Hi all, I played EQ when it first came out for a very short time. Played a little DAoC, and recently have had the urge to go back and play an original style MMO again. I've got a few friends who want to start playing with me, but we want to get on a fairly populated server. That said, I had a few initial questions: • Which server has the highest consistent population? • Is there open world PVP, and will we have a lot of problems as starting characters? • Do we have to pick the same race (good, neutral, evil) or class types to start in the same area? • Last, but not least, any advice for brand new players? Thanks in advance.
/shrug Luclin is good. If you are paying to play you can play on the newer progression servers ( flippy ) open world pvp on zek server races and classes don't matter as much anymore, your starting city will all be Crescent Reach so you'll be together from the start. Have fun and do the Tutorial , after the tutorial there is a progression path called Hero's Path you can find the list of tasks and missions for this under achivements /ach and click the Hero's Path button.
Starting city will be a racial city if you start Progression servers (Fippy or Vulak) at the moment, since they're not up to The Serpent's Spine expansion when Crescent Reach came out. Alot of people are promoting Vox for lower level population, since it's a newer server (around 1 year old). If it'll be a few days, you can check out the main EQ page at http://www.everquest.com/ for the server statuses at the times you'd be playing for a few days (maybe till the weekend) to get an idea of how busy they are at the times you play. Special Rules servers: Time-Locked Progression = Fippy and Vulak, Role-Playing and most everything trade-able and 50% exp bonus (rec. casual server) = Firiona Vie, PvP = Zek Normal servers are most the same, with the exception of Trakanon is definitely a lower population but has some self-restricted progression guilds on it, if that's what you would be into. The special rules servers are most lower population, although Fippy is suppose to be descent and have descent lower level population. Vox is as said, is a newer server and has a lower top-end population, but reportedly good low level pop. It seems like I'm forgetting a special server, but ... Definitely do the Tutorial on any server. The starting armor from quests and drops there are great, and it teaches many of the features of EQ, even the newer ones, like mercenaries. Might glance over some of the other returning / new player threads, as they ask some good questions, or check out some of the guides (Borek-VS signature, Crystilla's signature, Riou's signature all have a wide selection (I'd copy and paste but have to head out this very moment)). Welcome back and good luck! Yther Ore.
Here's my sig at least (/waves at Yther). There's only one server that is PVP based - Zek server. So if that's something you want to experience, that's the only place you'll go to get it. Please note though, EQ isn't a PVP centric game so there are issues that face the server that get less attention because it really isn't the focus for EQ.
I don't think there is a "highest populated server" as most of them have healthy populations. There is no PvP besides Zek, but it's a low populated one. No, you do not have to pick the same race or anything. You should all do the tutorial zone first, then go to Crescent Reach. If you guys can't decide a server, I play on Bristlebane. Always active, always tons of people online. Even better, the community here is amazing. You'd actually have to go out of your way to find someone who isn't willing to help new players. My in game name is Vyrath if you roll here, hopefully I'll hear from you!
I'ts Everquest, if you came here for the PVP you're playing the wrong game. Everquest is one of the purest PVE games where all abilities and decisions are based around PVE play. There is a single PVP server left but it's pretty much dead at this point I believe. If you're here for the PVE, rest assured, no one on a PVE server will ever attack you, PVP is turned off on PVE servers, no one does it and the only way to do it is to flag yourself PVP which again no one does.
Thanks for the informative responses folks. Only two of us were able to get online last night, but we rolled up starter characters on Bertoxxulous and ran through the tutorials. I really enjoyed the feel of the classic game, and am looking through getting to explore the world. I'm not sure if we will stay on this server (we might move over to Bristlebane if it's as good as you say Sangcreux), but we haven't even started the actual gameplay yet, still in the mines. I asked about PVP because I had read about griefing in EQ, so I wanted to figure out where to go to stay away from that. Thanks again.
I hear Bertox isn't bad either! But it's a lot easier for me to speak about a server I'm actually playing on. Hope you guys find a good server to call home, regardless of where it is.
The main form of griefing here would be "training". As in runaway locomotive, not gaining skills. In most games, mobs will lose interest in you if you can run away long enough. Not so in EQ: they will stay after you until you kill them (maybe by leading them to guards), they kill you, or you cross into another game zone. And they will aggro other mobs in passing to add them to the posse, and attack other players they come across. So if you are near a zone line and see "train to zone" in game chat, look sharp! Of course, with lower population especially at low levels those courtesy warnings are not so common. That is accidental training. It can also be used as a griefing tactic, though the GMs frown on it.
Thanks CasualMaker, Is that only in PVP servers, or can that happen anywhere? If anywhere, I am assuming that the mobs being trained will attack anything they come across instead of just focusing on the person who triggered the train? Thanks.
Anywhere. Your assumption is correct. The mobs in the train will try to kill the top person on their aggro list. When that person dies or zones, they will go to the next person on the list until the list is clear.
@WARDUKE - Stay out of trouble and you should not be on the receiving end of any griefing too often. Most likely anything that goes wrong, such as a train, would be accidental. Use /report if something gets out of hand. EQ has a few trolls that could use some squishing now and then. I spent several years on Bristlebane and have spent the last few on Luclin. Both are great and have a high population with many helpful people. Welcome to EQ. Let us know how you find things on Bertoxx.
General advice: Be friendly. Make an effort to meet as many people as you can, even though you've got your own little crew going in. Have a good look at http://eq.zam.com particularly the Database section, where you can find information on new spells. Buy new spells and combat tomes in the library in the Plane of Knowledge, which you should happen upon shortly after leaving the tutorial. Get your maps installed from http://www.mapfiend.net/index.php?pageid=mappacks Take your time and have a look at some of the signature links from some of the community members who have gone out of their way to compile newbie and returning player starting guides. They are well worth a read. Humanoids tend to drop the most coin. Happy hunting.
I recently helped a ranger pull because he decided to take a camp away from a group that was already established there. After all, he can headshot therefore why share a camp? After he couldn't kill anything for 15 minutes, he decided it was worth sharing with the group. Crazy thought. Not my group btw, just some random lowbie group in the zone.
Like people said, training is sometimes an accident, but sometimes it's used as a PVE tactic to kill another player, but it's very uncommon. It's a bannable offense because it's considered zone disruption. The best thing to do with griefers is to report the person, turn on anonymous for a while with /anonymous so they can't keep bothering you and move somewhere else. A week ban for training is not uncommon, especially on new servers GM will have no qualms with giving people a week suspension if they train others. Don't go into /tell arguments with them either, just ignore them and move on. Multiple offenses usually result in a permaban. It's really rare it happens though, 99% of EQ are not trainers unless provoked.
I saw some training today.. But it was not unprovoked. Someone in general chat basically was just swearing, calling people names and being a jerk for no real reason. A higher level character came into the zone and trained him, and many rejoiced lol
