Playing as a solo/moloer by choice (not boxing) seems to be a taboo topic. Whenever I mentioned it on forums in the past, I get responses like "this is not what EQ is made for ... soloing has no place in EQ". Most soloing players don't go to forums. And if we do, we just read and don't comment. Because we are conditioned to believe that "we have no place in EQ" and therefore our preferences have no bearing on the game. Judging from some of the comments from this thread, I think we really need a "Soloer's Corner" for us to share insights. And more importantly, to not stay silent anymore as if we don't belong. "Soloer" and "Community" may sound like contradicting terms. But soloers do talk and do communicate.
Anyone who plays nice is part of EQ, and no play choice is wrong, soloers are as EQ as anyone else. The game can be difficult for soloers, because of content being tough, and that is the only valid way reason to comment with the “not what EQ is designed for”, which is also imprecise, because lots of places cater for solo play, and going back expansions, progression becomes possible solo, etc. You should just be duck-water to types who diss your playstyle. EQ is for everyone.
Very interesting post. Considering that many years ago (say 15 or more) these forums would be filled with soloing players. Although a lot of them grouped, many joined the game solo and ended up in a group most of the time. However the forum dialog has changed dramatically in the solo player versus multiboxer. It used to be that the multiboxer wasn't just frowned upon by other players, they were outright hated! The multiboxer was at a severe disadvantage when it came to numbers of players that spoke out about them. Most multiboxers I saw in the game kept it very quiet and some even acted like they were separate characters. None of them wanted to admit they were multiboxing. Fast forward to today and multiboxers ask in these forums about group class make up for multiboxing and get all kinds of help. Then when players talk about soloing, they get talked down on. Times change...
I never used "these forums" 15 years ago, I had server forums for my server at the time, Lanys T'Vyl, that pretty much everyone used. The only other forums I ventured to were things like The Outhouse?, Steel Warrior, sammaanda.net, eqoutrider, goberserker, monklybisuness, and things like that. I had heard about boxers but the only time I heard of them being referred to quite a bit was during the Gates of Discord/Omens of War era, when WoW came out and people were switching to that, not that they didn't already leave at some point for FFXI which was not bad if you wanted to play something different.
I started a second account early in the Planes of Power era when three things happened: mobs began to hit too hard SOE officially blessed multi-boxing my new PC could handle two EQ instances side by side I don't recall much hate for boxers at the time. Some people were surprised that I could handle two characters at the same time, especially during raids, but that was about it.
I have to agree with this. I've played quite a few MMOs, and Everquest is painfully (but FUN!) an easy game to gain levels (only GW2 is worse). If you're having problems leveling in EQ, it's a problem with YOU! Everquest offers an amazingly difficult interaction with interface and hotbars and macros. It's not for stupid people. Learn it, and be rewarded.
Maybe offer a difficulty level choice like FPS's. 'You are creating a new character in the world of Norrath. What difficulty level would you like? [DELICIOUS SALTY TEARS (XP and Stat Penalty)] [ORIGINAL (No XP or Stat Penalty)] [EZMODE (XP and Stat Bonus through level 100)]
^ That would be a good thing, minus the names. Original EQ already had difficulty levels, more or less.
In old days, a player who knew how to play his class, and was not a socipath, had no problem finding groups at all levels, if he was inclined to group. Sure, some folks may have run a buff bot secondary (I had an extea account mainly for bazaar mule) Real multiboxing in those days was generally a province of swatshop farmers or complete social pariahs - two highly intersecting domains. Back in those days, advice for people who found soloing hard, was: look for fitting guild, and such and such zones are popular group turf. Today, such advice truly applies only if you are 105+.
