Why did some EQ players dislike WoW?

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by ibc93, Sep 27, 2022.

  1. Until We Felt Red Augur

    I put more hours into WoW than EQ overall, but I spend far more time with an active sub on EQ these days, thanks to TLPs. What brings me back to WoW occasionally are the few things it truly does better than any other MMO:
    • Character movement, fluidity.
    • Full speed strafing
    • UI mechanical responsiveness and mods
    • Tight controls on instant abilities with movement and cancelling casts
    • Superb camera control/depth
    • Instant, on-demand grouping/raiding/pvp
    Really, only one of those things has to do with gameplay at all. The rest is just Blizzard's polish on their systems. WoW characters are so fluid and easy to maneuver. They are fun to control, period. Less to do with what happens after you control them and more to do with how it feels.

    For years, I've fantasized about EQ's everything else + WoW's UI elements/character control/camera. Mmm. That's why I'd be happy with EQ3 being a literal graphical and system overhaul. It'd feel familiar and new concurrently.
    Bobbybick, Duder, Jumbur and 3 others like this.
  2. Treiln Augur

    I like WoWs combat system as well. It’s a lot more, as you put it, fluid and fun.

    Still doesn’t stop me from coming back and enjoying EQ though :)
  3. Chikkin Augur

    I'm still waiting on the EQ Remastered HD. Ya, it's not happening, but we were talking about fantasies right?

    But man, they don't even necessarily need a full new story and characters and all that. If they had the resources (I know I know, they don't) to make an EQ that is modernized and is a somewhat reimagine/remake like FF7 Remake was for the original FF7, I'd be happy with that.

    I'd happily slay Vox and Naggy and everything else all over again.

    A while back, the first time I hit Kunark expansion and Seb dungeon in EQ2, I got mega mega excited. It was going to be my favorite ever EQ dungeon, but with fancy graphics! This was going to make EQ2 feel like EQ1 for me!. Sadly, it just didn't work out that way.

    And no matter how many times I try EQ2 (this last time, being this year) and even try forcing myself to play in 1st person the EQ1 immersion... it still just doesn't get the right feels. Come to think of it, I don't know if a re imagining of EQ1 would even work. So, forget all my ramble, lets just tighten up the textures, models, and everything else and Remaster-HD what we have here! :D -- Just make sure to make it a toggle like Luclin models are.
    Duder likes this.
  4. Strawberry Augur

    EQ = slow group-dependent gameplay relying on mob grind

    WoW = fast action gameplay relying on quest grind

    The games are not that different outside of their gameplay speed.

    Both tab-target.
    Both just copied the classes from D&D.
    Both holy trinity mmo, relying on tank-healer-dps.
    Both progression-based level and loot grinders.

    They only look very different to MMO players who understand all the intricate differences. But they are very similar games.
  5. Strawberry Augur

    EQ has ugly and boring zones too.

    [IMG]
  6. Kaenneth [You require Gold access to view this title]

    You talking about the area with the unique Stampede event?
    Duder likes this.
  7. Chikkin Augur

    In ref to his pic/comment, it was a "Not sure if serious" moment for me, lol.
    Duder likes this.
  8. Cannikin Elder

    I really hope this post is a joke or sarcasm, otherwise this is a great example of delusional fanboy revisionist history (the fact that it has several likes is even more concerning). Regardless of what your opinion of the game mechanics are, World of Warcraft was released in 2004 (which happened to also be during one of the worst EQ expansions, Gates of Discord, that made many people quit), so any players leaving EQ for it in 1999-2000 must've been time travelers...

    That "screenshot" you posted is of very early pre-production WoW, and it still looked 10 times better than 1999 EQ. Go to Qeynos with its like 10 polygon buildings, turn off Luclin models and all shaders/lighting effects, lower your resolution to 320x240 (remember, you didn't even get to see the full window because the UI took up 2/3 of the screen), to give you a slight idea of how EQ looked back then.
    Duder likes this.
  9. Strawberry Augur

    Elitists claiming WoW is childish, really haven't looked at EQ.

    If you told another adult you ride flying carpets, transform into a fairy and decorate houses, they would be accusing you just as much as being a child.

    WoW and EQ are both just as childish, but many adults have an inner child, and that's what is enjoyable.

    [IMG]
    Bobbybick likes this.
  10. Chikkin Augur

    You sound mad and defensive man.

    I can't speak for everybody here, but video games in general can be viewed as "childish" if you want to include everything to make a broad general point.

    For me, in one of my posts, which is probably to similar, while WoW has the bertter "graphics" because the engine/detail/textures and all that. It was 5+ years newer, it had an cartoon type style to it's graphics. That's what I didn't like.

    Everybody knows what all the games look like, nobody needs to see pictures of the two of the MMO legendary games in the MMO world.
    Waring_McMarrin likes this.
  11. Strawberry Augur

    Honestly, you sound the one being defensive.

    If image comparisons bother you that much, there are browser addons to block them. But you can't start telling forum poster they can't post pictures.
  12. Chikkin Augur

    Just my thoughts man. I'm good. No more from me.
  13. Waring_McMarrin Augur

    None of that makes EQ childish and they are not unexpected in a fantasy setting. The issues that people raise about WoW is the graphics styles not things like you bring up.
  14. Strawberry Augur

    Regarding the graphics. I don't think it depends on the engine, but the designer.

    Blizzard has an almost unlimited budget to grab the best designers.

    EQ has had amazing graphics...for a handful of expansions where it could pay for the best designers.

    Around OOW-DoN-DoD-Ro-TSS, EQ had the biggest budget, and could afford the best designs.

    [IMG]


    But this is also EQ. EQ has some terribly bland and incredibly boring zones.

    [IMG]
    Bobbybick and Jumbur like this.
  15. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    Agree, WoW really shines when it comes to a polished engine where character-control and responsiveness feels great. In WoW I can actually turn 180 in crowded areas, without confusing my mouse...:oops:
    For zone design, I think EQ is best when they are not trying to milk the nostalgia. UF and VoA had great zones too, some of them were better than what WoW could offer. :)
    Bobbybick likes this.
  16. I_Love_My_Bandwidth Mercslayer


    And the best music. :)

    I have to agree that the designers and artists make a huge difference. However, I also feel modern expansions don't get enough love. The Burning Lands had a TON of incredibly inventive design and graphic artistry.

    I also agree that Blizzard has a very large budget. Had SOE/Verant under $medley's leadership not terribly mis-managed the EverQuest IP it could be where WoW sits now. But that's water under the bridge.
    Duder likes this.
  17. Chikkin Augur

    In ref to modern expansions. I may be in the minority, but I still haven't seen a lot of it since I generally don't make it far enough before burning out. I thought it was just a me thing, but when googling places to level a week ago, i came upon a ton of threads claiming 60-80, or anything around 60 to anything about 80/85 to be "hell levels" and is where people fall off. For different reasons.

    But, back to the point at hand, I'm really impressed with some of the mob models the artists do. Sometimes, I wonder how they make the art look so damn good in a 23 year old game.

    I'm level 80 at the moment, hopefully this time I make it past my highest (level 92 in 2014), so that I can see some of this art you mention. (Google is cheating and doesn't have the same effect).
    Rijacki and I_Love_My_Bandwidth like this.
  18. Bartlesen Lorekeeper

    Three big things in descending order of magnitude:
    1: The playerbase. Most EQ players I've dealt with over the years have been, at worst, competent. The majority of WoW players, I cannot say the same. Those warning labels on packs of silicate gel beads telling you not to consume them? Those labels are for your average WoW player. No matter how much they try to dumb the game down, at least 50% are going to be too dumb for even that.
    2: The lore is an absolute trainwreck.
    3: Not enough fun clicky quests/drops. I like my illusion clickies.
    Flatchy and Duder like this.
  19. Jumbur Improved Familiar

    To be fair, EQ1 has more than 300 music pieces, it would be strange if not some of them were better than WoW's music. Not to mention that Sony/DBG did hire experienced artists to compose the soundtrack, a lot of them had great game-soundtracks on their resumé already. :)

    WoW does have good music though...
  20. I_Love_My_Bandwidth Mercslayer

    I do like me some Jason Hayes.

    That said, the EverQuest Next theme still gets me in the feels every time.
    Duder, Chikkin and Jumbur like this.