I was showing my wife the game last night and was telling her about why it's superior to WoW (the game she and I played together for a couple years). Risk vs. reward, as well as other reasons. As I was roaming around, she had commented on how other people in the zone were responding to questions respectfully and she was amazed. Considering our most recent gaming experiences, it's not a surprise. I told her back in '99 when I first started, the community (Innoruuk server) was so tight-knit that even the so-called "bad" boys and girls had strong support...enough so to help stifle long flame wars and such. That just doesn't exist in the highly accessible department store-feel of WoW.
The idea of "casual players" here is both sensible and a little strange at the same time. Casual, in the sense that it's not necessarily a booming, overcrowded server with a much more toned-down gaming style that favors being more cerebral than, for example, hopping from one quest hub to the next with easy directions inbetween. Modern MMORPG's are like factory assembly lines in that it's constantly in motion, no time to stop and think as there's probably someone nearby who's blasting you for being a "noob" or cramping their style.
On the other hand, this EQ project is also a bit hardcore, too. When my wife mentioned the respectful nature of the other players (which I agreed with), it occurred to me that it's very likely that the majority of you who're supporting this cause are old-time players from EQ's infancy, such as myself. Therefore, it's probable that the time we're spending gaming online could have been spent on a more modernized, heftier game such as WoW, Guild Wars or even the underrated EQ2. ..but no. We're here, treading very old ground, doing things we probably haven't done for ten years. That's dedication; loyalty on a grand level. I call that "hardcore." To bypass the simplicity of other games for the sake of regaining a memory of when they were tough and required a true community and the "togetherness" that comes with it. A standard gamer would float to where it's easy and popular. So be it, no problem with that. ..but it was for me, which is why I'm here now...doing Bertoxxulous' bidding as well as I possibly can.
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Sorry for the long-winded opinion, but coming back to EQ after a long, LONG hiatus has been a therapeutic thing for me. I appreciate this a lot and it's been fun grinding like hell to just reach level 5.
-Bryan.