Was hardcore from the beginning but haven't played for several years. Is free2play worth the time investment? As i am now retired the free part is attractive.
If you don't mind the limitations and a nag screen each time you log in, go for it. The broker use will be limited, your number of available characters will be limited, the quality of spells and gear will be limited, the customer help will be limited...things like that. But from what I hear, the game is still very playable, as long as you don't mind the limits.
There is an unlimited amount of fun stuff you can do as f2p, but there is no way to do end-game raiding if that is what you want to do.
I mostly play f2p, and I don't raid. I can still get characters up in levels with f2p. Some of the 'extra xp' days is for all access accounts. And there are a number of geezers here, I am one of them.
There is only ONE big problem I have with ftp...the chat access. All the rest I can understand. Yes they are a business, and have to pay bills. Yes, they have to pay for the stuff to make it all work. Yes limitations to motivate you to pay for subs so they make money, totally get. As it should be. But if you are just learning a new game (or coming back,) it is ESSENTIAL to be able to communicate with other players and see if you like the people you will be playing with, and most importantly, get help with acclimating, or re-acclimating yourself with the game. No communication makes this or any game boring, lonely, and no connection with the game as a whole. When you are ftp, you have access to type in only ONE channel, newbie. Hardly anyone watches that channel/responds. Yes, you can view any channel, yes you can private message people, but being able to at least talk in general chat should be free because the people is what entices you into the game! The rest that have limits, I totally get it. The rest of the limits are still such that you can enjoy the game as a whole, save for that one thing. One last note for you though. If you can get yourself somewhat caught up, or even do a trial run and pay for say, 3 months (thats what I did, to give it a fair shake when I came back 6 months ago,) and save up the plat, you can buy krono for plat (or vice versa as needed) and use them to pay for your membership. I know of some people who have their membership completely paid each month by getting these. Not easy, but doable. Aside from my one objection (which technically yes, it still can be playable, especially if you are more of a solo'er or like to do things on your own) I do think there is MUCH you can do without membership. But I don't see how anyone would not be hooked enough to pay for all that you get when you do sub. =) Just my 2 plat adjusted for inflation! LOL Welcome back...hope you have fun!
well that's good question. about time investment. money comes and goes. and time is only running out. considering that you get double experience, considering that you can move your AA slider, subscription is worth it. especially in retirement, when you don't have much time in your earthly life to play this game.. despite fact that this isn't worst way to spend your free time, especially if you are not alone and you have friends who also like this game. that is, it depends on how much of your free time you devote to this game. or to be with others who have subscription.. hmm.. closer.. although honestly, don’t know sometimes with whom it's more interesting: with other players or with npc's in eq(ii). after all, this game world isn't so young that it was boring and in free2play
I am one of the paying geezers in EQ2 and a F2P geezer in EQ1. If you don't mind the nag screen coming up at odd times, at least it does in EQ1, I think F2P is a great way to get familiar with a game and see if you like it enough to pay for it. For instance, I have found out through free play that EQ1 is not really worth my $ investment (I am too used to EQ2 graphics) but is a good alternative for when EQ2 is down for update; which winds up being the only real time I spend in EQ1. I didn't know about the Chat Restriction on Free Accounts being a very Solo Player, I rarely ever look over at the Chat Window even. So if you are Solo Player like me that aspect shouldn't bother you at all. If you are a sociable player, my suggestion would be to invite a friend to play EQ2 free with you and then you 2 could both be in the Newbie Chat no matter where you both live. Or if you don't know anybody to invite, meet somebody ingame while you are playing and see if they want to make a Buddy System arrangement with you. I've had that happen in different games, sometimes when I didn't even want it to happen. I remember there was this little girl who used to follow me around everywhere in WoW, I just couldn't shake her. So I finally Befriended her and we made arrangements to meet in different areas at certain times and really wound up having a lot of fun playing together. That coming from somebody who just seemed like a nag or a nuisance at first. So a lot can happen if you let it ~ even without looking for it or searching it out. Hang loose, enjoy your play, look around, be aware and friendly and good things could happen.
I highly doubt this, unless you're playing EQ1 on a totally separate account? And if you are that would be kind of silly. Paying a sub for any game gives you member access to all the others on the same account.
I wondered about that myself. My guess is that they are playing on a different account otherwise, one sub covers all DB games but only on one account. That sub just does NOT cover the xpacks which are separate in all the games.
There are key gear elements that you wont be able to use etc that are now becoming a barrier to entering or being effective in heroics. Of course the ubers who are *already* there and have other gear that compensates for this will disagree. If you want to do heroics you essentially have to sub and have to get a collectors edition of the xpac for the stats on the mount and pet. Even then it's a grind (well beyond solos) to get into heroics. This changed about 4 xpacs ago.
Correct, Altar of Malice is the last free expac, getting you to level 100. Buying the RoS expac will give you access to all content starting at level 100 (six expacs) but you don't need a sub to play it.
Four of my accounts are now f2p and while there are some restrictions, I don't know that they would bother me that much if I wasn't used to subbing. But I solo, and rarely look at chat, so the chat restriction doesn't really affect me that much. I also belong to guilds which I think helps anyone doing f2p since you won't have access to fast travel without a sub. I would advise you, however, to sub at first to find a guild and get established. The levels up to 100 are the most fun and having a sub makes them even more enjoyable. You will probably get to 100 the first month and by then you will know if you want to continue paying to play. I also advise buying the merc feature. While you can solo to 100 without a merc, it will take far more time and energy unless you have someone to group with.
Adv level 100 in a month ? I haven't had that happen, but I intensely solo/molo and take my time. Why, there even days I don't log into the game.
I have my lifetime account, three FTP, and another about to go FTP. If you join a guild as a FTP you will get access to guild chat, which can help a new player a lot. That said, there are a LOT of really obnoxious guilds out there so shop around a bit. Check out the forums for guild recruitment and if you are so inclined check out DIscord too.
Not worth your time. There are other vastly superior games that are free to play and give an overhaul better experience.
You can still chat in groups, guild chat, the other non-zone wide/game wide chats (like say & tells) in addition to the Newbie channel. So, while it is very restricted, you are not completely cut off. It would be nice if more people used the Newbie channel. I haven't seen anyone say anything in there in quite a while. Might help if they called it something other than newbie. You are limited to master spells outside of the grandmaster class training choice abilities you get every 10 levels or so. There are some quests you can't access (the Days of Summer ones for example). There have been zones you couldn't access as FTP (Rum Cellar & the new Zek, I don't know if those got lifted yet). Most of the X bonus events seem to be for members. There is some gear that you can not use if you are FTP (prestige) There's still a lot you can do free though. If you are okay with paying for expansions you can access those. No different there than for paying members. This article seems mostly correct. https://eq2.fandom.com/wiki/Free-To-Play
Agreed. I remember the very annoying spamming that occurred in Star Wars Galaxies from free accounts that sold millions of credits for "cheap" real world cash. It should be noted that while this does inhibit ftp from engaging in General Chat, they can participate in group and guild chats, but they can also send/receive /tell.
