Can't Decide, Live or P99

[Etris]

I know it's redundant asking P99 players which server I should stick to. But I wanted to hear your reasons behind it.

Let me start off by saying, I've played this game during release back in my younger, hardcore, can afford to eat hot pockets everyday phase. Today, as an adult with responsibilities things have changed!

I'm looking to revisit the world of norrath as a CASUAL gamer. Yes, I said it. Casual gamer! I'm aware most have stopped reading by now.

I have issues with both live and p99 so I'm trying to weight my options.

Live:
Pros -
Larger Community
Faster Leveling
More Content
New UI
New Spellbook (UI)

Cons -
Community is all max level and ignores newbies so I'd be playing alone for 4 years till I reach max level.
Monthly Subscription
Mercenaries - killing the community because everyone is boxing mercs and multiple accounts.

P1999
Pros -
Amazing Community
Oldschool Content
Oldschool Spell Graphics
Sense of Worth! You build a reputation
1 Character at a time!
(I think)

Cons -
Death ( Same as Live? not sure)
Very Slow Leveling (for a casual gamer)
All high level camps are taken by high end guilds? This is what I've read. What's the point of leveling up if you can't get anything out of it.
Old Spellbook (unorganized spellbook / page flipping / rememming spells without right clicking hotbar into sub catagories to choose spells)


Many more pro's cons of both, was just thinking quickly.

Basically I love the game to death, but would be playing casually (if that's possible) Has anyone had success with raiding or playing like 2 hours a day and being max level? Because back in the day, we'd raid for like 7 hours. I can't do that lol.

I just feel like I'd be able to play Live servers casually more so than P99. But I wouldn't see a soul.

Your thoughts? Please keep the flames to a minimum, this is EQ, not WoW.

[jjgerman]

raid scene sucks on P99,

Everything sucks on live

[renegadeofunk]

I'm only 35, but I've noticed Asgard raids the planes and some kunark stuff pretty frequently with a ~46-54 group. Not as phat loots as max level of course, but looks fun. Then of course there is Velious to look forward to which is mostly why I started now. I think this game is more about the journey than the destination.

[monkeydoc]

I've only been here about a week, but I can tell you I enjoy it way better than the last time I tried Live. You've pretty much pointed out the major problems. Everyone is max level, so there's zero low level community. On top of that, there are so many zones compared to P1999 that you're lucky to see anyone else in any one zone anyway.

I leveled way more quickly on my last trip to Live, but it was pretty soulless. You accumulate a little plat, buy high powered weapons and armor for cheap (by classic standards), hang out in PoK until you get buffed to the gills, and then go solo in loneliness somewhere in a zone you have no memory of or connection to.

As far as worrying about slow leveling: don't. Bear in mind that this is EQ, not a modern MMO. There's a lot of game to be had on the journey. I spent years playing Kunark/Velious/Luclin and never broke level 50, but I still got a ton of entertainment out of it. Unless you're all about raiding, I would just play and enjoy the trip. And really, if you're all about raiding, a low pop private server seems like a pretty lousy alternative to more populated live games.

[Urbanzkopf]

I have recently played both and I can say that although P99 has its cons... they easily outweigh with pros and taking into consideration the cons of live.

I played a cleric on live just before XMAS this year leveled 1-67 no problem at all, then you realise that suddenly things are getting harder and unless you box like 3-4 accounts at the same time, you will come to a standstill (unless you get powerleveled but then whats the point playing the game it's all about the journey). I met very few people who actually talked and I mean very few. Maybe 3 people in about 3-4 months? All the higher levels sit around at the guild hall all day AFKing and just generally ignoring you.

The mercenaries suck, they totally ruin the game. Not only do they cost a fortune to keep in-game they take away the nature of the game (MMO) and turn it into what is basically a single player. As far as raiding goes I was lead to understand unless you was in a raiding guild already, goodluck joining. Not to mention their SC shop which uses real money to buy currency for hundred of pointless things and goony vanity items, reminds me of things like rune of magic.

Although this server doesn't have 1000's online at a time, at least the few who are, are all real people who will respond and whilst leveling 8/10 will want to group up with you. However as casual you may find the game to be a very slow start, but if you can persevere with that I recommend this server for you highly.

[Narsistica]

as someone who played on live... the community on live seems smaller then here due to all the content there is.. no groups.. all merc soloing till 75... whats the fun in that.. it takes no skill what so ever to play live. (but if you do go live i suggest you go to the test server)

[Valiant]

I have toons with max VoA gear on live, the high end is definately more fun, im just waiting for a new expansion. I like to play p99 more though, still loving the nostalgia

[Ele]

Choose Life.

[Lagaidh]

I'd say if you found yourself registering on the P99 forums to ask this question, then there's something inside of you that has already answered your question.

It's really as simple as this: do you want EverQuest to be like it was, or to be like it is? You are right in that this community is biased. We prefer EQ how it was and many of us have felt that way since Luclin dropped. Sure Luclin is a mixed bag of awesome and suck, but it left everyone knowing it was a different game.

Which one do you want to play?

[Lagaidh]

Originally Posted by Urbanzkopf [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

it's all about the journey

Yep. It's mystified me that a number of players here went through the effort of finding such a server, getting set up to play and then burn through the content ASAP.

Erm.

This is memory lane baby! Why take the warp-speed route through it? If you're here, then you wanted that old feeling, right?

Meh- I've always taken my sweet time with games I truly love. I still make 250+ hour play throughs of Final Fantasy Tactics. And I still level more slowly than old people fark in classic EQ =) 2 years for 52 levels.