I've just started playing for the first time. One of my favorite aspects of EQOA back in the day, and now EQ as well, is that it doesn't hold your hand at all. It encourages talking to people. Unfortunately it also means that until I encounter players in such a vast world, I'm pretty much alone. I'm wondering, where can I go in the early levels to find other players, preferably to group with people. I'm only level 7 at the moment, and I anticipated spending at least the very early parts by myself, but how early can I start grouping with people?
You aren't going to find many players wanting to group until about level 50 and even then its hit or miss. However, you really don't need to group. Get a merc and go molo until you get in grouping range with other players. I prefer the tank or ranged dps mercs but some like the cleric as well. http://almarsguides.com/eq/ here is a guide to use
Honestly people don't usually look for groups till 80-95 for the most part. If you want to group just do a /who all 20 25. And it will list names and classes of people between 20 and 25. The only way you will ever group in low levels is asking people through tells. Most people will ignore you or be afk though. Or you get the "I'm only gonna be on a couple more minutes!". Then see em online for the next 3 hours. Get a tank merc no matter what till 55-65.
I have to agree with the others, getting a group at low levels is tough. But the upside is that you get to go where you want. There are a lot of really cool old world zones out there that many people never see anymore as they follow the leveling paths. Black Burrow, the tunnels under Qeynos and Freeport, the newbie area outside ak anon, runnyeye, Sol A, Unrest, South Ro, there are a bunch. In the mid levels say 45 - 60 you can do pretty well in places like Karnors, Lower Guk and more. One of the great things about EQ is that it's so friggin' vast. There are tons of places to see and unlike the old days, you don't find every mob camped by an xp group or a group hunting named mobs. I know it's tempting to blast through the levels as fast as you can but if you can stand to do it, take some time and explore EQ.
The other thing, apologies if it was said and I missed it - work through the tutorial and then the hero's journey approach for a while. At least to get your feet wet, you're more likely to find and meet folks also doing it (than you are going back to all the old original zones which will be pretty much empty). You can always stop any time you want and jump back in even if you're at later higher levels.
I concur with what Crystilla said about the emptiness of old zones. I was running postal quests and visited Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin, Kaladim, Felwithe, Ak'Anon... there was not a single additional player in any of those zones nor in the adjacent newbie yards i.e. Commonlands, Butcher Block, GFay etc.
Somehow this makes me sad, I remember when this zones were crowded. Well how could I advice you. Keep in mind many of us play for a long time, I am playing for 13 years now and sometimes I visit those old zone. It really depends what your favourite play style is, nowadays you can do many, many things solo if you like to play solo, until you reach a level where you find people to group. In this old days you were not able to do many things alone, looking for your remains in the Karanas was a hell trip all naked without a possibility to rez. Just follow the adventure path and use the new zone guide (jeez I wish we would have had this 13 years ago and not only selfmade printed maps). Use Allakhazams webpage as a help. I have no idea how long it would take a real newbie today to get to level 50, it took us nearly a year 1999. Today I need 2 days to get level 50 if not even less, but only because I know how and because I have money and I did everything several times. But I would not advice you to just level asap, you will miss a lot of things. You are very, very far away to raid with higher level people, so explore, have fun, get experience and visit the 1000000 zones even if they are empty. Believe me, visting Steamfont with 250 level 1 to 7 Gnomes in it (happened to me when Sullon Zek opened) is nooooo funnnnnn The rats died to a shock as soon as they spawned when they saw all the gnomes.
A lot of times, just GO to the hot zones and look for others in the zone with you, most will take you into their group and kill stuff faster. Use a merc to solo your way to 50+
use the /lfg on why if even if you dont find a group you might find a friend who will group with you at low levels and higher
