Hey there!
I think you will like it here, with the recent launch of Kunark things are in full swing. Groups are around you just have to know where to look, or become good at sending out tells and starting groups. Right now any low to mid level Kunark zone is likely packed with fellow adventurers looking to group together.
Don't be fooled this community is pretty small and tight but the high end game is what I would roughly estimate 50% of the players are in for. With that said there is still plenty of players to fill in the gaps, and most people are fairly helpful and willing to interact.
I am glad you found p1999 it has been my PC gaming salvation as Everquest is really the only MMO I enjoy (especially the first three expansions). There are plenty of guides on how to get set up and started. You need to make sure you have the Everquest Titanium install I'm sure you won't have too much trouble finding the old discs if you look hard enough. Make sure you follow the
getting started guide and update all the necessary files especially the spell updates. There is an app I think Crushev mentioned called "Duxa's Installer" or whatever its pretty nifty especially if you are having multicore issues and what not.
Best of luck on your adventure!