motivation?

[Jlpstrtkng]

First I want to start off saying that I’m as nostalgic about the original classic live experience of the 99-early 2000s EQ as most of you. I even kept with it on and off throughout my teen years into early adulthood ultimately giving up around House of Thule expansion. However I am having the hardest time enjoying “the grind” as you call it this time around. My main is a level 38 stuck in a sluggish race to that level 60 finish line. So much so that I’ve not logged in a couple months and I just snoop around living vicariously through these forums. My question in simple is, how do most of you get motivation to keep going, especially at those hell levels. Most here have three, four, five level 60s and I’m sitting here dreading just getting the hell out of lower guk lol. Are there any special zones you go to when you’re feeling like you need something different. Really this is not meant to be condescending I would like to enjoy playing eq again

[deezy]

much easier with friends. just socializing with others can help.

[Foxplay]

If you are a person that doesn't like grinding then you need to focus on either the social aspect of EQ so you make exping fun that way, explore level appropriate areas you haven't done before to mix it up and learn the game more, or set small daily goals to help keep you motivated or keep you progressing and possibly getting you competitive with yourself (your own goals)

Even if you just get 5% a day at first it's better than none.

I have the spirit of several Koreans trapped in a pasty white body so grinding is super easy to me but even on days I'm not very motivated I just tell myself (just 5%) It is enuff to get me started and once I start I will push for a few extra % usually

[Tupakk]

Yeah all about the friends. And after 5 years it is hard to keep playing. It’s all about finding ur niche. My first toon ever still isn’t 60 so don’t beat yourself up about 60.

[Phenyo]

However I am having the hardest time enjoying “the grind” as you call it this time around. My main is a level 38 stuck in a sluggish race to that level 60 finish line.

This mindset is probably part of the problem. Some people focus too much on the destination and forget to enjoy the journey. A lot of the enjoyment derived from elfquest is in meeting and adventuring with other players that you can stand to spend time around. I'd recommend joining a guild and trying to form a collective. Add people you enjoyed playing with to your friends list and contact them regularly. You'll soon have a pool of people to chat to and form exping groups to adventure in areas that are not typically explored. Try to set goals to obtain items that will be beneficial to your class.

It's easy to think that you have to get to 60 asap in order to enjoy the game but 1-60 is arguably just as fun as max level. This is one of the reasons many people have multiple alts. Personally when I feel the start of a burn out I stop playing whatever character was causing it and either play an alt with a different playstyle or travel around helping lower players with random tasks. It helps to remind me that the game is primarily socializing and that focusing so much on just gaining EXP detracts from the experience.

That being said I really enjoy raiding and that's my main motivator for playing these days, however you may find yourself rushing to endgame and feeling deflated by the extremely competitive raid scene.

TLDR; Enjoy the journey, velious is here forever.

[24kanthony]

The struggle is real and it's a big part of what makes 60 and all the possibilities that come with it feel like an achievement. It's also the time for you to develop your skills and build your reputation. If you don't have people going out of their way to/friend you and bring you in to their groups when they see you online, then keep the focus on where you're at currently.
Joining the guild im in now, raiding top content and having my gear fawned over all came about the way it did because of what I put in to my exp groups. Respect is going to get you as much loot as anything else in this game.

[Maliant]

This game is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about the journey, not the destination. There will always be ways to make your character stronger and the max level will always be 60. Sit back and relax.

[Jlpstrtkng]

I’ve always stayed guildless for whatever reason though I’ve met many good people along the way so far. Perhaps you’re right and I should look into joining one it may give the game a fresh feeling that I haven’t felt in a while.

[enjchanter]

Yep I would agree with the social people. There's a huge difference between being in a silent except for Incoming messages type group and one where there's casual banter about literally anything.

Try forming your own group and going to out of the way zones like CT or kaesora. Enjoy your first trip to 60 because you'll never view the leveling process the same again once you get there. On my cleric (my first toon) I would be willing to take any group invite to any dungeon just for the sake of game. All of my alts following that either used a bit of chardok help, PL'd to 20ish , or focused on leveling as efficiently as possible.

Maybe consider if you really enjoy the class you're playing. Personally I was a cleric main for a long long time but one day i rolled an enchanter alt and realized i dont love playing a cleric after all. Consider what you value as far as soloability, group potential, and shit even aesthetics/lore. Do you find it fun to think of your character an powerful witch rotting away unsuspecting victims, or an armorclad hulk bashing faces, or an old wizard who has mastered teleportation rather than be carried by the winds like pesky druids.

My warrior felt sluggish to level because my personal game values dont align with warrior (I like to solo, I'm not a huge fan of melee'rs, etc) but when I leveled my necromancer I didnt feel the same sluggishness because it appeals to me by being a solid solo class and aesthetically and lore wise I love the feel I get from playing the necro.

Just some things to consider. Rambled them out while bored at work

[Gozuk]

Don't look so far ahead just enjoy playing the game when you get the free time man. Maybe even roll your first alt for times when playing your main seems to grindy

[Topgunben]

First I want to start off saying that I’m as nostalgic about the original classic live experience of the 99-early 2000s EQ as most of you. I even kept with it on and off throughout my teen years into early adulthood ultimately giving up around House of Thule expansion. However I am having the hardest time enjoying “the grind” as you call it this time around. My main is a level 38 stuck in a sluggish race to that level 60 finish line. So much so that I’ve not logged in a couple months and I just snoop around living vicariously through these forums. My question in simple is, how do most of you get motivation to keep going, especially at those hell levels. Most here have three, four, five level 60s and I’m sitting here dreading just getting the hell out of lower guk lol. Are there any special zones you go to when you’re feeling like you need something different. Really this is not meant to be condescending I would like to enjoy playing eq again


This may come as a complete surprise to you, but near 85% of the server is autitstic. Which means 16 hours a day staring at a screen waiting for pixels to appear. Do not compare the lack of level 60s you have to the autists. They are in a league of their own.

It took me 2 years to get to 55 on my iksar necro. Honestly I thought I was moving pretty fast given the time I played.

BTW. What class are you?

[madgarin]

As others have stated its all about finding your niche. I don't have a regular enough schedule to dedicate to raiding so I found something else to keep me busy. I am making my Lizard necro loved by all cities and factions in the old world (except those 2 in kelethin who will never love me). It's kept me busy and I've gotten to lv 57 along the way by accident. It's the journey that drives us, not the destination. The only way to win is not to play.

[Tethler]

I've found that setting smaller more achievable goals keeps me going. Looking forward to that next set of spells, camping a particular drop that I want, or saving enough money to buy an upgrade I've had my eye on.

[zodium]

First I want to start off saying that I’m as nostalgic about the original classic live experience of the 99-early 2000s EQ as most of you. I even kept with it on and off throughout my teen years into early adulthood ultimately giving up around House of Thule expansion. However I am having the hardest time enjoying “the grind” as you call it this time around. My main is a level 38 stuck in a sluggish race to that level 60 finish line. So much so that I’ve not logged in a couple months and I just snoop around living vicariously through these forums. My question in simple is, how do most of you get motivation to keep going, especially at those hell levels. Most here have three, four, five level 60s and I’m sitting here dreading just getting the hell out of lower guk lol. Are there any special zones you go to when you’re feeling like you need something different. Really this is not meant to be condescending I would like to enjoy playing eq again

I have exactly one level 60 Druid, a class picked in part of ease of leveling, and I will never make an alt because the thought of leveling or gearing one makes me nauseous. Chill out and do your thing friend, it's not a job. :o

[Swish2]

Have session targets.

10% into a hell level? Try and get to a certain point before you log out :)

I treat lower level hell levels like 50% in is a real "normal" level. I know that's delusional, but it works ^^

[Arkanjil]

Yeah, making friends with people and taking part in the social aspect is what keeps me going here. I have countless alts at all levels to play with people and shoot the breeze. It makes the journey better and I always love grouping and going to uncommon areas and using uncommon comps while leveling.

[tsuchang]

Often I do the self made quests.
I took my iksar necro into the warrens to get faction for Paineel. That took 3 or 4 days to grind out. Now I have a nice place to sell and bank.
Grind the skelly guards in Paineel to get the P for tinker bags for my monk.
Destroy my bard faction by going on the 6 minute bard diet with said necro.
There are lots of personal quests you can gin up for yer self.

[Jlpstrtkng]

Topgun lol I was trying to NOT be condescending but yes I probably devote way less time to this than most here it was more about enjoying the time I do spend on here as it’s been pretty boring but you all had great suggestions. I’ve been working on the robe of the lost circle quest for months and am just two drops away from completing that so that’s a goal aside from just leveling. On a side note, anybody know of any guilds that will have me, a 38 monk for not so serious playing? I work a lot and to say im a casual player would be an understatement but I’m easy going no drama and enjoy grouping occasionally.

[Nexii]

Topgun lol I was trying to NOT be condescending but yes I probably devote way less time to this than most here it was more about enjoying the time I do spend on here as it’s been pretty boring but you all had great suggestions. I’ve been working on the robe of the lost circle quest for months and am just two drops away from completing that so that’s a goal aside from just leveling. On a side note, anybody know of any guilds that will have me, a 38 monk for not so serious playing? I work a lot and to say im a casual player would be an understatement but I’m easy going no drama and enjoy grouping occasionally.

If you're casually levelling your best bet is either Kittens or TSS

[maskedmelonpai]

i would suggest that if you not having fun with it, you should do something else. you can try to make it fun by rolling alts or rp, or just get chatty with people, but if you don't enjoy casual social interactions or get any sorta umpf from accomplishments, then ought to do something that you do enjoy :3

[meanhappyguy]

I can definitely relate to the OP, as I stayed guildless pretty much until I hit 60. I also leveled a monk and stalled out at 40 for the better part of a year (until I found a sweet spot!). I have also taken several 6+ month breaks over the course of my time playing on p99, when my motivation wanes, or real life takes over.

This is one part of the p99 server that I love--it is free! So I'm not stressed about taking breaks or billing, etc.

One thing that I have found in playing this game on and off for the last 19 years is that I really do enjoy it the most when I am playing it a lot, which can get dangerous! I've tinkered with the idea of playing it for a few hours a week, and for some reason that idea is not fun for me. I have the most fun when I make new friends grinding in the same places, and having similar play times. Unfortunately, I often play a bunch during breaks from work (teacher), but then take big breaks from eq when work gets busy, often losing touch with those eq pals I have been playing with.

It is hard to replicate the magic of 99-01, and I've logged into EQ only to log right back off more times than I can count. But for the past five years, the eq bug has always eventually bitten me again, and now I just accept that I'll binge EQ for a bit during a break, then be happy to take a break when RL is the priority.