Why is this game never mentioned.....

Yeah, its normal that the more addicted peeps will stay longer to a game (aka Hardcore), then... oh, i got what i wand, bye peeps (oh... dont get me wrong to this, i´m here since beta ^^)
I do play eq2 for about 2 hours normal days and 4+ hours on raiddays, 7 days a week oO
(Oh, i got wife, kids and job ^^ before anyone could spot to this ^^)

So you are an exception for majority of eq2 population. I raid 4 days a week with my guild and on days i don't i am not even coming close to my home comp b/c at work i am on a comp too 8 or 9 hours depends on urgency of requests. So sometimes it feels like i would be sick if i turn on a computer... i rather have a rest here and there...

Thats what i do, after work, grabing both kids, huging playing 1 hour normal, then some rest on couch, but before going to bed, a few hours time to play ^^ (i get of from work at 1730)
Everything needs its time to spend, just a mater of managing ^^ (normaly i´m 8-9 hours in front of a 2 screen workspace, doing customersrequests ^^
(or posting on forums like this ^^)

I may not have a family or kids but I do balance school and personal art projects as well as an active raiding schedual. 16 hours actually if we raid all 4 nights. However my guild allots 1 missed night a week because we understand that players have lives and we have alts to compensate for 1-3 people missing any given night.

I admire you. Don't take me wrong! but may be just may be we females have a bit more work to do when we are finally home after work ... cooking, cleaning, shopping, kids homework and such... therefore accumulating stress faster than males in general and in need of more frequent rest...

Just because your husband refuses to help out does not mean all females are forced to do all the cooking, cleaning, shopping and kids homework. However, if you insist on doing all those things just to have an excuse to ride your high horse, then more power to you.

Oh yeah, i am surely on my high horse sitting and looking down on you who plays the game all day long. So working for family to make it better is a raiding a high horse now? And you poor thing playing a game 10 hours a day slaving? Never heard anything more stupid in my life.

You don't even know my family situation and you already assumed that he refuses to help. You just a troll and a hater! You are officially on my ignore list from now on.

the idea that games are all casual nowadays is WRONG. technology is our god. We stare at Ipads/tablets 6 hours a day when we are kids these days, some go to work deskjobs while staring at a computer or screen, and after they get off work, i can put money that the majority of people are staring at a screen for hours on end. How is playing this game 4-8hours a day much different than any job, or routine in our lives today. Its fundamentally the same action, you just play a game instead of surf the internet, or watch TV.

One can argue that there is more value in playing this game like a job, over watching TV or surfing the internet habitually.

I often like to read these forums, because I like to hear other players' points of view-and for the most part, people are civil to one another even if they disagree. Lately however, it seems like we can't go two pages on any given topic without it devolving into personal attacks, playstyle warfare, and just plain nastiness. I always prefered this game over most of the others, because i really think we have far superior community standards. I understand people wont always agree, but can't we have a discussion without it becoming a contest over who can belittle the other poster more?

You made the generalization that all females have more responsiblity around the house than men do. Don't get mad when you get called out for ignorant statements.

My point is this.

Say what you want, you want a casual game I would suggest any other genre of gaming than an mmo.

A mmo is open 24-7, meaning you can play it 24-7 if you like. It is absolutely crazy to think that someone who only plays a very limited time will be able to see everything someone who plays 24-7 will see. You are able to see the content no matter what it is, however you must invest time in order to do so.

To break it down even more. I play roughly 6-8 hours a night. I raid 4 hours a night 4 days a week, and on the weekend I play close to 12-14 hours straight. I currently have my main, a wizard, guardian, and a Troub. I don't really care about the troub so lets remove him from the picture, they are all lvl 95. Wizard is a tailor, Troub is a jeweler, and the Guard is a Carpenter. Wiz has his epic, troub doesn't, guard doesn't. I want my guard to be raid ready, hit 95 carpentry, and have his epic, while also decorating a house and completing all heritage quests.

My personal life, I have a girlfriend and a child to care for. I don't raid until after the child goes to bed. I do spend quality time with my girlfriend, but to much time and we both get a little irritated. But when she needs me if I am raiding I send a tell to the raid leader and I afk ( usually not during a boss fight ).

This is called balance. However even with everything I do and how much I play I can find enough time to complete everything I want done. I consider myself hardcore, but you don't see my crying / whining about not having enough time to do everything or being able to see everything. Why? Because I make the choices about what is important in my life. And I am ok knowing I might not ever finish an epic. Or I might miss something because to me its worth it.

I think a couple of you stand to learn a little from me.

Who said i was whining about anything? If your post Plavem aimed at me you got it all wrong. I admire Kalderon for his ability to cope with busy life. I don't play much out of raid days except few hours on weekends because... now read... Of My Choice! I dont need your pity or superior tone. It's my choice and i am happy with it. It's my way not to accumulate a stress being to close to a computer too long no matter if it's related to work or a game.

I am very happy how I play my chars and happy that not so few ppl on a server know my two chars and ask me to bring them if they need help. That's what matters: friends in game! I don't need to be online 24/7 to have it!

This thread was already about lots of stuff, and now it's about even more.

Snarkiness is par for the course on MMO boards. Lots of setting people straight and telling people off to be found. Lolz on the thought police. My favourite forum on EQ2 is the Norrathian Homeshow section. People are adorable over there.

SM

I would watch something diffrent after work, but i guess my wife could have something against this kind of hobby

That statement is pretty ridiculous. If MMOs were all about hardcore end game scenarios, there wouldn't be any other content.

Well there are some casual mmos out there, some went f2p in a such short amount of time... no one would have beleaved it before ^^ oh, forgot to say, they where made casual.... hyped for the first weeks, doomed for the rest...
But, dont forget, that you today, got such a huge amount of whatevercalled mmos on f2p base....

No see with that mentality you would never make any money. If you try to cater to the casual community you get a game that is a ghost town. People log on when they feel like it. These people tend to try to solo more than they try to group, and when they get into a group they are usually afraid of how people might react to them not being as good as geared people.

If you cater to the hardcore people, you will have a game that lasts 8 years ( see what I did there )? Meaning that it is your hardcore player base who keeps the game going.

However that is not to say casual doesn't have its place. No MMO out there only caters to one or the other. All mmos out there focus primarily on the hardcore aspect because stats say a hardcore type person who works for what they have will be less likely to leave the game because they have time invested which is a sub once a month. A casual person might realize they are wasting money for something they only play a couple of hours a week. Cancel sub and never look back.

Now you can honestly say I am wrong.... but then you would look like an idiot simply because the proof is in the game. For every piece of fluff they have, they have 1- raid mobs, for every piece of solo content they have raid zones. Look at the amount of gear any raider has access too versus the amount fluff you have access to.

The point is made simple - they release more hardcore items in game than they do casual items. Now with the logic one could safely say they are catering to the hardcore raiding community.

Just thought about all you´re statements and as result, there is no hardcore casual or any.... a game just need a target where mostly can follow..... thats the point about it. There must be one big mean boss to hunt down.
A game cannot be run by one kind of playstyle... there would just be not enough money.

We need to drop the notion that raiders are the only type of players who are hardcore, and that only hardcore players ie raiders ensure the long-term survival of a game.

The players who contribute to a game's long-term survival are, quite simply, those who contribute financially to the game long-term. It's that simple, and it doesn't matter whether they are hardcore, casual, raiders, soloers, groupers, guilded or unguilded, crafters or house decorators. If they pay for the game whether by subscription or cash shop purchases regularly over a period of time - irrespective of how much they actually play the game or what they do while playing it - they are doing their bit for its commercial viability. Those players will include raiders for sure, but serious raiders only account for a small percentage of a game's playerbase and they wouldn't have a game to raid in if the rest of the players weren't making their contributions to it too.

I didnt read this entire thread only the op, and as far as top 10 etc, on mmorpg.com last time i checked this game was ranked like Number 2!!!! and mmorpg.com is a huge huge site for mmo's and its been around for a decade !

also i do believe we should advertise more, like a hell of a lot more... like, SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL!