Too Small a World for Me... (WoW, EQ)

Too Small a World for Me
I tend to skip around from games sometimes. I do like to mix it up and play different things, there are a lot of really cool games out now. However there are a couple that I call my main games- Warcraft and Everquest. Even if I am not playing one atm, I will surely be playing it again at some point. Lately though WoW has just felt too small a world for me, I find myself getting bored easier.

My friend Pouncealot from Heals and Dots asked me to explain why WoW wasn't big enough a world for me. So today I thought I would elaborate. This will be long winded I'm sure, heh. I started Everquest in 2000, even back then the world was quite large, many places to explore and level. It could take at least half an hour to run somewhere. It truly was a huge world. Today the game is even bigger than before, sixteen expansions later! Today travel is a lot easier and faster, with portal stones, guild hall ports and fast mounts. Had I not played Everquest would I still think WoW such a small world? Probably not. Ignorance is bliss. Just kidding...!! Would I still be bored within it? Probably.

Zones
When I went to World of Warcraft it was indeed a smaller world than I was use to. It was new and still didn't have the zones it does now. Today though, there are not all that many zones. I just feel I am spinning circles with each expansion, finding myself in the the same areas day after day. Same instances day after day. It doesn't change up quickly, as the expansions are not put out once a year as I was use to with Everquest. It still, six years later, feels rather small to me. Everything is outdated very quickly. Which continues to make the new content used up faster and the world feel smaller once again, not expanded.

I love WoW, but for one who likes to change things up with scenery, it's just not possible at high end. While leveling there are a few different zones, but why go to one when the other is better with quests offered ect. No mobs to camp for an item .. something special you want. If there is, well it's in an instance, in most cases. It can feel limited. Holiday events that have you travel are like a breath of fresh air to me, but they are far in between at times.

Another thing I notice is my Bard and my fast mount in Everquest, they seem to go double the speed of my epic flier, even with the Paladin's crusader aura in WoW. Because there is more area to cover, you travel at a faster rate. Zoom.. Zoom.. Zoom!

Get tired of one place, go somewhere else. If you are wondering just how many zones there are in Everquest here is a list. And here is a visual picture to consider, note the newest expansion isn't listed here and these are full of instanced and raid zones as well.  It's massive for someone who loves to explore. It could be overwhelming to a new player, I think it adds a depth to a game. A huge world to explore. Mobs that drop rare items hidden across it, many quests and epic quests to be had.  Go visit the 'Gods' of Everquest in the Planes if you like! Maybe even kill them if you're strong enough! I like things like that. I got tired of visiting Vancleef :( I am sure he misses me though.

Content
It depends on how you look at content while leveling and once you are at high end. I like something to do when I am at the top still. Things I can work on alone or with others. I don't like it so much in one direction, where if I log on for a short time, I can't do anything worthwhile. That is a big thing with me. I like to be able to duo and group as well, I don't like being pigeonholed into one aspect of play at high end.

In WoW while leveling there are so many things to do quest wise. However, once you reach the top it's instances and raids for gear. Which is fun. Though this can really be a burn out for some people. Ok, I want to just solo a bit, let me do daily quest. Do you know anyone who actually likes them? I don't. They get old quickly too. I am glad they are there for the option to acquire gold, it just gets boring fast.

So.. what can you do on your own or with a partner once you get high end in WoW- besides daily quests? Achievements or PvP. But what if you don't like those? That's what gets to me sometimes. I remember in BC I logged on some nights and just spent time fishing... for days. I thought why the hell am I still playing this game? Sure, I enjoy fishing but it was quite boring, I had PvP'd for gear, raided a couple times a week and did my daily quests. When I wasn't well.. I didn't feel like instancing all the time.

But you can't solo in Everquest! How many times I have heard that. With mercenaries, you can. Some classes can solo better than others. It just depends on what you solo. Everyone can solo to 85. Everyone. It's not as fun at times, so groups are always welcomed. The Mage is the posterchild for soloing now. A bit overpowered if you ask me when compared to other classes with less gear and alternate advancement points. That doesn't stop me. With better gear and AA points all the classes get stronger.

You have to keep in mind it is an older game, so a massive overhaul wouldn't work out well with such old coding. Plus do we want it to be like WoW? It is it's own game with it's own feel and play-style. Skills have more meaning to them. Things do not die so fast, so skills are more utilized. Slowing the mobs attack speed makes a big difference where it wouldn't matter in WoW.

High end? There are raids, group content, instances and quests. When you don't feel like doing any of those you can just xp for alternate advancement points. These are like talent points on crack. You can build and tune your character into something much stronger than you started with. The great thing is you can work on these starting at level 51, so there is much work to do to keep you busy with that aspect. Want to stay in a place for awhile and work on them? Kick the aa xp to 100% and you won't level.

Exploring
Not everyone likes to explore. I don't just run around la la la and smelling the flowers in all the pretty zones. However, I do like to go back to some of the older zones, kill some rare mobs.. kill an old raid mob.. something worthwhile still. Hey it could drop something worthwhile still, maybe some spells or a clicky item I never could get. I like places to explore while getting xp also.

There is no invisibility in WoW. Which makes exploring some areas more of a pain. I always thought it was odd that WoW didn't offer this ability to all classes. Ok, Mages get it and there is also stealth. It's not the same. Stealth mobs can see through if you get too close, not fun. Where being invisible you can dance in front of the mob if you want and they don't mess with you- that is unless they see through it! Then again it is a much smaller world so the need for something like this is not as great.

Adventure!
I suppose to sum things up, I like a slower pace these days. Everything is so fast in WoW. Groups are done so fast in Heroics, I guess that might be a good thing though! You know everything inside out by the time you hit 80 and have played for a month at least. It stagnates quickly. The longer you play, the less fascinating the world can get. The content is slowly put out, so it is to be expected.

When I want to adventure, I want it to be an adventure.  I don't want to always have to go to the same zone day after day. That's like going to the grocery store every week and calling it an adventure. You need gold- you go do daily quests. You need food you go to the grocery store. I consider them both to be the on same level of excitement- Zzzz....

I like to quest or camp for things. There really isn't an option at 80 for much of this in WoW. If you go around adventuring, there really isn't much of a point besides the scenery. If you do like to go sight seeing, well.. you can get bored of event that after awhile.

So there you go readers (And my dear friend Pouncie!) that's the best way, I suppose, I can sum it up. This isn't a brag about EQ post either, it's just EQ ties into why I feel as I do about WoW. Why do I not always play EQ then? I still like my other games, I miss them at times and still like to visit them and try out new games. For now though I am back in Norrath adventuring my heart out!

May your adventures be exciting and full of fond memories!
-kaozz

Edit* Someone smack me for posting when I am tired.. Sorry for all the typos- I think I caught them all this time >.<

10 Reasons Everquest Is Still Great!

Oh noes not another EQ post! But it's so nice to be playing again! Today in my feed reader I saw several posts about gear score and meters. It's nice to be away from that sometimes. I'm not saying EQ is free of this mentality. I know currently I am playing a class that is heavily dependent on AA and gear- but it doesn't feel as harsh. You can go at your own pace, stop and work on AAs. What keeps me coming back after all these years? Here's my list of 10 reasons EQ is still great to play!

1- The community. The people are nice, helpful and genuine. It's a very nice environment to play in.  

2- The wide range of classes. There are so many unique classes, it can be hard to pick what you want to play. There is something for everyone. Each class has a unique feel.

3- Alternate Advancement. Starting at 51 you can work on alternate skills. There's a vast amount of things you can work on- from run speed increase to class specific abilities. Once you reach max level you still have something to work on and look forward to. 

4- Races. There are so many races to pick from. The good thing is, even though there are factions, you are not penalized from picking a race when it comes to playing with friends. You can still play with friends no matter what you decide to play.

5- Zones and Hotzones. There is a vast world to explore. You are not going to find a bigger world in any other MMORPG to adventure in. With the 16th expansion out, you can imagine how massive it really is. 'You're in our world now'- they really mean it! Hotzones add a boost to xp when leveling there, I love these! There are also 'daily' quests for each of them with multiple rewards.

6- Content and Lore. If you are a lore buff, this game is immensely rich in lore. There is so much content to work on, you can find many ways to stay busy as you level. Even at max level you still have plenty to do. The nice thing is, in today's Everquest it's easier to catch up and join in with friends and the rest or Norrath! Plus you get to see the game that started the rest!

7- Mercs. I absolutely love mercs. Can't find a healer or a tank? Grab a merc! This makes forming groups and soloing (moloing heh) easier than ever. Mercs can't join raids, but that is to be expected. 

8- Interaction- with GM's, Guides and Developers. GM events, guides popping in to touch base with players and Developers staying in touch with the community are some nice things about this game. It shows they care and creates a fun atmosphere. 

9- Shrouds. While shrouds are not the best thing about the game they are quite handy. It's a unique system with many advantages. You can group with a low level friend or use them to fill a specific role. 

10- Epic Quests. These are truly epic, the class specific Epics. They are meaningful and rewarding. I've yet played a game where rewards feel epic.

So there you have it, my ten reasons I still love the game! I could list more.. I'll spare you readers though ;)
Till next time!
-kaozz