What is the meat of the game now?

Sergo Cheddargnobbler · 11-17-2011, 08:40 PM

It seems that the game all happens at 90. It's pretty difficult for me to get groups to experience lower-level content. Any groups I've gotten in are all zerging their way towards 90, so I ask you this: What's for me when I get there?

I've never played at game at level cap before, so levelling has always been one of my goals. I understand there's increasing one's AA at 90, but what else is going on? Are people grouping, questing, or only raiding?

Is there a point to crafting? It seems that levels 1-80 are now set to blow by so fast, it's not very worthwhile to spend a lot on items and even spell upgrades along the way?

I'd like to know what the day-to-day experience in the game is like. I have a 71 I could probably get to 90 relatively soon, and just wondering if I'm going to enjoy things when I get there, or be disappointed. I can solo a level in an hour or two right now, but I'm not a solo player at heart. I'm not intrigued by blowing through easy solo content, but I don't have the time to be a raider. I want to group, meet people, make online friends, and overcome challenges.

Thanks in advance both for the helpful replies and the suggestions that I posted this in the wrong forum.

Masako · 11-17-2011, 09:49 PM

This is only my experience and how I see it - others' could be different.

I've heard as I was leveling up and when I reached max level "the game really starts at end-game". I can see why in some ways. At 90, especially once you have all of your AA, it becomes a test of skill and how much you improve with not only that but gear upgrades as well. Without getting better with levels, it's up to you as a player to get better. That's why I like being at max level is it's a challenge in that respect.

There is a lot of raiding at max level, but there seems to be quite a bit of grouping as well. I can guarantee you you'll get more group adventuring at 90 vs lower levels. How much grouping depends on the server, time of day you're looking for grouping, etc.

As of now crafting is useful for end-game. There are certain recipes that make very decent gear for instances and the like and I'm almost always seeing someone asking for a crafter to craft certain items for them. Expert spells may be a little less needed as masters are dropping a lot at 90, but for instance my alchemist is always needed for cure pots and stat pots. My provi gets used still for foods which include special foods at end-game. I'm always getting use out of transmuting and adorning, too.

I'm a bit different in my day-to-day playing as I kind of go all over the place. I raid three nights a week but outside of that I go revisit old questlines. I'll group if I'm working on a questline that requires me to get updates in dungeons and istances, but I do a lot of solo-related "side projects". I'd probably group a lot more if I wasn't raiding - I don't usually go for groups since I don't need gear upgrades from there on my main. When I'm not doing all that I just decorate, heh.

feldon30 · 11-18-2011, 04:45 AM

EQ2 is two games:

1-89

90

That 1-89 has become a solo tutorial which ill-prepares the player for level 90 is just an unfortunate reality now.

This dichotomy started manifesting about halfway through The Shadow Odyssey and was fully realized with the introduction of Destiny of Velious.

Rectale · 11-18-2011, 05:10 AM

For me at least the meat of the game was repeating raid zones, ez mode DoV not including piling up inordinate ammounts of raid shards, with nothing to spend them on. Then doing HM up to a certain point, pants mob, kraytoc, weapon mob resectively. Over and over and over again.

90 crafter, 450 tinker, muter, adorner. Done the HQs donbe pretty much all that is to be done.

Then it was just level alt time, which got a bit dull.

So ended up just being a plat farm. And with nothing to spend the plat farm on except for SC was sort of boring, as I've got money to buy SC with if I want to.

So the nitty gritty - the 'meat' of the game as you say is saying helo to a few people that you know and maybe gearing an alt up to do nothing with.

Mermut · 11-18-2011, 05:24 AM

It depends what your preferences are. I have several 90 toons and raid with a few of them. I also have several lower level toons. I enjoy the process of leveling and learning my toons and I enjoy questing my way up to 90 with group, instancing, etc along the way.There does seem to be a mentality of a 'mad dash to 90' that is growing more and more pervasive though. It's somewhat frightening to see lvl 90 toons with fewer AAs then my lvl 40-couple that has the AA slider between 50-75%. People are missing a huge amount of content if they see the end (lvl 90) as the only worthwhile goal and ignore then journey. But that is myst my opinion. Other people find questing horrifically boring, even for their first toon. I think the strongest thing EQ2 has in it's favor is that it offers a variety of ways to enjoy the game.

kahonen · 11-18-2011, 05:52 AM

I believe the game is in 3 parts:

Level 1 to Level 89 - the tutorial for when you get to level 90.

Level 90 - You start raiding and see the real game - Easy Mode and the first few mobs of Hard Mode.

Level 90 (2) - The rest including the broken content that nobody has seen or is likely to see unless things are fixed.

Note: I accept that I have a somewhat skewed view as my sole purpose for being in the game is raiding with good friends. Everything else is there simply to get me to the point where I can do this. Not everyone shares this view, as others have said, you will have your own idea of what you want from the game and will be able to decide if you are actually achieving that.

darwich · 11-18-2011, 09:01 AM

OP i see this game differently, there are so many things to do, the levels dont really matter in my opinion. I play it to have fun, not rush along to someone elses idea of whats important... yes i have 3 90s and several 90 crafters etc, but heck i honestly need to sit down and prioritize what i want to work on with what toon as i sometimes sit there staring, not knowing what to do or start first...

screenid · 11-18-2011, 09:07 AM

Sergo Cheddargnobbler wrote:

It seems that the game all happens at 90. It's pretty difficult for me to get groups to experience lower-level content. Any groups I've gotten in are all zerging their way towards 90, so I ask you this: What's for me when I get there?
I've never played at game at level cap before, so levelling has always been one of my goals. I understand there's increasing one's AA at 90, but what else is going on? Are people grouping, questing, or only raiding?
Is there a point to crafting? It seems that levels 1-80 are now set to blow by so fast, it's not very worthwhile to spend a lot on items and even spell upgrades along the way?
I'd like to know what the day-to-day experience in the game is like. I have a 71 I could probably get to 90 relatively soon, and just wondering if I'm going to enjoy things when I get there, or be disappointed. I can solo a level in an hour or two right now, but I'm not a solo player at heart. I'm not intrigued by blowing through easy solo content, but I don't have the time to be a raider. I want to group, meet people, make online friends, and overcome challenges.
Thanks in advance both for the helpful replies and the suggestions that I posted this in the wrong forum.

once FTP hits you will find pleanty of people who are here to enjoy the journey (they are not interested in zerging to lvl90).

Zorastiz · 11-18-2011, 09:50 AM

The meat of the game is station cash......

Crillus · 11-18-2011, 09:45 PM

Sergo Cheddargnobbler wrote:

It seems that the game all happens at 90. It's pretty difficult for me to get groups to experience lower-level content. Any groups I've gotten in are all zerging their way towards 90, so I ask you this: What's for me when I get there?
I've never played at game at level cap before, so levelling has always been one of my goals. I understand there's increasing one's AA at 90, but what else is going on? Are people grouping, questing, or only raiding?
Is there a point to crafting? It seems that levels 1-80 are now set to blow by so fast, it's not very worthwhile to spend a lot on items and even spell upgrades along the way?
I'd like to know what the day-to-day experience in the game is like. I have a 71 I could probably get to 90 relatively soon, and just wondering if I'm going to enjoy things when I get there, or be disappointed. I can solo a level in an hour or two right now, but I'm not a solo player at heart. I'm not intrigued by blowing through easy solo content, but I don't have the time to be a raider. I want to group, meet people, make online friends, and overcome challenges.
Thanks in advance both for the helpful replies and the suggestions that I posted this in the wrong forum.

Go check out the RP server (Antonia Bayle) - RP isn't all that bad, really. You can still solo there, etc.

RP is what you make it - there's no real "pre-defined" way to do it - heck actors make millions a year doing just that. I just mention this, because I notice a few players from the normal servers creating new toons on AB to check it out and then hanging out for a while.

Irgun · 11-19-2011, 06:36 AM

Zorastiz@Antonia Bayle wrote:

The meat of the game is station cash......

I like to add:

Glory is gone.

EQ2 is already only a cash cow via SC-stuff, releasing unbalanced content, bad/boring itemization + no real work on long lasting issues prove that.

This game has a way bigger potential - delay AoD till Feb/March `12 and fix things would be the ultimate /win - but as mentioned: having a handful of new fluffy (and unnecessary) SC-stuff released every week while the rest is left alone like a starving child in Africa is just poor management and a slap in the face of dedicated players who accepted alot changes/nerfs/bad stuff over the last 5years+

Sadly, products that have become cash cow status wont get a revival or something, because they generate enough money without any care.

EQ2.....what have you become......

Yimway · 11-22-2011, 06:00 PM

feldon30 wrote:

EQ2 is two games:
1-89
90
That 1-89 has become a solo tutorial which ill-prepares the player for level 90 is just an unfortunate reality now.
This dichotomy started manifesting about halfway through The Shadow Odyssey and was fully realized with the introduction of Destiny of Velious.

I'm pleased to see folks are catching up with my view that the game pretty much lives and end-tier.

Crolack · 11-22-2011, 06:51 PM

feldon30 wrote:

EQ2 is two games:
1-89
90
That 1-89 has become a solo tutorial which ill-prepares the player for level 90 is just an unfortunate reality now.
This dichotomy started manifesting about halfway through The Shadow Odyssey and was fully realized with the introduction of Destiny of Velious.

I thought it was

1-89 PL'd

90 - not knowing how to play your class.

SpineDoc · 11-22-2011, 09:01 PM

feldon30 wrote:

EQ2 is two games:
1-89
90
That 1-89 has become a solo tutorial which ill-prepares the player for level 90 is just an unfortunate reality now.
This dichotomy started manifesting about halfway through The Shadow Odyssey and was fully realized with the introduction of Destiny of Velious.

Spot on, I've been saying this for the last couple of years.

Pengefinchess · 11-22-2011, 09:57 PM

i dont understand what everyone posting.. the answer to the op is : brontotherium

wullailhuit · 11-23-2011, 04:05 AM

Grimnebulin@Nagafen wrote:

i dont understand what everyone posting.. the answer to the op is : brontotherium

Lies!....everyone knows the answer is always PIE.

retro_guy · 11-23-2011, 05:16 AM

The "meat of the game" is whatever you want yo make it.

EQ2 is a sandbox, although not as sandboxy as I'd like, but you can do whatever you want.

For me the "meat of the game" is everything leading up to 90, the journey. It's questing and exploring and enjoying the details that a lot of people run straight past, or never even see.

I'm currently betraying Qeynos, to do as much content in Freeport before it gets revemped. I've found the mobs in the Freeport sewers drop lots of quest starters, mostly short quests, some of which lead to the burbs for updates. I've been blown away by the little details in the architecture in the sewers, the original developers put a lot of work into these zones, and while they don't offer any great material rewards, they are great to explore, and beautifully designed.

I get as much out of exploring the old zones, if no more than running L90 instances.

I know that's not everybodies cup-of-tea, but that's what's great about EQ2, you can find a niche you enjoy.

I'm fortunate that I enjoy most of the game, except for raiding. I can understand that some people only like raiding, so for them the game is quite limited.

Questall · 11-23-2011, 05:43 AM

I agree with most people here that the game is played at 90 and not a second earlier.

If u do choose to play lower lvl content u will find it hard to find ppl to group with and sheer impossible to do that same thing with people of ur own lvl, so as to have at least some degree of challenge.

Itemization at lower lvls is so overpowered now that it shattered any challenge of doing quests, so doing quests is dull nowadays.

And when u do get to 90, as stated above also, u will have no idea how to play ur class in groups. So, expect lots of abuse when entering ur first dungeons.

Crafting is dull too, but definitely has it perks, so i wouldnt pass it over, but if u do craft i'd go for woodworker, carpenter, provy or chemist. The other crafts are so neglected over the years they have lost all meaning.

So...do what most ppl do i guess....PL to 90, max out ur AA's, grind dungeons till ur all white inside ur head and gear up for raids, then start ranting against SOE.

Thunderthyze · 11-23-2011, 06:58 AM

retro_guy wrote:

The "meat of the game" is whatever you want yo make it.
EQ2 is a sandbox

Err no...it really isn't.

Thunderthyze · 11-23-2011, 07:00 AM

The meat of the game is coming on to the forums and reminiscing about how good the game used to be.