Thanks for all the awesome responses! It was a pleasure reading all of them, even those warning me about the perils of raiding. In the original game, I was at most a very casual raider, and will likely be the same in this game, so I am not at all worried. So you all remember when we called the best gear "uber"? Well, I have never been drawn to "uber" gear that has to be camped for untold hours, or gained only through innumerable raids. Fun for some people, but never has been for me. I am more of the adventuring kind, enjoying checking out various dungeons, playing different alts, joining groups when I can and doing a lot of soloing as well. None of that could ever be considered "hardcore"! lol I've played MMOs where min/maxing was god, but always ignored it. The last MMO I played had an add-on that showed your damage output in NASA-like graphs, and after looking over the online info on the add-on, I made a point of never loading it.
I have had a couple of negative experiences. Twice, while in group, I have had what I assume are veteran players telling me how I should be playing my character. In one group we suffered a wipe, and a member of the group poured over the fight logs to inform me, some 10 minutes later, that the wipe was all my fault because I did such-and-such wrong. Often in groups I do feel like the total newbie playing with a group of seasoned veterans, but I'm very upfront about the fact that I have just returned to the game after a 20 year absence, and very rusty on technique. All in all, though, most of my experiences whether in groups or soloing have been a lot of fun.
My biggest struggles have been with the UI! OMG, how lazy I have become after playing all the new MMOs where everything is laid out perfectly. I once made my group window disappear, and finally had to appeal to a high level player to find out how to get it back ... (alt-p) ... and once accidently changed my point of view midfight, and was struggling to find out how to do it, while also trying not to die in the process! I was successful, but wow, that got confusing for a sec!
The wiki has been a complete godsend! I play windowed, and keep the wiki open all the time. Right now I've got 3 classes up to 20-22, as I don't really want to focus on a main just yet. Those first 20 levels are easy and fun, and I do remember what the game is like when you get to the "hell levels". I'm really enjoying just learning to play different classes, in different areas of the game, even though I know that I will have to eventually decide to make one class my main.
Highlight experiences to date? Recreating a run through Highkeep Pass at level 12, keeping my fingers crossed that my invis won't give out halfway through ... it didn't! Taking the boat through to Firiona Vie for the first time. Loads of memories!! Doing the Stein quest with my enchanter at level 12! That was sooo familiar! Being told by a high level player that if I ran from EC tunnel to Grobb, that he would sell me a Robe of the Advisor for just 75p!! So helpful and just plain kind!
I'm still learning, and still have a ton of questions, but overall it has been a really enjoyable experience.
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