How do I make this game enjoyable for new players?
 

I convinced two of my friends to roll characters on this game with me, one has some SoD experience, the other is new but played WoW and GW2 quite a bit.

How can I make this game appealing through the lackluster early levels?

Trust my experience and DONT make them spell-less classes. No rogue, warrior. POSSIBLY Monk but with huge warning signs. I'd avoid hybrids too unless they're hardcore gamers and make it to 9 in no time in the course of a LAN or something. Even though hey, if they're dead set on playing a pure melee, don't stop them but be sure to let them know it's boring as hell compared to a WoW/GW2 warrior/rogue... They need to play something they enjoy it's the most important shit. Your job is to bring them to cool places early on with fun groups. Crushbone or BB after the newbie zone is a plan IMO. Avoid BB if tall races.

Further than that, it's out of your hands really.. :)

Ah actually I would add this : Twink them a slight bit (say buy em some 50-100 pps worth weapon and possibly a piece of armor or 2 for the looks); but do not spoil them to make sure it stays challenging. Just not hardcore difficulty of totally untwinked for a newb. Also, getting them quickly in a friendly/lowbie/helpful guild will help them socialize, make friends, enjoy the community which is probably the n°1 asset of p99...

One of them a rogue, one of them a monk, you a healer. Will blast through the early levels if you group together. Personally I hate the caster classes. They are detached from the group, boring and really dont benefit from twinking. Being a monk or rogue makes it easy to twink (and this really doesn't make anything easier until you're talking fungi tunic) and will be much more entertaining for them I think.

The thing is about classic EQ, though, is you have to be sort of a masochist in order to play it. It will be more work than any other mmo. But that's what makes the rewards that much more treasured once obtained.

Ask a crafter to tell them what materials are needed for full sets of armor. (banded/studded/silk, etc) Have them buy/gather the materials and give them to the crafter for armor at cost price. Tip the crafter yourself. It's like a rewarding player-made quest that any new players should be able to do. I'd even be willing to do this for you, but I'm a very casual (hard to find) player.

Look up some of the newbie quests in their starting zones, using the wiki. Adds a bit of flavor during the early levels, and some are actually useful.

Vellatri, Knight of the Temple of the Dead

Edit: You could even help them get started with crafting themselves. Anybody can make patchwork armor. My plate-capable shadowknight sported a full set until she saved enough to skill up Blacksmithing for banded. It's better than the cloth you loot off skeletons, and feels more rewarding.

Actually, I think that for the right kind of player, this is exactly what they should play. Melees in classic EQ are mostly looking for that next gear upgrade to progress, while casters just wait for the next spell level. It depends on the player and what they're going to enjoy.

If you're planning to twink them a little, I'd suggest getting them items along the lines of classic twink gear. E.g., give the paladin something with about a .3 ratio instead of the usual Sword of Skyfire or Green Jade Broadsword. Upgrading that himself at level 25 will be more rewarding than using the same sword from level 1 to 40 (or whatever).

Aside from that, try not to spend too much time in one spot unless they are really enjoying it. Get out and see all those underpopulated low-level dungeons (Sol A, Upper Guk, Najena, Paw, Nurga, Dalnir, etc. etc.), but don't skip out on Crushbone. Trainer hill and the throne room are just too much fun. Some ideas for out-of-the-ordinary leveling locations can be found here: http://www.project1999.org/forums/sh...ad.php?t=86713

Hey now, the thread's title isn't "How to make this game miserable for new players."

;)

Hahaha Tradeskilling! It makes mine minesweeper look like Modern Warfare 3!

Hah! Touche. However, you do have to admit that making your first set of patchwork is kind of fun; there's no grind involved. As you said, it's more rewarding to upgrade your gear yourself.