What caused the decline of EQ as the #1 MMO?

eqdruid76 · #1 06-06-2010, 11:45 PM

In light of all these "Let's think of all the different ways we can sabotage and ruin Project 1999" threads that are popping up, here's a counter-thread. What were the changs, nerfs, new game mechanics, graphics upgrades etc that happend on live that you NEVER want to see happen on Project1999?

**Rogean** · #2 06-06-2010, 11:50 PM

What caused the decline of EQ was WoW pretty much.

Gwence · #3 06-06-2010, 11:50 PM

Personally I've enjoyed everything in eqlive and still have 2 accounts on it, but to answer your question I would say World of Warcraft probably took the biggest chunk out of the game's population.

Cogwell · #4 06-06-2010, 11:55 PM

EQ steadily gained active users until Nov 2004.

oldhead · #5 06-07-2010, 12:02 AM

The games direction is what killed it for me. The development staff leaving and SoE changing the "vision"

But yeah if you look at numbers the herd didnt jump boat till there was greener grass. (wow)

Hell, i was happy when wow came out. Doac was dead for me and there wasnt much out that was good. Kinda like now. (besides p1999)
10 mins into beta I knew that this game was "it". Called my buddy and told him its the new EQ.
He didnt believe me until 6 months later. he is still playing that pos ;p

Kinamur1999 · #6 06-07-2010, 12:10 AM

AA ruined the game, brought forth wizard manaburn groups. yay fun but pure bullshit sorry wizards theres no fucking way you should be able to 1 group a dragon for warrior epic drops.

AA that let hybrids solo dragons, yeah this was years after it became trivialized but still what the fuck.

aa made characters way to powerful for original game content, sure it was great in luclin and later expansions but it DESTROYED the original game

guineapig · #7 06-07-2010, 12:42 AM

If it wasn't for WoW, many of those players would still have been grinding it out in EQ for at least a few more years (possibly to this day since there's is nothing else that comes close to the popularity of either of those 2 games).

Regardless of how rediculous some of the content became it was still an extremely addictive product. Many ended up quiting in favor of a new addictive product because there was one available. They didn't just quit MMO's "cold turkey".

girth · #8 06-07-2010, 12:51 AM

Both times I quit playing EQ were because my raiding guild stopped raiding. Nothing to do with other games pulling me away.

gnomishfirework · #9 06-07-2010, 01:10 AM

EQ just didn't have the mass appeal WOW does. EQ is hard. EQ is a challenge. Even making it easier didn't save it. It couldn't have.

I solo'd trak on my ranger at 65 or 70 and I had very few AAs (less than 200) but great gear (had outside buffs though) I almost got him without outside buffs (or potions) but the fucker banished me and I sat but he didn't summon. He came and got me. With a bunch of friends. It sucked. I was never able to get him that close again (I was fine on mana and health AND stilll had WS cause I proc'd slow really quickly).

I once fought woushi for a while and realized I wasn't going to win, but I got away =P Duo'd rumblecrush with my shaman (lol not really my shaman, it was given to me by a guildy who was given it by a guildy who quit). Not really a difficult fight, but it was tough to stay awake.

That stuff didn't kill the game, it made old trivial content fun again.

To date, EQ was the best MMO. No MMO has captured my attention in the same way. WoW is a good game, but its a solo game where you group up to kill bosses (group quests - which aren't common, group instances and raid instances). It lacks the social component that I find fun. Grouping in wow my first few times was so much fun and kept me in it, but I lost interest in solo grinding.

At least solo grinding in EQ was fun. It was challenging (more so for some classes, but still even a necro was more a challenge to solo than the worst class in wow.) Also, the classes in WoW are too jack of all trades. Some classes can't heal, and some can't tank. All can DPS and DPS well if geared/spec'd properly.

Its geared for mass appeal. EQ was a niche game that was innovative.

I still have more fun in P1999 than I did in WoW.

The only MMO to come close to the appeal (for me) is Darkfall, but its PvE is lacking.

Age really killed EQ. it had a good run and is still around today. Thats impressive.

Olorin · #10 06-07-2010, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogean [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

What caused the decline of EQ was WoW pretty much.

Eq2 which released around the same time had an effect as well -- Sure, WoW grabbed more, but EQ2 at release was difficult as well, the amount of soloable content was well, not much.