Your first 20 levels

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

One of the best things about original eq is how well the devs constructed how characters go through their first 20 levels or so. Level 1-10 and 10-20 are almost like separate games in themselves. Each class slowly gains their skills, spells, and power. If you play UNTWINKED, you appreciate how well the original devs worked this out.

As far as I can tell, this entire idea of how to design a game is gone. You can level up your character in an afternoon.

Not so in classic eq.

I wanted to post a thought: this is part of why this game kicks ass. Slowly discovering the abilities and weaknesses of your class, getting your first major class-defining spells, and the original low level dungeons? UNMATCHED.

SO my advice is, realize that unlike today's games, original EQ was designed so the first 20 levels are actually a rich, exciting, hard, and interesting part of the game. No where else will you find this.

Levels 1-20 are almost a separate game unto itself. The rituals of all newbs from the past -- making your runs to get pet spells, trying to travel without dying, learning those first amazing dungeons like Najena and Befallen with other (untwinked) characters -- are, I would argue, a large part of the fond memories so many of us have.

So do not rush. Be a proud starting character, and experience the still-beating heart of classic eq: levels 1-20, untwinked.

[Alukit Vassago]

tbh i feel as if the first 20 levels are by far the longest because of the fact your still learning the ropes & the lack of spells or abilitys your class has. i know hell levels are long but they just don't feel like it last as long as say the grind of 1 to 20 was, thou i do agree that the beginning of this game was crafted masterfully then compare to alot of today's mmo where you just rush thru the beginning because of annoying npc tutorial

[ukaking]

I agree 100%. Most of my best memories were levels 1-20. You had some interesting people that would actually stay in character with you as well. Once you start to level up it becomes more a power game and most people lose that character side.

[webrunner5]

Yeah, way too many people want to rush to level 60. Trust me, 60 is not as much fun as you would imagine. Really not that many zones to find even con mobs or greater to challenge you unless you Raid. And we all know how much fun Raiding is on here. :eek:

The lower level least played zones are far and away the most fun. Even if you die you have not lost a ton of XP time wise to make up. It is just as much fun, other than loot wise, than being in say Seb.

You can do Tradeskills, make your own armor, fish for food, make SoW pots on a Shaman etc. Lots of things you probably are not going to do trying to get through level 59 Hell Level high end.

Enjoy the ride, not the race to the top. It's hands down the best game going out there. :cool:

[cormag]

I started out as a naked lizard in FOB and did the curscale armor quest to gear myself. Looted and vendored everything I could until I could afford some bags. Used all the spider silk I was getting to skill up tailoring and craft my own cured silk armor.

Was very rewarding and it occured to me that this is whats missing from modern mmos. I am level 36 now and have really good mid-level gear that was all farmed up, quested or bought with plat I earned myself.

It's not fast and its not easy but its very fulfilling.

[Dragonslayer]

I agree completely. I remember all the groups and becoming friends with other players along the way in those first 20 lvls. All the corpse runs and the "OMG I cant believe we survived that pull!" =). Some of my fondest memories are of those times. Now I'm getting to relive that over again as a now lvl 10 mage =). A remake of my first ever toon. It's awesome! I remember back when someone would get branded and eBayer when they sucked so bad on a character that there was no way they had played that toon from lvl 1 and learned all it's tricks and quirks =).

[spidercajun]

ah so you flew up to 10 i see...lol snake in the grass:D

[HallyVee]

I only ever exceeded 20 on live on one character, and probably not even that.

On P99 I'm not only actively avoiding twinking (refusing Ykeska weapon, plat, powerleveling) but I'm also avoiding the market. Any weapon I use should be obtained [I]by me[I] at my level.

Additionally, I refuse to sell my, for example, spider silk on the market. Just seems like it'll ruin things, money-wise. Once money doesn't matter you lose massive chunks of gameplay.

The final (and least realistic) thing I'm attempting is to only run dungeons with people who are new to the dungeons themselves. It's nowhere near as fun to be escorted to a boss, trailing like a lost puppy.

[Dragonslayer]

I only ever exceeded 20 on live on one character, and probably not even that.

On P99 I'm not only actively avoiding twinking (refusing Ykeska weapon, plat, powerleveling) but I'm also avoiding the market. Any weapon I use should be obtained [I]by me[I] at my level.

Additionally, I refuse to sell my, for example, spider silk on the market. Just seems like it'll ruin things, money-wise. Once money doesn't matter you lose massive chunks of gameplay.

The final (and least realistic) thing I'm attempting is to only run dungeons with people who are new to the dungeons themselves. It's nowhere near as fun to be escorted to a boss, trailing like a lost puppy.

The only issue I see here that the game is still coded to Titanium in terms of plat for vender bought items if I'm correct. Things like spells for casters and all are expensive and it's not wrong to sell to others you silks and HQ skins. This was the same even back in classic on live. There is no PL there or ruining the market. However if memory serves me right I bought my first full set of SM bronze off a player back then for 200gold.. not plat =).

[Jimjam]

I don't mind selling to players. I can use that money to save up for tinker bags or whatever.

I just don't like buying items from other players; that feels like I've paid them to have the fun of going on a dungeon crawl instead of me!

[Feathers]

I started December 11, 2014, and I think I got to 20 on Christmas :D

It's been great to play totally untwinked. The best part was getting xp off the spiders that I turn into my raw silk armor!

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

I was thinking about this post some more. Since this server stops at Velious, the devs have a lot of opportunity to have some fun with the finished game world.

One really cool idea, would be a lvl 20 Best of the Best competition. No twinks. The exact level for each class might have to be adjusted, so certain classes can have a defining spell.

Or dev run raids, where they take over emperor crush and such.

There is a lot of stuff in this game that got forgotten as SOE moved into new expansions. Lots of underutilized ideas and zones.

[Hexpane]

One of the best things about original eq is how well the devs constructed how characters go through their first 20 levels or so. Level 1-10 and 10-20 are almost like separate games in themselves. Each class slowly gains their skills, spells, and power. If you play UNTWINKED, you appreciate how well the original devs worked this out.

As far as I can tell, this entire idea of how to design a game is gone. You can level up your character in an afternoon.

Not so in classic eq.

I wanted to post a thought: this is part of why this game kicks ass. Slowly discovering the abilities and weaknesses of your class, getting your first major class-defining spells, and the original low level dungeons? UNMATCHED.

SO my advice is, realize that unlike today's games, original EQ was designed so the first 20 levels are actually a rich, exciting, hard, and interesting part of the game. No where else will you find this.

Levels 1-20 are almost a separate game unto itself. The rituals of all newbs from the past -- making your runs to get pet spells, trying to travel without dying, learning those first amazing dungeons like Najena and Befallen with other (untwinked) characters -- are, I would argue, a large part of the fond memories so many of us have.

So do not rush. Be a proud starting character, and experience the still-beating heart of classic eq: levels 1-20, untwinked.

Good post, but for those of us that went through those early days already, the re-grind loses some of its luster.

Like I remember the days of wearing Chainmail store bought on my High Elf paladin and being the worst tank (min-max) in the game, AND having an XP penalty. LOL talk about slow. The "learning" part was discovering how unbalanced early paladins were, and watching friends take their necro from 1-50 in the time it took my paladin to get to 30

I remember longing for the Bone Bladed Claymore and how excited when I first got one.. later in the game you realize the NEGATIVE agility was so not worth it for a tank .

The game was just straight punishment for the first year or so.

Smedley used to post how surprised everyone was that people could hit level 50 so quick, and by "quick" it was MONTHS of grinding for addicts running 12/hrs a day

[Hexpane]

I got to level 60ish untwinked on OG EQ so kinda been there done that, and yeah it was a blast.

But I have no problems with twinking in games now, although most games have either nerfed twinking or made it Pay to Play so it doesn't even matter.