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Thread: Everquest: Now with Proper Free-to-Play!

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    Default Everquest: Now with Proper Free-to-Play!

    So as you may know, this classic MMO that many of us were addicted to back in the day has actually been free-to-play now for about a year. Unfortunately it had some pretty boneheaded limitations though - only four playable races (out of 16), four playable classes (out of 16), and the classes were ones like warrior, wizard, cleric, rogue, that most people would probably not want to play in the current game when there are things like mercs (hireable NPCs you can group up with that perform as basic tanks, casting/melee DPS, and healers) now available.

    There were also other less-glaring-but-still-annoying limitations, like 6 bag slots instead of 10, a limit on how much money your character could have depending on level, and no shared bank between characters.

    With the last few updates however, they've started to remove a lot of these limitations. A previous update that introduced subscription time as a tradeable in-game item removed the money limit, and the update that just went live today is pretty significant - free players now have ALL races unlocked, ALL classes unlocked, 10 bag slots, and a shared bank. What was once a great example of how NOT to do free-to-play has gradually changed into something I can feel comfortable recommending to others like me who might have played years ago, but no longer have the time (or in my case, the gaming attention span) to warrant a monthly sub.

    The game itself still looks much the same as it did post-Shadows of Luclin (you can still switch back to the classic character models, btw), but amazingly SOE has been actively developing it this whole time, and they've added a lot. Innumerable expansions (all but the most recent ones you get for free), the level cap is now 100, the mercs already mentioned compensate for the lower playerbase, as grouping is not something that happens very often through the lower levels now. Despite my previous addiction to it, I never actually got terribly high in level in the classic game, so I've had a lot of fun going back through the old content and seeing things I'd previously only heard about or saw in screenshots.

    So if any of this sounds appealing, I highly recommend signing up an account, or reactivating your old one if you can still remember the info. Your old characters should still be there, but they're probably going to be on a different server as they've done a few merges throughout the years. There will also be some nice rewards you'll be able to claim on the legacy accounts, so be sure to check for that as well. See you in Norrath!

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    drowning in medals Ed Oscuro's Avatar
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    I might actually go ahead and check this one out. Jesus, doesn't thinking back to the days when you could see that girl in the genie outfit on a standee in the window of your local Babbage's or Electronics Boutique or whatever make you feel...for the good old days? Anyway, I'll probably make some kind of crazy name unrelated to my handle here. Shall we get a list going?

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    I'll keep that in mind if I ever get sick of WoW.

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    Strawberry (Level 2) misfits859's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JSoup View Post
    I'll keep that in mind if I ever get sick of WoW.
    I haven't played WoW for about three years but man I really miss it sometimes. I quit from burnout and then my son was born so I haven't had the time to rejoin. I had some great times with that game.

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    "Ai Oboete Imasu Ka?" Flashback2012's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JSoup View Post
    I'll keep that in mind if I ever get sick of WoW.
    This in a nutshell. I find it pretty amazing that even after all this time, I can log on the game and still get a few hours of enjoyment out of it every night.

    I played EQ religiously from launch till about 2004/5. I got in on WoW and didn't like it at first so I went back to EQ. Turns out I just didn't like the Alliance, I started up a Horde character and haven't stopped playing since. If I ever get around to reformatting my computer like I said I would do months ago, I might reinstall the client and revisit my account.
    "Ai Oboete Imasu Ka?"

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Oscuro View Post
    I might actually go ahead and check this one out. Jesus, doesn't thinking back to the days when you could see that girl in the genie outfit on a standee in the window of your local Babbage's or Electronics Boutique or whatever make you feel...for the good old days? Anyway, I'll probably make some kind of crazy name unrelated to my handle here. Shall we get a list going?
    Sure! If anyone drops their character name(s) and server in here and I'll update the OP. My main is a Mage on Tunare named Argonax, though at the moment I'm attempting to level up a little multi-box group to possibly fold him into later, perhaps replacing the other Mage I'm running in it right now (Radonax).

    I don't remember seeing a standee in the Babbage's where I picked up the original EQ, but I do have clear memories of bringing it home on launch and installing it, rolling a Half-Elf Ranger (also named Argonax), running around exploring Surefall Glade, then Qeynos Hills, coming across a wandering Necro NPC who somehow charmed me and turned me into his pet, and then watching helplessly as he commanded me to attack some nearby players, who promptly killed me. I was sold.

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