After 21+ years...

I'm about as close to completely done with EQ as I've ever been. When I've taken a break before, it was always with the understanding that I would be back; however, as much as I love the TAKP era and the (very) few people I know that are left, TAKP has chased me away.

When i first started on here years ago, the server was not as established. I remember going to do things just for the fun of it; ToFS run? Sure! Kaesora? Why not!?! I mean, there were a handful of us that would explore just for the exploration sake of the game.

Lately, in the last 1-1/2 years, it seems to have degenerated into the realm of pure raiding. Maybe it's always been like that and I'm the last of that group from 3-1/2 to 4 years ago that enjoyed ALL aspects of the game. But the entire focus I see now is raid, raid, raid. If people aren't raiding, they're working on AAs for raiding.

My friends list is filled with names that I haven't seen in years. The last one that has been on this year is somebody I haven't seen in months.

I know I'm burned out, because I'm not having fun. Every time I LFG, I don't find a group, regardless of level or class. Has TAKP become like live or p99, with everybody focused one aspect of the game? Or maybe, I just haven't been on when everyone else is on and looking to have "fun" rather than squeeze the last ounce of raid time or raid preparation out their time...

 

I don't know about completed, but that was an interesting read. Thanks for sharing it

 

Done with EQ? You know PoP is right around the corner? I'm sure lots of groups will be forming in PoP for at least a while. I say take a break and come back when it hits. I know a few others doing this that feel the same way you do.

 

Its been 3 years of Luclin, the oldschool players are all burnt out from just being in the expansion for too long so they just raid to get by. Also with 3 years, most content I have explored already or have no desire to explore.

Regarding the LFG problem, yeah that is an issue of 3box servers. My playtime is usually 45 mins cus of my impatience/burnout of the game, I am not gunna go get involved with some other people if 70% of my playtime is waiting for someone to join my trio. No, imma murder 5 mobs then camp for the day.

 

AK was much the same way. Can't really fault people for leveling up and wanting to AA and explore end game content. Take a vacation and come back if/when you feel like it. There is a lot of fun to be had in EQ, but sometimes you need to be the one to create or seek out that fun. Lots of fantastic people on this server. After coming back recently I was pretty happy to see the steady influx of new players leveling, new guilds etc.. 2box limit instead of 3 woulda been more pro for server grouping culture but I'm not going to start that debate again

 

I've thought a lot about where you're at as I've been there before. In fact, I think most of us long haulers have been in these shoes nuermous times =). Since April 99 I've had a love hate relationship with EQ =). I've quite or just plain lost interest many times in past years. Then I start playing FPS or RTS and get my kicks there... Then I get the MMO Hankering again to go on an adventure and explore and every game I try a new title, I compare to EQ, specifically TAKP... All the other games just miss out on the complete package..

I get your burn out, I really do.. You've been in game here a while, you've got your stuff.. Take a wee break, play some BF2042 and get your ANNO Fix.. And then come back for POP and join us as we all eagerly scramble for flagging and pugs are just chilling in graveyards waiting for the extra member who can make the DPS points...

Resist the trolls that ask you for your stuff, don't share those accounts with someone who'll pillage them.. Make your come back possible !

 

i do believe i will never quit.
but if i need to step away, i can quite easily knowing i can go back and i wont be left behind.
why wont i stop? cause i have a feeling even here on TakP i wont ever be completely BIS on my favorite chars but damn if im not trying to get there!

 

I have massive amounts of respect for the TAKP developers; but, I've heard this before. When PoP is released, it will be a massive zerg to 65 and then raid, raid, raid, raid, raid to get flagged. Casual, off-main-time players like me will come in waaaaaaay last for loot, key flags, gear, groups, et al. As much as I love TAKP, I don't think I'll move to another time zone to meet those expectations, or, quit my job so I can log in when everybody else plays.

 

There are a lot of us for which raiding is just not a priority at all. Sometimes the friends list needs updating as RL takes precedence for folks and/or the content does get a little tired. I for one really had hoped/planned for PoP by last spring. Hard to find projects. But soon enough a lot of groupable content will be available. Hopefully we can have level based entry though so raids don't become the primary way to access content that old AK players could see just by being old enough.

 

I would imagine a good number of people would come back for your time zone as well. Maybe enough where a raid guild in your time zone is formed. I believe alt access quests will go in, not sure on when, but you can get access to the upper zones that way. I guess I'm just saying wait and see what avenues open up.

 

It could be a year or two before PoP is released; regardless, I'll probably log on and get 65. Whenever it is released, I have no doubt it will be high quality; as a developer, myself, I know there will be bugs and kinks to work out, but TAKPs dev team seems to know what they're doing.

Many of the people that I know who have left did so for one or two reasons:

1) Certain people in an old guild that's no longer around made it hell for them or created drama; or
2) They got bored and were ready to do something else.

RL comes in play, too, but only for a few that I know. The first player that I knew who left was due to not liking boxing and not being able to find groups, his character's name was Roondyn. He and I started on the same day and grouped when we could; however, when I was not on, he could rarely find a group. I don't know if he ever came back. He was a cool cat. I could go on about the people I've met over the last almost 4 years here. Even some of the so called 'bad apples' treated me well, so I absolutely have no complaints there.

 

Isn't there just Plane of Time left? I'd like to think it would be months rather than years until PoP. Regardless - a lot of people (including myself) have taken multiple loonnng breaks. Breaks are good. Also when PoP comes out I imagine we will get a minor (or hopefully a little more than minor) influx of people who have been waiting for a friendly PoP server with an awesome community and awesome devs. Then there will hopefully be plenty of newcomers LFG and wanting to do the fun content you are speaking of.

 

Time is done now, I am fairly sure. But with the push for navmesh testing, it sounds like that needs to be done first before PoP is released.

 

Looks like Time still needs work, or the tracker needs to be updated.

 

I'm on a break, going on 3 years now I think. I'll be back eventually, as if I could stay away. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, take the time you need and then come scratch your EQ itch again someday.

 

I think it just naturally happens. I've "quit" everquest about 10 times now and always come back after a while, then again I usually play for a month and quit for 6 months (currently haven't played for 2 months), so I've never gotten a character past 50.

It sounds like a different reason for you, basically you've had your fun in pick up groups and casual leveling, but don't like the endgame content. That is fine, you finished TAKP, congrats

I do miss grouping in TAKP though, boxing is a gift and a curse, I really enjoy it while "soloing", however it sort of ruins pick up groups for me. I don't really want to single box, because then my other characters start lagging behind and if I just play my trio it is pretty hard to talk to other players while, pulling, mezzing, healing and buffing at the same time. But perhaps that is also the wrong mindset, feeling that I will be lagging behind if I just single box.