First time EQ stories

[absol]

So I was kinda interested in trying an MMORPG and had narrowed it down to two - Ultima Online or Everquest. But that's as far as I took it - just mulling it over. Then a magazine in the UK, PC Zone, had a free trial of EQ on its cover disk, so that decided that.

The guide in the mag said that the Druid was a good class for newbies so that sounded just the ticket. Looking at the list of servers, I didn't want to try one of the 'PVP' servers because I'd probably get slaughtered, and just randomly picked Bristlebane because it sounded kinda cool.

Back then, new characters spawned somewhere on the G Fay platforms, nowhere near the GM. I started to look at my spell book and inventory, trying to make sense of it all when all of a sudden I saw sparkly magic effects surround me. Looking around there was another player who seemed to be casting - casting on ME. Weird symbols appeared on my screen and one of the spells that hit did damage (I didn't realise at the time that HP buffs do make it seem your HP bar is reducing, even though thats not actually whats happening). Ok, this guy is obviously trying to kill me - I must have picked one of the PVP servers by mistake.

I typed "dnoT kil mee im new" as I panicked, and ran behind the trunk of the tree to buy me some time.

"Hold on, I'm buffing you" said my assailant.

Now, my years playing Quake had clued me in on some leet speak, specifically "owning". I'm betting "buffing" was another term for "owning". It made sense in my mind anyway.

More spells hit me, and now one of them was making me float. What kind of messed up $*^& is this? So I started to run. Anywhere. It didn't matter, I just had to get away from this jackass. I ran forward, and off the platform. Into the Faydark night. After about 10 seconds I tried clicking on the spells he cast on me. One of them came off! Haha, this is easy then, I can just click off all the nasty spells he put on me. Including the floaty one. I'm gonna have the last laugh here!

LOADING PLEASE WAIT

When I respawned on the ground I was trying to get my bearings again, and I saw him running up. Screw this game I thought, I'm gonna hit the power button on my pc before he starts with the buffing crap again. If everyone is like this I don't want no part in it.

"Hold on, I'm just trying to help you friend. You're new, right?".

And for some reason I paused.

For the next hour he showed me the GFay lifts, how they work. He showed me where the guards were and to run to them when you get in trouble. Took me to the Druid Guild Master, told me what spells to use, etc etc. Pretty much got me up and running.

I came sooo close to making the biggest mistake I've ever made playing video games. I could write a book on all the memories I have and all the people I met playing EQ over the years (but I guess we all could). I have no clue of the dudes name, I didn't ever see him again after that. If you're out there, and you're reading this (extremely unlikely) you know who you are. Thanks man.

[Eredhel]

I was in my mid to late 20s when EQ was released. I remember my roommate at the time showing me a magazine add for it and we both decided to give it a try. I had been playing online MUDs and MUSHES for a few years and was hesitant about graphics.

I started some class in Faydwer and went up to the first NPC I came across and used my all-to-familiar text syntax to talk to him/her by typing, "ask NPC NAME about WHATEVER".

It was pretty cool clicking on a graphic mob for a change. But unfortunately all I got out was the "a" in ask. Because by default that was attack. I died immediately and went back to playing a MUD. Fortunately my roommate convinced me to start a character in Qeynos where he was already level 3 or 4. Good times were to be had.

[Muggens]

Check out my EQ story:
http://www.project1999.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=203317

It's for those folks who like a cup of tea and something nice to read along with it.

[Caldwin]

I started playing on live not too long before Kunark came out, maybe 2 or 3 months before. I created a high elf wizard.

Shortly after spawning in the starting area, I started checking out N. Felwithe. I went across the bridge, into a tunnel. I made a right, then a left. Due to monitor settings and not in full screen, it was dark down the tunnel. I saw two pairs of eyes and that was it. I was nervous at what they might be. All over a sudden, they came towards me. I started running, thinking they were going to get me. But it turns out, it was just two players zoning in. I knew nothing about zones at that point.

At another time, it started to rain. I then ducked into a building, thinking I might be struck by lightning. Hey, I didn't know lightning had no affect. Can you imagine if you could take damage from lightning.

After a few levels, somewhere around lvl 10, give or take, I was on the trail that leads away from the orc lift towards orc hill. I saw someone run by with a train of orcs. I decided to root one. By the time root landed, the orc was on the lift. I didn't see any guards around. I LMAO seeing the rooted orc going up and down the lift 2 or 3 times. After that, when the lift came back down, the orc was gone. I don't know if a player got it, or an NPC.

I eventually quit playing the wizard and created a high elf mage, which became my main.

[gummab]

When I started i made a wood elf druid,fell of ramp within a few min,looked around for corpse to no avail so thought screw this and made a half-elf druid.

A few days in while chilling outside BB,I started chatting to a guy there every time I said something he would come out with dude I don't speak Elvish,this carried on for like 15min and this guy started to get a bit irate at me,so i just thought fuck you then and went out killing mobs,was not until later I realised I had changed my language and that he really could not understand me,I felt so noob..

[iruinedyourday]

Short and sweet, on Rallos Zek this halfling druid tried to PK me.. I got the upper hand and he started running.

My roomate was looking over my shoulder, we were silent as I made chase.

I started jumping and noticed the ground seemed to move quicker, so I kept jumping.. jump. Jump. Jump! JUMP!

my roomate mutters, 'are you... are you jumping.. to catch up with him?!"

CLOSER AND CLOSER I GOT

"yaaa" was all I could mutter

CLOSER!

I HIT HIM, I KILLED HIM!!!!!!!!

rejoice.

we drank much ale and ate many pizza pockets that night, i can assure you.

[Yasi]

Played a Dark Elf Cleric. Brother somehow got me one of theses sweety shiny Bronze Breastplates + a Fine Steel Hammer (both from a vendor for probably 200pp, wich was like a fortune at that time and lvl 10). Went to lavastorm, died, couldnt find my corpse. Had to log out because we had dinner with family, but i wasnt hungry and cried 2h (i was eleven years old), because i was afraid my Bronze BP+FS Weapon got lost.

[gcobb]

Obtain vanilla game as 11-year-old in first flower of life's nerdiness. Disk comes packaged in one of those massive 90s-era retail boxes I used to love so dearly. Install and log in after requisite persuading of parental pocketbook, in those days when trusting a web company with CC info still terrified most adults.

Choose server at random, roll dwarf paladin, put all points into DEX for reasons lost to history. Spend one hour turning in note and escaping Kaladim. Approach a bat, begin mashing buttons, figure out that 'a' is somehow associated with combat. Spam 'a' for a solid two minutes trying to attack, despite message in chat box clearly stating, "Auto-attack on." Certain portions of the 11-year-old noodle not yet online. Eventually triumph over bat. Usual newb stuff for another hour or two, time for dinner. Cannot figure out how to exit game. Mash many buttons in many different orders. Click SIT then CAMP but exclaim that I don't want to prepare a camp, I want to EXIT, darn it. Become totally pissed and distraught at this game that won't let me log out, even as my parents call from downstairs what the heck is taking so long. Spam more buttons until, in one last moment of defiance, I decide fuck it, if you want me to CAMP I'll CAMP. Escape.

Next day, realize I have no clue what server I'd rolled on, choose Drinal at total random. From this point on, memory little more than a kaleidoscope of pixels ground and twisted to the MIDI lyres of the Faydark.

[criddopher]

I had my mom buy me EQ:Kunark after looking at the box at the game store.

My very first character was a dark elf something. I had called my brother in to check out this game that sounded so cool. As soon as I zoned in with my new character I couldn't see anything, ran out a window into some water and drowned. My brother said "yeah, great game" and walked away. (He later got just as hooked as anyone else)


Second character I made was a High elf paladin. At around level 10 I thought I was decked out with my chainmail armour and fine steel sword, I wandered around gfay for a long time, zoned into Lfay and got killed, I freaked out saying I'll never find my corpse I had no idea where I was and had been walking for hours! I didnt know at the the time there were places like eqatlas online. Never did get that corpse....

[curtischoy]

Originally Posted by gcobb

From this point on, memory little more than a kaleidoscope of pixels ground and twisted to the MIDI lyres of the Faydark.

This is just a great sentence.