Ever..."Quests"

[iruinedyourday]

I always loved how the quests in EQ were so abstract that there is just no way you could solve them like a puzzel.. take this one for example: http://wiki.project1999.com/The_Falchion

"find out where they deliver thier shit"

that's it.. that's the frickn clue..

thats the clue that's meant to get you to go out to the OOT and find a random ass ogre, kill him and his 2 guards, thats 3 mobs, all in there 20's

for a fricken 6/24 sword lol

what other quests boggle your minds?

There are a lot of quests, and id say 90% are mind boggling as to how anyone could figure out how to finish them.

So there should be a lot!

[Pringles]

I agree - many quests seem straight forward, but some are so obscure I always wondered how people figured them out - especially because turning in your items to the wrong NPC results in eaten items.

I think the original devs said there were a big number of quests that were never solved? Not sure they should be proud of that....

[Ele]

Spirit of Garzicor has some interesting anecdotes about just spamming certain words with hotkeys all over Dragon Necropolis for days.

Anything in Plane of Mischief. Quests were simply brute forced.

Quests involving tradeskill combines, accidentally pressing combine on a container meant you lost everything in the container. Had to recollect everything to try a new combination.

[Tethler]

Hailing every NPC ever and reading what they say. Sometimes NPC's not directly related to a quest (drops, or turnins) will have something to say lore-wise about certain things. Buuuuut...Aint nobody got time for that.

[maestrom]

People also used to identify stuff.

[TheBiznessTZ]

I think one of the great things that made EQ 1 so great back on live was there was tons of things you didn't know or understand. And discovering and completing these quests was fun. But we been ruined by games now a day. I pretty sure if a new game came out like this i prob wouldn't enjoy it just cause my time constraint is bad and im a super casual scrub atm. Wish i had 12 hours a day to play anymore :(

[NegaStoat]

In classic retail pre and post Kunark, numerous players were really hot to have their characters learn every language available. Mostly it was for RP, but for some folks it was a prestige thing too.

Enter the Werewolf specifically spawned in West Karana. You could chase the thing down and hail him, and in classic he would replay something unintelligible in Werewolf. So at first players thought this was a hidden language and spread rumors about getting that first skill point in Werewolf by spam hailing him. Soooo many people fell for it.

[xKoopa]

In classic retail pre and post Kunark, numerous players were really hot to have their characters learn every language available. Mostly it was for RP, but for some folks it was a prestige thing too.

Enter the Werewolf specifically spawned in West Karana. You could chase the thing down and hail him, and in classic he would replay something unintelligible in Werewolf. So at first players thought this was a hidden language and spread rumors about getting that first skill point in Werewolf by spam hailing him. Soooo many people fell for it.

there was a thread somewhere full of people posting these rumors that people on classic believed

[fastboy21]

I think one of the great things that made EQ 1 so great back on live was there was tons of things you didn't know or understand. And discovering and completing these quests was fun. But we been ruined by games now a day. I pretty sure if a new game came out like this i prob wouldn't enjoy it just cause my time constraint is bad and im a super casual scrub atm. Wish i had 12 hours a day to play anymore :(

Yeah, but even back in the day most players weren't solving quests. There was a VERY elite group of gamers who paved the way through these muddled quests (most of them are just super ambiguous, not extraordinarily difficult). Most of us however, myself included, were just using walkthroughs (allakhazam) and forum posts, albeit they were far less user friendly and accessible back in the day.

One of the great feelings on live was the possibility of discovering something first. Sometimes in the first few days/weeks of an expansion or finding some obscure quest clue. Even if you never actually did those things, you at least felt like you COULD stumble on something new even in very old places.

P99, on the other hand, is built exclusively on the data that was actually discovered and documented. There will be no old unsolved quests finished here. Like I said, for 99.99% of us that doesn't actually change how we play...but it does change the nature of the world and the immersion for 100% of us. EQ had a knack for that sort of thing.

[maerilith]

I think some devs leaked quests that were really obscure, appearently theres over 300+ un found quests in original EQ (which are all probably broken now with the expansions)

There's likely no way to ever complete them on an emulator unless they get discovered and ported over.

[DarthMartigan]

When I read the subject heading I thought this thread was about how long the bard epic takes :P

But seriously, I don't understand how the first people playing figured out things like this. Just thinking about the lambent quests, where the dialog told you exactly what you needed but didn't tell you where from. If you'd never quested in mistmoore or lguk, none of it would make sense... and those armor quests are pretty simple.

[Spyder73]

I was honestly kinda p!ssed when i first got EQ back in 1999. I had been playing Ultima Online for a few years and I had been following EQs development and was really excited when it released. I remember telling my dad I wanted to get Ever Quest and his reaction was something to the tone of "Why, so you can waste even more time infront of that d@mn computer" - and my counterpoint to this was that UO and EQ were completely different in-so-far-as in EQ you can log in, do a quest, and then log out...There are defined things in game to do and its not just a cluster f#ck FFA like Ultima. Its completely quest based! He didn't really understand what I was telling him, but I told him this would take up less time than UO did. Well, this turned out to be completely false - half my time on UO was macroing and tricking people into my house to PK them - nothing like the time sink that is EQ. WoW actually turned out to be what little me thought EQ would be.

But I say all that to say this - ever QUEST - has the worst quests of any game I have ever played, but I still <3<3<3 it

[Man0warr]

Supposedly one of the developers who posted on the Safehouse (old rogue forums) leaked how to finish the Rogue epic (that he helped create). Think his name started with a K.

[drktmplr12]

Burning Rapier anyone?

disclaimer: i didn't figure this out, just transposed it from an old forum. Credit (http://www.thesafehouse.org/forums/forum/everquest-wing/quests-of-norrath/9317-curious-on-burning-rapier-lore?t=9044) should goto Turlo at thesafehouse.org

Bryan McGee says 'The oblong bottle is a legend. They say one drink and you're off to oblivion, but just before that you feel the best you've ever felt and relive all your finest memories in the blink of an eye. The last I heard, some guy by the name of Turgin Swillfod turned up in Freeport spouting that he had found it. He was never heard from again.'

this should spur you to go to the freeport docks and ask everyone "what oblong bottle?" to which a bard suggests to sing you a song for 300pp (for a HINT!).

The song mentions how the owner hosted a ocean party, they sailed to Butcherblock, then turned around to come back. As the ship was threading the needle, his friends dared him to drink until he can drink no more, and as he did, they counted. At the count of 10, he passed out, and fell overboard with the bottle, never to be seen again.

this means if you jump off the boat 10 seconds after passing the rocks, you will find the bottle. Assuming you knew what "threading the needle" meant with respect to nautical terminology.

TLDR: Burning Rapier is a great example of good quest design, imo. Finding the oblong bottle wasn't entirely abstract, but not very straightforward either.

[Furniture]

But I say all that to say this - ever QUEST - has the worst quests of any game I have ever played, but I still <3<3<3 it

EQ quests are 100x better then bland wow-style "kill x number of bears", even if they are weak

[Itap]

EQ quests are 100x better then bland wow-style "kill x number of bears", even if they are weak

No doubt the quests are scripted 100 times better, but the time sink versus reward is terrible on most of them. 20 hours camping rare mobs, running across norrath and failing trivial combines for a shitty cloak with 2ac and 2cha. Still fun as hell though

[Furniture]

I agree the rewards on most quests suck compared to the time spent

[Axlrose]

I thought many of the quests were ~solved~ when players were reverse engineering the codes and looking for certain non-playing characters and phrases. Then they went back into the game and spammed combinations until something worked.

Then I used to hear tales of developers casually dropping huge hints to players that ran forums and whatnot, who then dropped the same hints to their fan base.

*shrugs*

[Voland]

there was a thread somewhere full of people posting these rumors that people on classic believed

This sounds like a fun read, please post the link if you find it.

[maestrom]

If you stand on your head, Raster will spawn.

[redhorse]

When I first started playing EQ, I came at it right after binging through Balder's Gate and Vampire the Masquerade. I had the mentality that every quest is not only worth doing, but somehow necessary to actually work towards "beating" the game. I actually completed stein of moggok on my own, and attempted dozens of others. I think I had a lvl 18 enchanter with like 30 days played.

When I finally joined a group in highpass, we got an orc train and the group said, "WTF are you doing? Mez them?" I had experiment with the spell but it didn't seem to hurt the mobs, it just made them stand there. And if I did anything to them they attacked. I responded with, "That spell sucks, it doesn't do anything. It just makes them stand there but you can't hurt them." They fled, zoned, and promptly booted me.

Later that week, playing magic the gathering at the local comic book store, I was talking to another player who I discovered also played EQ and had a "gasp" lvl 52 druid. He told me something I remember to this day, "Unless its your epic, don't do quests. Ever. Just go group and level." That obviously dynamically changed the way I approached the game. However all the little bits of lore spewed by random NPC's all over the game world was still completely enticing.

[DeadlyReza]

When I first started playing EQ, I came at it right after binging through Balder's Gate and Vampire the Masquerade. I had the mentality that every quest is not only worth doing, but somehow necessary to actually work towards "beating" the game. I actually completed stein of moggok on my own, and attempted dozens of others. I think I had a lvl 18 enchanter with like 30 days played.

When I finally joined a group in highpass, we got an orc train and the group said, "WTF are you doing? Mez them?" I had experiment with the spell but it didn't seem to hurt the mobs, it just made them stand there. And if I did anything to them they attacked. I responded with, "That spell sucks, it doesn't do anything. It just makes them stand there but you can't hurt them." They fled, zoned, and promptly booted me.

Later that week, playing magic the gathering at the local comic book store, I was talking to another player who I discovered also played EQ and had a "gasp" lvl 52 druid. He told me something I remember to this day, "Unless its your epic, don't do quests. Ever. Just go group and level." That obviously dynamically changed the way I approached the game. However all the little bits of lore spewed by random NPC's all over the game world was still completely enticing.

TLDR; His game changed from Every...Quest to Never...Ever...Quest

But seriously best post ive read all month, I love noob stories

[DeadlyReza]

I have a theory about this...

The easier the quest text to understand the harder the quest.

Ageis of life - go kill a guy in SK, you need his live and undead version, but tye trick is 3 hour respawn WITH A PH

well played SoE

[captnamazing]

Finding pieces for warrior epic at the bottom of lake rathe and the TD chessboard. I would have been looking for years I feel like

[Laugher]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs6FgBec-nk

[skipdog]

I'll never believe that there were 'all these unfinished quests in classic EQ'. I just don't see how the devs could not spill the beans at some point, or even how they could resist completing some of the quests on their own time.

[DevGrousis]

In classic retail pre and post Kunark, numerous players were really hot to have their characters learn every language available. Mostly it was for RP, but for some folks it was a prestige thing too.

Enter the Werewolf specifically spawned in West Karana. You could chase the thing down and hail him, and in classic he would replay something unintelligible in Werewolf. So at first players thought this was a hidden language and spread rumors about getting that first skill point in Werewolf by spam hailing him. Soooo many people fell for it.

Not to thread hijack (because it mainly follows the same thing: What were some of the funniest rumors you heard back on live, pre Luclin?

[DevGrousis]

I agree the rewards on most quests suck compared to the time spent

hmm I dont necessarily agree on that. This game in particular is very different in hindsight.

I think Everquest's biggest problem was that when they developed it they didnt have an eye to the future, and how weapons and characters would advance, so every old world quest is a literal piece of shit now, only a year or so and 2 expansions later (live timeline)

So back in the day during vanilla it was worth going on an 8 hour quest to get a (just crap shooting stats here --> ) 6/31 +2str weapon because not only was it really hard and took longer than that amount of time to save up PP to get a better weapon, but also it was the "cool factor" of having some no drop weapon that you got from a quest. Re-call how inspect was treated much differently, and there was no item linking. So unique weapon names or item graphics/effects were all the rage. If you saw a sword you either never heard of, or knew about but never did the quest to get it, yourself, it was cool! even though the stats might not be badass.

They gave each expansion such a raise in item power that they made their previous works of art so obsolete. And how easy is it for humans to forget the FEELINGS they had in the past and just look at statistics and shake their head at some old school looking piece of shit short sword with weak stats

[iruinedyourday]

I cant imagine how anyone would be able to figure out that ghost shit for the Shaman Epic.. its like that quest is a huge troll on the very concept of a well designed quest.

[fastboy21]

hmm I dont necessarily agree on that. This game in particular is very different in hindsight.

I think Everquest's biggest problem was that when they developed it they didnt have an eye to the future, and how weapons and characters would advance, so every old world quest is a literal piece of shit now, only a year or so and 2 expansions later (live timeline)

So back in the day during vanilla it was worth going on an 8 hour quest to get a (just crap shooting stats here --> ) 6/31 +2str weapon because not only was it really hard and took longer than that amount of time to save up PP to get a better weapon, but also it was the "cool factor" of having some no drop weapon that you got from a quest. Re-call how inspect was treated much differently, and there was no item linking. So unique weapon names or item graphics/effects were all the rage. If you saw a sword you either never heard of, or knew about but never did the quest to get it, yourself, it was cool! even though the stats might not be badass.

They gave each expansion such a raise in item power that they made their previous works of art so obsolete. And how easy is it for humans to forget the FEELINGS they had in the past and just look at statistics and shake their head at some old school looking piece of shit short sword with weak stats

Itemization is a huge problem in MMOs...EQ is no different. Top tier raid items replace most/all of the previous expansion. This really started to become an emerging pattern with luclin and then PoP. As a player, I found it tough to keep motivated on upgrading items that I knew would be upgraded again...and again...and again...with each full expansion that came out.

One thing that is somewhat unusual about classic (original to velious) EQ is how much stuff is not upgraded. There are more items in EQ that you need to keep carrying with you for situation purposes that never get replaced by simply larger stat items. Many of them are even acquired in low lvl questing and stay with you through the life of your character.

There was no stigma on having an item acquired at low lvl play/questing in your bags at max lvl and in full top tier raid gear. In fact, many of the coolest items (at least imo) are exactly that sort of thing. Not many other MMOs maintain that type of itemization for very long.

[iruinedyourday]

Itemization is a huge problem in MMOs...EQ is no different. Top tier raid items replace most/all of the previous expansion. This really started to become an emerging pattern with luclin and then PoP. As a player, I found it tough to keep motivated on upgrading items that I knew would be upgraded again...and again...and again...with each full expansion that came out.

One thing that is somewhat unusual about classic (original to velious) EQ is how much stuff is not upgraded. There are more items in EQ that you need to keep carrying with you for situation purposes that never get replaced by simply larger stat items. Many of them are even acquired in low lvl questing and stay with you through the life of your character.

There was no stigma on having an item acquired at low lvl play/questing in your bags at max lvl and in full top tier raid gear. In fact, many of the coolest items (at least imo) are exactly that sort of thing. Not many other MMOs maintain that type of itemization for very long.

This is one of my favorite aspects about PvP in eq.. when you add pvp to the equation all sorts of weird items that were worthless on blue, become incredibly viable and relevant on red!

Wurmscale cloak, pre velious that would sell for the blue server equivalent of 20-25k!

Hallowed Bone Bracers, still a reason to go to Najina to grab yet another pair for an alt!

The BoTH is just throwaway on blue, ok not throwaway but on red its an easy 10k, sold immediately! (that is like 30k on blue whoah!)

Anyway, yea I love when items from classic hold their value on our box even into velious.. It bums me out even how Velious cuts the relevance of many great classic items in half.. I love how the hooded black cloak was like basically the best bang for your buck for most classes, so a totally good reason to hang out in MM with vampires and stuff..

the fucking Diamondine earring for cryin out loud is worth the camp until vel even!

yea I love classic items :)

[Sirken]

I thought many of the quests were ~solved~ when players were reverse engineering the codes and looking for certain non-playing characters and phrases. Then they went back into the game and spammed combinations until something worked.
Then I used to hear tales of developers casually dropping huge hints to players that ran forums and whatnot, who then dropped the same hints to their fan base.
*shrugs*
^

[Rararboker]

the fucking Diamondine earring for cryin out loud is worth the camp until vel even!


What you smoking? Orc fang earring destroys the value of that item with better stats and the fact it drops faster and easier. I can collect 6-10 of them in the time it would take to get 1 diamondine earring from Lasna.

[falkun]

"until vel"...How many orc fang earrings did you farm before Velious released?

[DevGrousis]

"until vel"...How many orc fang earrings did you farm before Velious released?

DETAILS, MY FRIENDS!

[Rararboker]

"until vel"...How many orc fang earrings did you farm before Velious released?

He said "until vel even", not "until vel". Please L2read

[karanastorm]

I still find it funny how there are hundreds of unsolved quests nobody has ever figured out yet. Last year or year before the old EQ devs were on a round table discussion of EQ or some shit at the EQNext thing, and they came out and said we had hundreds not solved yet or even know how to start them.

[SCB]

I always loved how the quests in EQ were so abstract that there is just no way you could solve them like a puzzel.. take this one for example: http://wiki.project1999.com/The_Falchion

"find out where they deliver thier shit"

that's it.. that's the frickn clue..

thats the clue that's meant to get you to go out to the OOT and find a random ass ogre, kill him and his 2 guards, thats 3 mobs, all in there 20's

This is actually a fairly easy quest if you speak Teir'Dal (possibly also Orcish). Dvinn has a note for the prophet who has a note for Dvinn, and combined they tell you about the ogre drop thing.

[iruinedyourday]

What you smoking? Orc fang earring destroys the value of that item with better stats and the fact it drops faster and easier. I can collect 6-10 of them in the time it would take to get 1 diamondine earring from Lasna.

Thats a velious item you halfwit.

[iruinedyourday]

He said "until vel even", not "until vel". Please L2read

Your bad attitude needa to learn how to read. Halfwit.

[Axlrose]

I still find it funny how there are hundreds of unsolved quests nobody has ever figured out yet. Last year or year before the old EQ devs were on a round table discussion of EQ or some shit at the EQNext thing, and they came out and said we had hundreds not solved yet or even know how to start them.

This triggered another memory - besides stating there were hundreds of quests not solved, I thought another parallel to that was the developers never completed numerous parts of these same quests.

"Yep, there are hundreds of these quests you players never solved (since we developers never had them completed within the game)."

[Sashias]

Man, I really wish some of the obscure quests were put in with dev finishes to them for us to find and discover. Saying something like "finished X number of obscure quests, have fun figuring them out!"