I love Everquest. Once every couple weeks I sit down with the intention of playing for a few hours, for the fun and nostalgia of it. I'm not looking for anything in particular, just to join in and grind or help others with whatever they're up to. But for at least a year now, I've had very little luck getting any kind of group in the game. I know the traditional (and reasonable) suggestion is to group with friends, or guildies. I play too infrequently to really build up a roster of in-game friends who are likely to be on, and I don't know anyone in real life who plays EQ. I always check with my guild to see if I can join them too (it's overall a great, friendly guild) but they're all tied up in level 100 activities or just not doing much. I have a lot of characters, most level 80-90. So my fallback is to log on a character, head to the level appropriate hot zone -- right now, Old Bloodfields -- and /ooc that I'm LFG. When that doesn't work, and it doesn't, I start walking around the zone so maybe people will see I'm right there and invite me in. But they don't. So most times I just camp out after about 20 minutes of LFG, and it's really sad because like I said I love this game and want to keep playing it. But I can't commit >20 mins to just get setup, and I can't make this the only thing I do in my spare time to build up that roster of regulars. Does everyone solo? Is there some way to find a pickup group that I'm not doing? Mostly just wanted to vent, but thanks for reading.
i don't think you're doing anything wrong, it's just that EQ is a perfect storm of factors that makes grouping difficult from a social engineering standpoint. to name just a few: 1. EQ doesn't funnel everyone into a single zone or tier of content as fast as most other games do, so the population is spread out quite a bit more. 2. there's no automatic group matching system (ala WoW's /lfd) so everything has to be done manually. 3. as an older game the population generally tends to be set into established cliques and rarely seek out new people to group with. 4. between mercs and solo power and the popularity of boxing, LFG on a large scale doesn't happen on most servers. it sucks, because EQ is a great game and so in principle one wants everyone to be able to enjoy it, but it really isn't (and never has been) a "hop online for 20 mins to an hour or two a couple times a week and get a group and get things done" kind of game.
I have found that weekends are your best bet to find any form of pick-up group type anything. For example, right now Sunday afternoon in general chat theres at least 5 people anywhere from 85-100 lfg and theres someone wanting to set up a PoTime Fabled group. Weekdays, it seems, you'll have to be the one to initiate the group and seek others out instead of waiting for someone to come to you.
Unfortunately groups are a lot easier to find level 96-100. Particularly for the HA's. Between Molo - and box groups, it's a lot harder than it used to be for sure. All I can suggest is doing more /ooc LFG in the zones, and on General, and even be so bold as to send tells to peeps that you see walking around (don't just wait for them to notice you) -R
I would suggest working on one character. If you are only playing once every few weeks, and then playing different characters at that, its going to be harder to establish a character.
Interesting wording. But I do agree wholeheartedly. Between spamming my nightly Repo sale on general, visibility (both there and here on these boards), and an overall combination of being very helpful toward n00bs, yet very harsh toward /rude people, old Ratty is (re) "established" on CT. You don't need to be either "famous" or "infamous" per se. Just being "established" by name and reputation helps you "get a job" when you log in. -R How do you set a newbie up with a free level 80 Ranger? You give him a free level 85 Ranger - and WAIT.
Half the people being dicks in general chat are quite nice(myself included), and often they're just replying with sarcasm.
Number 2 is the one thing I liked about RIFT you could still set up manual groups but the random group Que was nice as it could pull other players from any server to the same instance hopefully EQnext does this.the Problem with EQ is its to damn big, LDON fixed this for a time as it funneled people to the same location and was easy to LFG but for some reason they did not continue with that model.
I don't know what server the OP is, but I picked Luclin and there are a lot more people here in The Grounds than Old Bloodfields, which everyone seems to agree is a worse zone to grind in. You don't have to grind, either, you can work on expansion progression tasks and invite people to join you. The idea is to create something that would pique the interest of the stray. Don't be a passive player, spam yourself that you're LFG, get frustrated no one is paying attention to you, and log out. It's not a successful attitude.
One thing I've noticed about EQ is that it has some people that are on ALL...THE....TIME. And not afk either. Those people usually have alts (because their main gets completely max'ed out). Just because your guildmates are level 100, doesn't mean you shouldn't interact with them. All you need to do is find that one guildmate or player that is on all the time (and has alts) and you're set, no matter when you log on, they are probably on also! And be a bit more persistent (without being a pest) with your guild. It is in any guild's best interest to keep their guildmates happy and logged on, because a guild with a lot of players online is an attractive guild for new players to join these days. The best thing you can ever see when checking a guild's online roster is "request cut short....too many players"
1. Don't LFG. LFM, even if you're LF5M. 2. Find a guild that groups more at your level or level up one character to join your current guild. /lfguild is one of my favorite commands. 3. When you do get a group, try to schedule ahead with them. Are any of them available tomorrow at this time? Next week? Everyone loves static groups that meet at the same time with the same people for a balanced group. 4. Always try to replace mercs in your groups. You'll meet more people that way. HAs don't lock, so you can continue to LFM in the middle of them.
This is basically how you need to do it. Also If you want consistent groups, you need to be "the guy", organize whats going down, and what your group is going to do. Have a plan, a backup plan, and some other ideas laying around. Take the lead (atleast until same one more capable/able to comes along). Thats how you get your goals accomplished in game. #3 of what Qest said is basically the most important thing you can do. Network. When your grouped with people keep a mental note of the performers and the underperformers, friends list the good one. Check friends list periodically through the course of a night/day whatever. When you see one, if you got a spot, drop merc, and get them off the bench. Or if they are already doing something go and join them. Be helpful, and if they are a halfway decent person, they will return the help later. Also knowing your class and having a working knowledge of other classes will help. That way when you form up a group of random people you can have a guess on what you should be able to do. < it also lets you weed out the underperformers when they aren't pulling their weight. Everytime you log in have an idea of what/where/how your going to do something. Forethought will get you alot further then /lfg or /1 XYZ LFG!. Also when you do run across a good player who might be looking for a partner you might just convince em yer good enough to tag along.
I support the OP's premise. I was doing tradeskills in POK this weekend (not able to play well yet after my body trying to kill me twice in Feb. and March.) I observed one guy repeatedly oocing "LFG" many times, all day Friday and Saturday. I did not recognize this person and he didn't know me. He did not reference being a returning player in my conversations with him so I assume he was a new HC player. Twice I got him a group by asking in /general chat, once from MY oocing (because I am known) and no groups from my massive guild (they were playing their 95s and 100s.) This person's groups lasted a couple of hours and then he was back to LFGing. I can't vouch for what kind of player s/he was other than s/he was polite and very grateful for assistance. My point is that for the typically passive new player, there aren't consistent grouping opportunities. I guess the intention was that Feer2 would be a waterhole of sorts for these new 85s. We need to think of some new attraction/mission that would encourage nascent groups to pick up that 5th and 6th person who is standing around LFG. The anniversary missions in POK can fill that role temporarily. I HAVE seen at least 2 PU groups form there but they were made by experienced members of the community. Keep your eyes open for people /oocing in POK. Give them a charity spot.
The majority of the pickup groups are going to be wherever the experience is lowest risk. Right now, that's heroic adventure groups plowing through "Scouting Ahead" over and over and over again. It's pretty mindless but at least you're actually playing your own character (Remember when the Highpass monster mission was the Go To spot for leveling? No? You're luckier for it.) Go to Dead Hills rather than Old Bloodfields and ask for a spot in an HA group of your level range and I expect you'll have a much easier time getting some XP.
Yes I see it often that three or more people are spamming that they are looking for a group in /ooc for an hour or more instead of grouping up together. It's annoying because it shows that they would rather be carried than do anything for themselves. When only one person is looking I find it sad that they have to spam the channels to get a group. I try to invite people to my groups all the time when I can.
You're taking a truly passive approach to starting a group. First, with HAs you can head to Dead Hills or Bixie Warfront and should be able to fairly easily start YOUR OWN group. Or, in Old Bloodfields, or wherever. See other people looking for group in /General? Start one and invite them. You'll be amazed at the difference between a passive (/ooc hey I need a group or running around the zone (really????)) and active approach to grouping.
OP there is nothing wrong with you. The problems are: 1. Boxing 2. Unequal distribution of classes 3. Level spread Until SOE address these problems with a new rule set server, Everquest will continue along as a solo game.
People claim boxing is a problem, but I believe it is a symptom. Sorry to say, but Everquest has the MOST hostile player base of any other MMO out there. On the surface EQ seems friendly enough. Its one of the oldest MMORPGs still around and somewhat successful. The players seem friendly and helpful. Especially compared to the Barren's Chat of WoW and other MMOs like it. But how helpful and friendly is the community as a whole? When you have guilds hoarding raid strats and audio triggers like they're trade secrets. We don't even have a wiki page showing lore and other game information anywhere like any other MMO has. Most MMOs I can tell you where to buy something rather quickly, here in EQ you have to pay a 3rd party premium service to do the same thing. There are genuinely nice people here that like to help. But they are a shrinking minority, and have been for many years now. Most people see each other as competition. Though I have noticed some of the newer players are helpful. They have to be. You're best bet is hooking up with them and working together. The older players can for the most part be written off, they're set in their ways and if they won't help you now, they never will. The ones that do help, however, you guys are awesome. I just wish most of your peers did the same thing. One thing that could help is everyone, or at least those who want to see the game change for the better, starts adhering to the old rules of etiquette. Don't train people if you can help it. Don't ninja loot. Don't kill steal. If you're questing and someone else comes along, invite them along if you have room. Get out of the "if I don't do it, they'll do it to me" mentality. Also try to make room for peeps by dropping mercs. Player tanks are so much better than merc tanks, even if slightly undergeared. And player healers do infinitely more damage than healer mercs, in addition their heals can crit (healer mercs cannot). Boxing isn't the issue. There's only two types of boxers. Those that box because they can't get a group. And those who don't want to group. Well... if groups were available the first set would group in those groups. The second set wouldn't join anyway. Once you realize that, you know how little boxing is an issue. And as others have said here. Groups can be found easily by being active. I've been able to get many groups by watching general chat and seeing someone my level LFG and asking them. Once you've got another you just need to say "Group going to X place, need a few more" and you'll get some messages. All a group needs to start is 2 people and an objective or direction.
For accomplishing goals in EQ, boxing is efficient. PUGs are not. That's the biggest issue. Say you want an item X from a zone Y. How are you going to drag people you find on /General to zone Y, and ensure that they stick around till you get X? It's simple: you won't be able to. That's why people box. Games that have healthy PUG scenes have mechanics in place to make pick up grouping the fastest way to accomplish one's goals in the game. EQ tried to go in this direction with HAs, but due to the lack of an automatic cross-server group finder/porter ala LFD in WoW, they still take longer than taking one's boxes through HAs.
