occasion.  I like them.</p>

[StrafaeSwiftleaf]

still wish i could jump off the side at the nearest island >.<

[LordPazuzu]

I liked the boats, but yeah, I just carpet hop now.  If it makes any difference, I feel cheapened everytime I do it :p

[IrishWonder]

<p>I just use my flower now... or a guildie's flower if I'm on a Freeport-aligned alt. I still think that boats, and other indirect travel routes, are a great ideal. It's cool to have to use them to get to a new place at first, but then after putting some work in/exploring a bit, finding a faster way to travel there later.</p><p>Sadly, I think the days of actually having long travel times in an MMO are gone. I use fast travel just as much as the next guy, but a part of me wishes that it wasn't there, so I'd be forced to take the long way <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p>

[Vatec]

If I'm already in TS or Nek (or one of the zones that link directly to either) I'll take the boat.  Otherwise, probably not.  It got old real fast ;^)Then again, I was never one of the people clamoring for boats, so ... whatever.Problem with them is they don't feel alive.  No captain, no crew....

[LordPazuzu]

<cite>Vatec wrote:</cite><blockquote>If I'm already in TS or Nek (or one of the zones that link directly to either) I'll take the boat.  Otherwise, probably not.  It got old real fast ;^)Then again, I was never one of the people clamoring for boats, so ... whatever.Problem with them is they don't feel alive.  No captain, no crew....</blockquote>These games seem to have issues with NPCs crossing zone lines.  Maybe they could make the crew members the boat's "pets" allowing them to zone with the boat?  I don't know.

[retro_guy]

If you're evil you can;t use the SS carpet so my Necro uses the boats.I feel cheap asking people for ports so use the boats.I didn't even know about the carper from SS till a couple of weeks ago so use the boats out of habit on mt conj, I don't mind waiting, but use the carpet if I remember about it.

[Tallisman]

<cite>Vatec wrote:</cite><blockquote>Problem with them is they don't feel alive.  No captain, no crew....</blockquote>I was thinking exactly that the other day. I want to go below decks, climb the mainmast, watch someone walk the plank. Heck, even have a dialogue with the ships cap'n...

[Sassinak]

The carpet trick is for good people only....  Evil people can't do that.  So half of us still use the boats all the time.

[KBern]

<cite>Sassinak wrote:</cite><blockquote>The carpet trick is for good people only....  Evil people can't do that.  So half of us still use the boats all the time.</blockquote><p>Yep, chalk another thing up to the devs good-centric way of thought.</p><p>My guild is lucky enough to have the floret recipe so I just use a flower now to get right to Kelethin.</p>

[thedu]

<cite>Sassinak wrote:</cite><blockquote>The carpet trick is for good people only....  Evil people can't do that.  So half of us still use the boats all the time.</blockquote>I did not know that; SS is supposed to be neutral so I'm not sure why evil side shouldn't be able to use it...

[Bloodfa]

Good-centric?  You don't play PvP, do you?

[Leatherneck]

you can use the carpet if you're evil, you just can't skip the boat.

[StrafaeSwiftleaf]

the whole idea is that Citizens of Kelethin can sue the BB dock carpet to go to DoF, but yes as a goody you can then hop to Qeynos for those shoping trips ><img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> and vis versa. But to the Subject, love the boats love druid/spell slinger ports.

[troodon]

I have no choice but to take the boat, since the carpets are rigged against me.  I don't mind it though, I hope Kunark is accessed in the same fashion

[Xanrn]

<p>The boats are pointless.</p><p>I hope the Boat to Kunark is much longer.</p>

[Finora]

<cite>Saurakk@Guk wrote:</cite><blockquote><p><b></b>Yep, chalk another thing up to the devs good-centric way of thought.</p></blockquote>Heh, cept the armor quests being easier (and completely soloable) on the FP side =p.

[Tae]

<cite>Bloodfang@Nagafen wrote:</cite><blockquote>Good-centric?  You don't play PvP, do you?</blockquote>Playing on PvP makes the game feel even <i>more </i>good-centric. Anyway I use the boats all the time because there's rarely any druids hanging around town that aren't level 17, so I can't get a port, and since I'm in freeport we can't fly to Butcherblock using the carpet. I utterly hate it. It's 5 minutes wasted for no reason whatsoever. At least the spires function as a choke point where combat can take place. Since the boats are on the docks where you're always immune they're just a massive waste of my time. Take them out and let us buy tickets like we can for everywhere else.

[Cocytus]

<p>I like boats, myself, but I don't use them often now that I have teleportation flowers.</p><p>The ironic part?I would use boats more often....If you were on them for a longer period of time (IE they passed through an ocean zone).</p>

[Maroger]

<cite>thedump wrote:</cite><blockquote>I remember what a big deal boats were when they were being discussed as the land/water route way of getting to EoF.  I'm curious how many people still use the boat now that you can go through DoF as a workaround - or have friends/alts/guildies to port you.  I haven't touched a boat in months.</blockquote><p>I don't have any choice being on the evil side -- but I SURE HATE the boats. Was sorry to see them come back and I think it is too bad that they will be in Kunark too.</p><p>I don't go to Faydwer that much because of the boats. Unless one is right at the docks it is 5 minute wait -- so to me boats are a timesink. <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/e78feac27fa924c4d0ad6cf5819f3554.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p>

[Zabjade]

<cite>Cocytus wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>I like boats, myself, but I don't use them often now that I have teleportation flowers.</p><p>The ironic part?I would use boats more often....If you were on them for a longer period of time (IE they passed through an ocean zone).</p></blockquote><span style="color: #00cc00;">Yeah and Ocean Zone is needed one with ports of call, shopping(Shopping Questlines?), and Gambeling!!!</span>

[Seraki]

yup, I use the boats , wish more other people did too.   Its fun to see people gather at boats like the old days.

[Leatherneck]

<cite>Cocytus wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>I would use boats more often....If you were on them for a longer period of time (IE they passed through an ocean zone).</p></blockquote><p>There would have to be something awful interesting going on.  I hated the time spent going to and from Iceclad and going to and from Kunark in EQ1 because the boats, much like the ones in EQ2, were boring.</p><p>EQ2 boats are better looking, but still quite boring.</p>

[Zabjade]

<span style="color: #00cc00;">They need to put Venders in the game selling random interesting things, such as, ingredients for unique crafting recipies, never all at once maybe change up the items every few days...</span>

[Uumuuanu]

<cite>Cocytus wrote:</cite><blockquote>I would use boats more often....If you were on them for a longer period of time (IE they passed through an ocean zone).</blockquote><p>Thats just sick and wrong.   Get rid of the damned boats and put in a bell.  I would pay for it, I can't stand wasting time sitting there waiting for a boat, let alone wasting time sitting there waiting for someone else who is waiting for a boat.</p><p>And fix the spires,  its NOT 5 minutes, its 8, I have timed it.   When I click on the woman she should just port me up, not this crap of waiting for it.  Its no different then zoning to anywhere else, it shouldnt' take an HOUR to get somewhere by having to wait for spires and boats and then wait for someone who missed it by 10 seconds only to realize that the 6th person you are waiting for it actually still waiting for the boat because they missed it immediately after the 5th person in your group.   </p><p>NO BOATS, BOATS SUCK.</p>

[KBern]

<p>Yeah I hated the boats in EQ1 and dislike them here.</p><p>At least in EQ1 you had actual zones and content when using the boats.</p><p>What the need to do is make a zone like OOT in EQ2 and have the boats act like a griffin or horse system.  The safer and quicker way to island hop, but if you wanted to swim you could do that too.</p><p>I just don't have 20 minutes to waste staring at my screen when I log in that I want to sit on a boat staring off into the distance.</p>

[Cocytus]

<p>Yeah, dumb this game down even more. Seriously, cry me a river.</p><p>Anyway. In regards to EQ1 boats and EQ2 boats - I liked the original model boats and the Maiden Fancy boats more than the EQ2 boats. You could actually go below deck, where they had a bar and everything. Maiden's Fancy had like 80 rooms.</p>

[BarrowBott]

<cite>Cocytus wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Yeah, dumb this game down even more. Seriously, cry me a river.</p><p>Anyway. In regards to EQ1 boats and EQ2 boats - I liked the original model boats and the Maiden Fancy boats more than the EQ2 boats. You could actually go below deck, where they had a bar and everything. Maiden's Fancy had like 80 rooms.</p></blockquote>Yeah and the boat trip took, what?, 30 minutes?  That was a ridiculous time-sink.  The EoF boat rides take the perfect amount of time.

[TsarRasput]

With the EH flower I don't use the boats anymore at all

[KBern]

<cite>TsarRasputin wrote:</cite><blockquote>With the EH flower I don't use the boats anymore at all</blockquote>Yeah that has me spoiled on my necro, but sucks if you want to travel with an evil character that is not 65 (I think is the lvl limit of the flower).

[hawaiinpimp]

When I'm not in a hurry... I still use the boats

[Gnollkicker]

<p>Boats are and always have been boring in EQ. They are choke points that artificially stop the progress of the game so that people can feel good about how "realistic" travel feels, disregarding the fact that they are not playing the game in that time period and couldn't if they wanted to. Then there's the suspension of disbelief. I would have liked to feel that the continent of Faydwer was across a vast ocean from the two main starting continents. Not so. It's no more than a few hundred feet, actually. I can't use my imagination anymore to picture the vast distances. It's spelled out for me. If the game would let me, I could probably swim there in five minutes. Now that's stupid. Not to say that it's the end of the world as we know it. I'll live, but it's just another thing detracting from my gameplay. Call me crazy, but I don't purchase computer games to sit around waiting. I purchase them to get involved with the story and do stuff. Mariner bells were perfect for that and allowed me to fill in any gaps with my imagination. Now, if you include a long boat ride with some adventure while you're traveling, then you might have something. Not this generic empty-boat-on-rails crap.</p><p>I think the amount of people using alternative routes when the boats are still there speaks volumes about how little people actually enjoy using them.</p>

[Zabjade]

<p><span style="color: #00ff00;">Admittedly things to do on a boat <i>(gambling etc)</i> would help immensly also a crew would be nice also making short ports of call would make it more interesting. Once the midzone you could choose to zone into the next zone if you are in a hurry <i>(But you should probably have hired a Teleporter if you are in a rush)</i> or you could stick it out for fun.</span></p><p><span style="color: #00ff00;">People who whine about boats and spires, just <i>seem</i> childish to me even if they are some corperate bigwig in real life. </span></p>

[Griffinhart]

<cite>thedump wrote:</cite><blockquote>I remember what a big deal boats were when they were being discussed as the land/water route way of getting to EoF.  I'm curious how many people still use the boat now that you can go through DoF as a workaround - or have friends/alts/guildies to port you.  I haven't touched a boat in months.</blockquote>If my call of Qeynos/Ro are down, I'll take the boat.  But, two of my characters are porters, so don't use the boat much anyway.  I tend to use the short cut with my Conj though.  My Guard is Evil, so he doesn't have that option, but he is now a proud owner of the Stein of Recollection wich is now set to Kelethin. 

[Griffinhart]

<cite>Gnollkicker wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Boats are and always have been boring in EQ. They are choke points that artificially stop the progress of the game so that people can feel good about how "realistic" travel feels, disregarding the fact that they are not playing the game in that time period and couldn't if they wanted to. Then there's the suspension of disbelief. I would have liked to feel that the continent of Faydwer was across a vast ocean from the two main starting continents. Not so. It's no more than a few hundred feet, actually. I can't use my imagination anymore to picture the vast distances. It's spelled out for me. If the game would let me, I could probably swim there in five minutes. Now that's stupid. Not to say that it's the end of the world as we know it. I'll live, but it's just another thing detracting from my gameplay. Call me crazy, but I don't purchase computer games to sit around waiting. I purchase them to get involved with the story and do stuff. Mariner bells were perfect for that and allowed me to fill in any gaps with my imagination. Now, if you include a long boat ride with some adventure while you're traveling, then you might have something. Not this generic empty-boat-on-rails crap.</p><p>I think the amount of people using alternative routes when the boats are still there speaks volumes about how little people actually enjoy using them.</p></blockquote>What I would LOVE to see are bells that let you instantly get to BB from EF, QH, Nek, Ner and TS.  Maybe add a higher priced ticket on the harbormasters to hit BB.  Then make the boat ride some sort of mini adventure that you can do any time you want.  Make the boat ride a lot of fun to do.  I wouldn't do it every day, but even my porters would make time for the occasional boat ride.

[Wilde_Night]

<cite>Griffinhart wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Gnollkicker wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Boats are and always have been boring in EQ. They are choke points that artificially stop the progress of the game so that people can feel good about how "realistic" travel feels, disregarding the fact that they are not playing the game in that time period and couldn't if they wanted to. Then there's the suspension of disbelief. I would have liked to feel that the continent of Faydwer was across a vast ocean from the two main starting continents. Not so. It's no more than a few hundred feet, actually. I can't use my imagination anymore to picture the vast distances. It's spelled out for me. If the game would let me, I could probably swim there in five minutes. Now that's stupid. Not to say that it's the end of the world as we know it. I'll live, but it's just another thing detracting from my gameplay. Call me crazy, but I don't purchase computer games to sit around waiting. I purchase them to get involved with the story and do stuff. Mariner bells were perfect for that and allowed me to fill in any gaps with my imagination. Now, if you include a long boat ride with some adventure while you're traveling, then you might have something. Not this generic empty-boat-on-rails crap.</p><p>I think the amount of people using alternative routes when the boats are still there speaks volumes about how little people actually enjoy using them.</p></blockquote>What I would LOVE to see are bells that let you instantly get to BB from EF, QH, Nek, Ner and TS.  Maybe add a higher priced ticket on the harbormasters to hit BB.  Then make the boat ride some sort of mini adventure that you can do any time you want.  Make the boat ride a lot of fun to do.  I wouldn't do it every day, but even my porters would make time for the occasional boat ride.</blockquote>Gah. BB is Blackburrow. BBM is Butcherblock Mountains.  /sighs but winks

[Qandor]

I hardly even consider the EoF boat as a boat. Pretty much all it is, is a 30 second animated loading screen. If that "boat ride" is too long for some folks I just don't understand what they want. A mini-PoK in there house with stones for every zone so you could just zip there in an instant?

[Griffinhart]

<cite>Aeviel@Venekor wrote:</cite> <blockquote>Gah. BB is Blackburrow. BBM is Butcherblock Mountains.  /sighs but winks</blockquote>LOL, sorry, been calling it that since 99.  Don't see it changing any time soon =P  The first BB I ever went to was Butcherblock since my first EQ character started in that end of the world hehe.

[KBern]

<cite>Qandor wrote:</cite><blockquote>I hardly even consider the EoF boat as a boat. Pretty much all it is, is a 30 second animated loading screen. If that "boat ride" is too long for some folks I just don't understand what they want. A mini-PoK in there house with stones for every zone so you could just zip there in an instant? </blockquote>I don't think it is the boat ride that is the issue, but the waiting on the boat to get to the dock in the first place.

[Leatherneck]

<cite>Qandor wrote:</cite><blockquote>I hardly even consider the EoF boat as a boat. Pretty much all it is, is a 30 second animated loading screen. If that "boat ride" is too long for some folks I just don't understand what they want. <b>A mini-PoK in there house with stones for every zone so you could just zip there in an instant? </b></blockquote><p>Yes, that's exactly what we want....and soloable Epic x10's....and an army of pet sharks with laser vision...and a "You're dead" button we can use to kill players...even on a PVE server...and a set of Fabled level 70 armor we can /claim upon logging in that a level 1 can use...and a pony.</p>

[Tae]

<cite>Qandor wrote:</cite><blockquote>I hardly even consider the EoF boat as a boat. Pretty much all it is, is a 30 second animated loading screen. If that "boat ride" is too long for some folks I just don't understand what they want. A mini-PoK in there house with stones for every zone so you could just zip there in an instant? </blockquote>Yes wanting one of those is exactly akin to being annoyed at having to waste 5 minutes sitting on nek docks waiting for the boat. Especially since Qeynos characters can just fly straight to EoF.

[Seolta]

<p>Wow...if some of you are so stoked about WASTING your time waiting for/travelling on boats, why don't you just sit for 5min and stare at the login screen before hitting the button next time. :p</p><p>Honestly, I hardly ever do KoS even though theres alot of good content there. The *only* reason for this is I don't wan't to waste time waiting on the stupid portals.</p><p>At least I was able to roll a Fury for EoF travel. </p>

[DngrMou]

<cite>thedump wrote:</cite><blockquote>I remember what a big deal boats were when they were being discussed as the land/water route way of getting to EoF.  I'm curious how many people still use the boat now that you can go through DoF as a workaround - or have friends/alts/guildies to port you.  I haven't touched a boat in months.</blockquote>I use the boats frequently.  They're often times convenient....and I like the small period of 'down time' while waiting/traveling.

[Lightstrider]

My fury still uses the boats for certain trips, even though she can port.  If you are in BB anyway, you might as well hop on the boat to Nek, for instance.  If you hail the dock guy and it feels like it might be a couple minutes until the boat arrives, then it's a good time to get a drink or snack etc.  Never have to wait more than a few minutes, though.

[Galeden]

<cite>Gnollkicker wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Boats are and always have been boring in EQ. They are choke points that artificially stop the progress of the game so that people can feel good about how "realistic" travel feels, <span style="color: #ff0000;">disregarding the fact that they are not playing the game</span> in that time period and couldn't if they wanted to. Then there's the suspension of disbelief. I would have liked to feel that the continent of Faydwer was across a vast ocean from the two main starting continents. Not so. It's no more than a few hundred feet, actually. I can't use my imagination anymore to picture the vast distances. It's spelled out for me. If the game would let me, I could probably swim there in five minutes. Now that's stupid. Not to say that it's the end of the world as we know it. I'll live, but it's just another thing detracting from my gameplay. Call me crazy, but I don't purchase computer games to sit around waiting. I purchase them to get involved with the story and do stuff. Mariner bells were perfect for that and allowed me to fill in any gaps with my imagination. Now, if you include a long boat ride with some adventure while you're traveling, then you might have something. Not this generic empty-boat-on-rails crap.</p><p>I think the amount of people using alternative routes when the boats are still there speaks volumes about how little people actually enjoy using them.</p></blockquote>Had to comment on the part I marked in red.  Waiting on the boat for some IS playing the game, it is a RPG, there for roleplaying is playing part of what the game was designed around.  It's things like the boats and a lot of other little things that break up the boring old never ending kill fest for a lot of people.  I would drop any game in a minute if there weren't things put in the game for no other reason but to enjoy the environment/setting/RP/etc.  Just because some parts don't interest you (which is absolutly fine as long as you don't think it needs to be changed to suit you and forget all the other people that play) does not mean they are not a perfectly valid way of playing the game.  So please do not say people are not playing the game or playing it right just because they do not meet your views.

[Gargamel]

<p>LOL @ the 'hurry up and wait' people who are playing MMO's but can't stand a 5min timer on spires... what a joke they are.</p><p>Go play an FPS for godsakes.</p><p>For those that aren't crazy... how about this.  A boat zone.  Think of the boat as a slow moving mount, like the carpets or horses only it moves very slowly.</p><p>For those just wanting to cross the zone they can sit on the boat and play PvP card games like blackjack and poker with other players and bet in-game plat.</p><p>For others, you can stand out on the deck and pick off griffons and beasties flying overhead, or fish over the side.</p><p>For adventurers, they can watch different little islands and coastlines going by, and if they want to explore, can jump ship and go do some quests or hunt a name scattered around the boat zone.</p><p>This CAN be done in a way that is fun for all.  Anything to avoid the PoP super-hub and quash the silly clamour for something like it is good IMO.</p>

[Za]

<cite>StrafaeSwiftleaf wrote:</cite><blockquote>still wish i could jump off the side at the nearest island >.<</blockquote>Why can't you?