Returning Player, Progressive Server Questions

Hi all!

I haven't played this game in quite a number of years. I stopped playing when it went free to play quite some time ago. Before it went free to play I had played for quite some time and it was one of my favorite mmo's. (Still is actually).

Anyways, I am very interested in playing on the progressive server. I paid for an all access membership pass earlier. This is a new account because I have completely forgotten the info for my original account. I have tried searching for any information regarding the progressive server. Almost all I ever come up with is the announcements for the server on various websites some time ago. Honestly, I'm getting a bit frustrated that I can't seem to find any information about the rules of the server, which expansion they are up to this point, etc. I'm sure I'm just blindly missing it somehow but after spending quite a bit of time googling for this information and searching the forums, I decided to just ask here.

I created a dark elf necromancer on the progressive server earlier. I saw in chat people that were already in the level 80 range it seemed and am wondering just how far along in the game and expansions they are up to now. Is there a website or somewhere that someone could direct me to so I can kind of get an idea of when updates, releases, etc. are happening on the server?

I also saw that they are about to open a new progressive server this summer. I am considering waiting to just start fresh on that one if the one that is already up is already almost to level cap and the later expansions. Also, one more quick question. I was only given a 4 slot bag when I created my character on the progressive server. Is that the normal?

Anyways, thanks in advance all!

I believe Sentinals Fate was just release on TLE. As for any gear that you get on creation, I cannot tell you as I do not play on TLE.

Cyrrena

Thanks for the reply. As I said though, it has been quite a number of years since I last played so I don't know what you mean by TLE. I am guessing that you are referring to the progressive server when talking about TLE? Just making sure.

The first quest I got I received another 4 slot bag, so that helped. This is my first time on a progressive server in this game which is why I have been searching unsuccessfully, trying to find information on it. I am finding that I can't claim any of my claim items for example, which I expected. I think just receiving only a 4 slot bag threw me off quite a bit lol.

I'm not a mindless sheeple and thanks for your concern, but I will take my chances . I have played many different mmo's over the last almost 13 years or so. I have played enough of them to know and long enough to know that what you are describing comes with the territory in many, if not most, mmo's. Yes, some are much worse than others.

I prefer to make my own judgement because I also understand that we all are different and each person's view of the game is their own and will be very different from someone else. What you hate, I might enjoy and vice versa. I am very used to class nerfs and bugs in games. So I think I can weather the storm a bit lol.

Back on topic though. Anyone that can guide me to a webpage or website that can actually give me some info on the progress and ruleset of the progressive server?

Thanks again!

If you want to start on an even footing, I suggest waiting until the new progression server starts this summer.

Stormhold is the current server, it's currently on the Sentinel's Fate expac with a level cap of 90. Expansions run on a 30-day player vote.
Fallen Gate opens this summer, it will be a hard 12-week expansion cycle.

Things to note:
Travel systems are curtailed, early on you rely almost solely on sorcerer and druid teleports to get around.
Mobs have been buffed, many mobs that were nerfed to solo are heroic again.
Loot has been overhauled, but very unevenly and it's often flat out broken on the raid level.
XP comes much more slowly. The best XP comes from heroic dungeons in a group. If you try questing to cap, especially in vanilla, you'll find yourself frustrated.
On SH, at launch, Neriak and Halas were open as well and the quests in progression would go red fairly quickly as xp was tuned down.
The best places, at least as I'm concerned, to start out a new toon on TLE are Qeynos and Freeport, as they were designed with that xp rate in mind.

And yes, that crappy bag is it. A ratty tunic, a crappy bag, and a club.

I think there might be a free bag you can get on the marketplace, though I'm not sure if that's still around.

Official FAQ:
https://www.everquest2.com/news/time-locked-expansion-server-faq

Yes, TLE is the progressive server, I think it stands for Time Locked Expansions.
As I remember it a new character on the ordinary servers starts with 6 of those 4 slot bags and quickly gets a quest for a biggish box for harvest materials.

Correction: if you're in a hurry and/or trying to catch up with somebody quickly, you'll find yourself frustrated.

I've had combat XP turned off from day 1 on Stormhold and have had 0 problems staying on top of things. After 4.5 months I'm at level 60. Granted, I've done just about everything along the way.. With combat XP turned on, however, I could've done a fraction of the quests to reach this point.

There's endless complaining about the XP rate on Stormhold. How you interpret the reality will depend on your goals. Perhaps it is indeed better to wait until Fallen Gate launches, tentatively in late June.

As Meaghan suggested, I'd wait until the new TLE server comes this summer (rumor is it starts end of June). The main difference this new TLE server to the Stormhold one is the rate of expansions being "unlocked" from what I can tell. The new one will be on a set time release while Stormhold is voted on by the player base when to unlock the next expansion. If the information I read is correct, the new TLE server (Fallen Gate is the name I heard for it) will have new expansions unlocked every 12 weeks.

I played on Stormhold when it first came out and did have fun on it, but I missed too many of the "creature comforts" from the main servers. heh I may give the new TLE a try, but will depend on what the progression guild I'm in now on Antonia Bayle does (note: not the guild listed in my signature, that's my guild for my alts).

Depending on what you want to get out of a progression server, a progression guild on a regular server is an option as well.

Welcome back to the game, btw! Oh, have you checked with Customer service about trying to get back your old account? They may be able to help in recovering it.

I always though the XP rate was fine. If anything I wish it was a bit slower. I know I could turn combat exp off, but to me that just keels kinda cheap. I do that on live servers. I think they found a decent balance.

Thanks so much for your reply. This is exactly the information I have been looking for!

I was thinking the same thing about waiting until the new progressive server opens this summer. I may end up doing that. I liked what I read about the Hallmark quests giving you bonuses on the regular servers also. I may continue playing a bit on Stormhold just to get a feel of the game again and the server type. I actually like that xp doesn't come as fast and that mobs are buffed. It's those aspects that draw me to progressive servers. I'm not the type of player these days that likes to rush to top level or end game, I enjoy the quests, lore and journey there more.

With the dark elf necromancer I made, I was only given the option to start in the starting area that will then take you to Freeport. Neriak wasn't an option for me, which I found odd, but also kind of expected at the same time. So did they remove the option to start at Neriak or Halas because of the XP issue or another reason?

Thanks so much again for your reply and link. Greatly appreciated!

Thanks I thought it must have been referring to the progressive server but just wanted to be sure what TLE meant lol. Really appreciate it!

Thanks for the welcome back! I loved this game years ago, but just got burnt out and decided to take a break. Ended up taking quite a long break, but this has always been one of my favorite mmo's.. I thought about contacting customer service, and I may end up doing that at some point, but it has been so long since I last played I'm sure I would just be completely lost on my old characters now. The idea of starting fresh actually seems fun to me right now. I may decide to try to retrieve my old account later on.

And thanks so much for the info and advice on the progressive servers. It is starting to seem waiting for the new one to open would be my best bet for sure. I think for now I will just mess around on Stormhold or create a character on a regular server until it opens up and then create a character there and start fresh with everyone else.

I am going to try out the progression servers because I really enjoy experiencing a game how it once was before all the changes, expansions, revamps and updates. If that doesn't end up being what I enjoy, you mentioned progression guilds on regular servers? Are there many of those around? How do those work? I have been in some progression guilds in other games in the past and typically they would lock xp and restrict certain aspects of the game at a certain point and time in the game. Is that how they work with the progression guilds in EQ2?

Sorry for all the questions, just a bit excited to be playing again and have always loved the idea of progressive servers. There is another game I won't mention I am just waiting and hoping will do that same at some point. One can hope lol.

Thanks so much again for the help!

As a point of info, progression servers do not provide an authentic experience of how the game was back then, with the exception that the release of expansion content itself is controlled. Granted, there are tweaks to this or that mechanic (sometimes with disastrous side effects), but essentially you're playing in old content using a 2017 ruleset and feature set.

What Phaedrix said, progression servers aren't quite an authentic "old school" experience. However, I won't knock them in that they do give everyone an even playing field (at least the new one, you'll already be behind the curve on Stormhold).

The one progression guild I know of on AB is Time Helix which is currently locked at lvl 50 (moving to 60 soon). I'm sure there are others, but it's the only one I've seen recruiting. Not sure about other servers. You are correct that progression guilds level lock and restrict stuff like AA's (until the expansion they're introduced in) among other things. Each guild usually has their own rules.

Once you get off the boat on the island, you can choose to do the island or hail Captain Varlos on his ship at the docks and he'll take you to Freeport or Neriak. If you choose to do the island, he'll still send you wherever you want when you're done.

Thanks a lot Phaedrix and Marilia

That's a bit disappointing to hear because I suppose I was hoping for the full experience of what the game was like then. But, I do still also like that XP is reduced, some things are inaccessible, mobs are more difficult, etc. One of my huge gripes with many of the mmo's today is that as time goes on, they keep dumbing them down more and more to the point that leveling doesn't mean anything anymore and they make the game all about the rush to max level to make it to end game. Mobs and questing is mindless because the difficulties get reduced so much.

Even though I would prefer the legitimate experience it was years ago, I still do like the idea of what progressive servers have to offer. I am a very causal gamer these days, but I still enjoy the feeling of working towards a goal and mobs being at least difficult enough where there is at least the danger of dying. I also really dislike leveling so fast that you out-level content too quick. Progressive servers seem more to fit my playstyle.

I didn't play during Vanilla of EQ2. I played during the time of Echoes of Faydwer into around the time of The Shadow Odyssey or Sentinel's Fate if I remember right. I played a little bit in between then and now but mainly just a week here and there, but very, very little.

Anyways, thanks so much for all the advise and help all. Really do appreciate it. And if the progressive servers don't work out for me, I may look into the progressive guilds you are talking about Marilia

Oh ok, nice to know. Thanks!

And unlike before, once you leave the island you can go back whenever you want by taking the city travel globe. City travel globes only connect cities and starting islands of the same alignment. Greater world travel is done via globes on the TS and Nek Forest docks. Wizard Spires and Druid Rings are player-cast only, no clicky travel.

Lol, I do understand what you mean. I have played WoW on and off for almost 12 years now also so I sure know all about nerfs, drastic changes and the like. Some I have liked, and some I have truly hated. It will always be my favorite game though.

I have played most mmo's over the years and I do understand what you are saying. There have been some that they have made changes to that I have hated so bad that I can't bear to play them anymore. Most though, I expect the nerfs, etc. Actually, in WoW, I would love to see some of those nerfs come to the actual gameplay anyways. As much as I still love the game, I hate how it's become so easy to obtain virtually everything, level at the blink of an eye and the risk of dying is nonexistent except for in the new Legion expansion. Bugs can be annoying for sure. Especially if they aren't fixed in a timely manner. When I last played EQ2 Sony was actually quite good at fixing those bugs. Seems that may have changed.

But, for better or worse, I once loved this game and am wanting to give it a go again. This game, Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2, and WoW are my personal all time favorite mmo's that I have put the most time into over the years. There are others I play on occasion that I also enjoy like FFXIV, ESO, Neverwinter and a few others.

But you may be right But I won't know if I don't experience it for myself and see if it's game breaking to me or not. I will probably just play this game as a secondary anyways. But hey, gotta love EQ lol.

Interesting. Will be fun playing the game in that way. When I originally played travel was already made easier by just being able to easily click on the globes, spires or druid rings. Will be a new experience I'm actually considering giving the progressive server in the original EQ a shot. I played EQ a little many years ago, but not a lot. It's one of those games I always wanted to experience though and never really have.