I'm wondering how it's looking lately. Let me say before I mislead anyone that I didn't like the game when i tried it and I can't stand SOE but have been laughably following the changes they made in an attempt to compete with WoW (which has been SOE's demise really) such as the introduction of pvp, even though they said they would never do it, lol. I guess I am gloating at their struggling, yeah that's it. Is anyone actually still playing it atm? We get zero posts about it on these forums. If so, how do you do it? ;)

EQ1 was the greatest MMORPG, and the most groundbreaking. WoW will never approach it, good as it is. EQ2 however, well, its the runner that everyone cheers on as he brings up the rear.

EQ1 wasn't the greatest MMORPG, just the most popular. It had mass apppeal with it's elves, drows and the other typical D&D races, as well as that sexy elf girl on their adds.

They had lots of shelve life and publicity thanks to their tons of xp pack.

I'd say that Untima Online was the greatest influence in mmorpgs. Without it, there probably would never have been a mmorpg market.

Asheron's Call by Turbine did do interesting things too. I may be wrong, but I think it was the first 3d seamless mmorpg. Everquest had zones, AC didn't. They also pretty much created the monthly update scheme. Every month they added new content and were not relying on xp pack, every 5-6 months, they had a free big update that could be considered an expension pack.

This is the reason the game didn't get known. Beside the first release, they never got put on shelves, since they never did xp packs, they also got no publicity. The only way you could learn of it was trough friends. That and the fact they created their own races and setting is the reason it didn't get as much players.

Eventually, after a couple of years they gave away an expension pack (10$ to buy it, come with a free month) just so they could get back on the shelves again a while.

The game is still going, and last I heard, the devs were dedicated to making the game the players want. They got their money out of it, now it's just fan service.

The game might not have been known by much players, but the important people noticed them, they did get the liscence for D&D online and Middle Earth Online.

[ 02-15-2006, 11:31 PM: Message edited by: Luvian ]

Yes, there was no other fantasy MMO (as we know fantasy MMO's today) around at the time of EQ1 so everybody who had a hunger for such a thing flocked to it. It was even on the news and blasted for addictions etc. because this was the first of it's kind and it paved the way to what we play today.

Was it an astounding game? At the time yes, but we had no real comparison. Is it fun to play now? I don't think so personally but at the time I would have nothing else to play. I always feel like SOE took advantage of their pioneer status and thought of EQ1 as an exclusive club. They charged their players for *everything* and the game itself was riddled with enticing offers and incentives to play more but pay more than they had intended. Even EQ2 charges you extra to have a full profile (!). When I tried EQ2 and saw that I knew this company was not getting my money.

Just my 2.

There was competition, you just never knew about it. Asheron's Call was similar and out at the same time. Back then as far as 3d mmorpgs were concerned it was either Everquest or Asheron's Call, but no one knew of AC...

If there had been only Everquest, I would have played UO. I've never been a fan of Everquest.

As a side note, I still mourn Ultima Online: Origin, the 3d ultima game. I had a Meer fire mage planed and I was really hyped about that game.

They cancelled it half way into production because they thought it would create competition for Ultima Online. You know, the old, isometric Ultima Online...

EQ-I was the Baldurs Gate of MMO's. I played for
awhile but never really got into it. However My
son played the hell out of if and still says it is
the best MMO ever made. He plays all of them I
saw his paypal account the other day at over $100.00
per month for on line games is nuts, but he works
for his money so what he does with is up to him.
Oh yeah he said he was really pissed about EQ2
and after only 15 days of having the account paid
for he quit and cancled the account.
Also I read someplace they are making an Ultima
Online expansion out of the 3rd ultima game.

[ 02-16-2006, 04:33 PM: Message edited by: TheCrimsomBlade ]

If Everquest was Baldur's Gate, then Asheron's Call was Fallout... [img]tongue.gif[/img]

i played eq2 till i quit fairly recently (like last nov). it was fun having no comparison with other mmorpg experience for me. it has become too competitive lately and the casual players are becoming almost non-existent. ah well, time to pull the plug for me i suppose.

[ 02-17-2006, 04:35 AM: Message edited by: Harkoliar ]