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Phil5000
Keeper of the Gates
Joined: 11 Mar 2004
Posts: 115
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| Question about MMORPGs generally and Everquest particularly. |
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I don't know anything about MMORPGs and I'd basically like to know if you can play them single player. I like the looke of Everquest 2 and would appreciate it if someone could tell me what playing that on my own would be like.
In general, how do MMORPGs basically work? I know the obvious, there's lots of players inhabiting the game world but how do quests work, for instance? Like if I join the game weeks after it's been running will all the quests have been done and all the booty been found? Are there NPCs to interract with as in other RPGs?
Sorry if I sound silly or like I don't know anything but that's coz I don't.
Thank you kindly. |
Fri May 13, 2005 12:32 pm |
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Lord_Brownie
High Emperor
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
Posts: 575
Location: Unfashionable arm of the spiral galaxy |
MMORPGs general work with what I'll call the "EQ model". This model sets up zones that are based around different themes, like the city Qeynos, or Nektolus Forest, or Lavastrom mountains. The zones have NPCs in them, such as merchants and quest givers. The quests normaly tell short, concise stories about a person, events, or history about the game world. Quests also give items and exp.
The majorty of exp. comes from killing monsters, though. Killing consists of targeting a monster and then clicking on the attacks or spells you wish to use. It is not like a arcade game were clicking or moving fastly decides the victory, instead it depends on your level vs the monster's level. In the advance parts of the games, monsters over power the PCs by alot, and often level advancement becomes very slow/boring for the single player. However, there is normal lots time to have fun before high level is opposed on characters.
You make a character the game, and sometimes you give them stats such as strenght, intelligence, or wisdom. In EQ2 you dont give them stats at when you make, but every so many levels you can increase your abilities just like having stats.
There are also skills like Swords, Schools of magic, or elven language. As you use a skill it slowly goes up to a level that is capped by your character level. At level one you sword skill may be capped to 10, at 2nd level it would be capped at 15.
In most MMORPGs these days you make a character, and then go through some kind of tutorial, in EQ2 is the ship followed by the island place. There are lots of NPCs here to give you quests and help teach you how to play the game, and lots of mobs to teach you how to fight.
Remember that you can complete almost every quest in the game reguardless if the quest has been completed before. There maybe one time event quests were this is not true, but they are very rare.
I played EQ for years solo and I played EQ2 for a short time. Solo play in EQ2 is good, but it is often reported that leveling gets slower and slower as you get higher level. If leveling as fast as you can is your goal you might get bored before you reach the end. There are loads of other things to do in EQ2, like quests and exploring. Mostly likely you will quickly find friends who will allow you realy have some fun in this game. There is also the role-playing servers if you like to role-play which will give you some more things to do.
What a someone actualy does in the game depends on what they like to do. Killing monsters for exp, exploring the world (which will require some leveling to explore the whole thing), or chatting in character and role-playing. Maybe someone here who is still playing EQ2 can come and give you some more ideas about the game.
LB |
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Sat May 14, 2005 1:53 pm |
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Phil5000
Keeper of the Gates
Joined: 11 Mar 2004
Posts: 115
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Thanks for taking the time to reply Lord Brownie. I am familiar with RPGs, just not how playing an MMORPG would differ from a single player one. I gather from your post the quests are reset, is there a story that unfolds and a conclusion to the game as in other RPGs or is it intended to be played indefinitely?
Thanks again. |
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Sun May 15, 2005 1:18 am |
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Lord_Brownie
High Emperor
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
Posts: 575
Location: Unfashionable arm of the spiral galaxy |
In Guild Wars there is a story that unfolds as you play, I dont think EQ2 has a center story. Instead it has small stories told through the quests. Stories have topics like 'what happened to the city of Neriak?" or "where are the frogloks? (a playable race that has to be unlocked)" or "The conflict between John and Jim". The games have no end story to them, instead you just keep doing what you do (although at the high end there may be nothing to gain from doing it game wise). It is intended to be played almost indefinitely, the idea is that when the masses playing have almost finished with all there is to do, you release an expansion that gives them new things to do and new skills or levels to work on.
BTW: anyone know if Frogloks has been unlocked/discovered yet in EQ2?
LB |
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Sun May 15, 2005 12:34 pm |
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VanDine
Village Dweller
Joined: 12 Nov 2002
Posts: 5
Location: Toronto/Prague |
| Re: Question about MMORPGs generally and Everquest particula |
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quote:
Originally posted by Phil5000
I don't know anything about MMORPGs and I'd basically like to know if you can play them single player. I like the looke of Everquest 2 and would appreciate it if someone could tell me what playing that on my own would be like.
it seems to me that you know less than the people that replied assumed
do you mean by single player if you can play them at home disconected from internet maybe?? in that case you cannot, those games can only be played online in live environment
if by single player you meant solo playing, then that is quite possible
most MMORPGs allow you to log on and do your own thing, you can ignore other pple there but there will be penalties in that you won't progress as fast in game as others who team up and so are able to go kill bigger monsters and so get better items from them...
when it comes to solo leveling, the basic char development, you can mostly do as well as others but only in so far as they have similar items equipped, better items they got thanks to hunting in groups enable them to level faster
I think you should clarify what you mean by 'single player'
MMORPGs typically don't have the attributes of typical single player boxed game you buy and play at home alone only with NPCs in game
that means that there is considerably less emphasis on quests and 90% of game time is spent on combination of leveling your char by killing monsters in dungeons, getting items and game money in process and also having fun doing at least some of that alongside other folks
really only point of MMOGames is that you interact with others, that's why they can be successfull games while having next to no story line and poor quests generally (in so far as the storyline matters while playing the game)
MMOGs are in this way very much different from the closed single player games that have progression and end when you complete the game
MMORPGs do have sort of ending when you level you character to level allowed by the game and get all the items the game offers but few people ever reach those ends and the game is sort of openeded that way, you log on to socialize and play the game and you just have to try it to see how it is addictive, it is quite something else than boxed single player games
there are some games that allow you to try without any commitment at all, for example you can download Legend of Mir2 http://www.legendofmir.net/ which is some 450MB http://www.legendofmir.net/download/download.htm and make new acct on the website @ http://www.gnonline.net/ and you can play it totally free (no credit card needed or anything at all) till you reach level 20 which is very generous really, takes noobs several weeks minimum to reach that, even some months, you can play two char on each of two servers giving you total 4 chars that can be played to level 20 on two different servers (worlds) and you can always make new free acct and play the chars on that till lev20 for free again, time unlimited, just level of char
instead of inquiring theroetically, it is way better just to dip in and try, the experience is worth tons of explanation, the game is free and can be played on dial up just fine
the game I mentioned is not some fancy 3D (I don't like those personally) but is 2D isometric view like Ultima series but with better graphics IMO, is rather simple as MMORPGs today go but is more addictive for that, it is no fast arcade game type though and I don't think you are looking for some shoot them up or be shot game, in mir, warriors have sword, axes, mages have staffs and taos have whatever LOL
vanDine |
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Thu Aug 11, 2005 9:08 am |
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xSamhainx
Paws of Doom
Joined: 11 Sep 2002
Posts: 2192
Location: San Diego |
Some MMORPGs can be played by yourself, theoretically. By definition, you are playing with other people just by logging in, but it is possible to play solo if you like. But in due time, you will need other people's assistance for insurmountable tasks that you may want to complete. Notice that I say "want" to complete, for in games like World of Warcraft, you can drop the quests you cannot fulfill on your own, and pick up more that can be done solo. However, the great piece of equipment, monetary reward, or faction status reward that might really help out your character often will drive you to seek a helping hand on the more difficult tasks.
There are certain classes that are better equipped for solo play, such as the Hunter is in World of WC. If it is your goal to be a primarily solo character, research on the forums or supporting sites for the game beforehand and find out what classes will suit you. Generally, stay away from "healer" classes, because they are primarily party chars. Get a class who can use "pets", and you can generally solo 'til the cows come home ='.'=
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“Then away out in the woods I heard that kind of a sound that a ghost makes when it wants to tell about something that's on its mind and can't make itself understood, and so can't rest easy in its grave, and has to go about that way every night grieving.”-Mark Twain |
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Thu Aug 11, 2005 2:33 pm |
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