The guys on my favorite morning talk show were talking about the release of the newest expansion of WoW and I got to wondering, which is better, WoW or EQ? Who has oris playing either one or both, which do you like better and why? A few years ago, I played Everquest a lot.....a LOT. I had a Woodelf druid that I got up to lvl 70, which at the time was the highest you could get, and she was flagged of everything. It was great. Now I've been thinking about getting back into either EQ or trying WoW eventually, though hopefully not to the addicted proportions of my previous encounter. I just don't know which to go for.
I've played both EQ2 and WoW, and really it comes down to preference. You'll encounter less childish and less competitive assholes in EQ2 than you will in WoW, hands down. If you actually kick back and read the quest stories, books and all of that, both games are steeped in mythology, but as you are already familiar with EQ you may find EQ2 more interesting. At first the game play in both was very different- slowly but surely updates to EQ2 have made it considerably more the same as WoW, but not compromising what does set them apart. In simple terms, WoW is more fast paced and competitive, while EQ2 is more relaxed. Both games can be incredibly fun, you just have to find your niche in them.
I tried out EQ2 in beta and little after the actual release. I really enjoyed it and would've kept playing it instead of the original if I hadn't already invested so much time into the other character. What type of character have you played in EQ2?
A few different, but from the time I played a lot has changed. My dad actually plays very regularly so if you have any specific questions I can get an opinion from him. I generally stuck to warrior/scout classes. SK, Assassin were the ones I played the most.
locustinferno is right about wow. When it was brand new, it was more laid back and all. However, as time has passed and the game got super popular, it's full of assholes now. Don't get me wrong, there are still a lot of cool people, it's just that there are a lot more annoying people than there used to be. A lot just go around inspecting peoples gear, and then making judgements about whether or not they are: a) worthy human beings who spend 6-8 hours a day on WoW, or b) worthless nubs who shouldn't be playing if they aren't 'serious' about it.
Yep, I'll throw my hat in with these answers, too. When I first started playing WoW, it was fun. People would practically beg to join you in raids. I played for a few months, and left the game for a while (couldn't afford $16 a month or the time involved as a luxury). I came back about a year later, and it was like I stepped into a totally different game. It looked like it was being run by toddlers and angsty teens with their fingers on the button. I hate that, because WoW has beautiful scenery, a great story, interesting characters, and the artwork is out of this world. My favorite part of the game was where I crossed the Shimmering Flats. This game made me feel like I was in a totally different world. It was also great that my 5 year old system (at the time) could easily handle WoW. I also agree with powa on the general attitude of people. It used to be about fun, teamwork and worthy adversaries. When I went back it was bragging about gear and ganking noobs. I wish I could just play the game on my own PC without having to connect to a server. I could spend all day traveling around. J.
I never played the original EQ. I did play EQ2 for a bit, though. Mostly when on a break from WoW. I liked the class options, the quests, etc. The new zones I played through in EoF and the expansion after that were pretty good. There's less zoning than in the original areas. The layout and the quests of the new areas are pretty good, too. Lots to do. It's nice to see a game with a lot of substance for its pve content. EQ2 has a lot of those side things you can do in game that seems to be lacking in others. More involved crafting, player housing, etc. The main issue that kept me from playing the game was the poor support for newer hardware. The game was meant to run well on single core processors. It also runs poorly on GeForce 8800s. It's the first game that I've ever played that performed worse and worse the more I upgraded my computer. As much as I liked the new areas in Rise of Kunark, I quit the game. There were just too many crashes to desktop whenever I entered the new major city. If those problems were ever addressed, I would subscribe again. Not as my main game, but just to quest when I'm taking a break from WoW. As far as the community goes, I found it hit and miss. Fewer people means fewer asshats, but there were still some there. Especially right after both of those expansion packs were released. WoW's population mostly suffers from it being so popular. There are plenty of great people in game, but also plenty of annoying kids. Horde was much more pleasant before TBC came out. Afterward, it's started to resemble the Alliance more and more as more with the influx of Blood Elves. The absolute worst I've seen is Guild Wars, where you also have the "my daddy won't pay for a WoW subscription so I have to play this" kids. Luckily, most of that game is instanced and can be played with bots.
Now I'm thinking of going back to EQ2 when I start gaming again. It's something I know already and won't have a problem with a learning stage. And I don't want to have to deal with idiot children, like the opinions expressed here about WoW.
