Was there a game that got you ready for EverQuest back in 1999-2001?
 

For me: Tribes RPG.

https://tribesrpg.org/

I played Tribes, the team-based FPS, and fuggin loved it as a kid. Disc Launcher OP. Shazbot!, etc.

But then I saw this mod for Tribes RPG. You WHAT mate? First person RPG? Playing with others on the same server? Sign my 12 year old self up. The graphics were awful. The gameplay was terrible. But there were quests, monsters, and a character progression system.

When Iksars finally made it to EQ (my friend showed me the box art for Ruins of Kunark) I migrated to EQ - and haven't looked back since.

But if it wasn't for Tribes RPG wetting my whistle, and showing me what was possible with RPG games - I would probably not have had the itch to play EQ.

What game was it for you?

anytime someone mentions it, i shall repost this.




https://playt1.com/ <----

didn't play on the rpg servers tho

edit:

to the actual question, not much i only heard about EQ because it literally took over the small gaming shop i played magic at, i bought ultima 9 a couple months prior to EQ coming out strictly off the box art from it sitting on the shelf and the only MUD experience i had prior was like 20 minutes of playing around with LORD inbetween downloading wolfenstein/doom mods from a bbs a couple years prior

and DnD proper i guess, was playing that there so that prepared me the most i'd say for systems and stats and fantasy cliche stuff, like i already knew what a half elf was n shit

Tabletop DnD, King's Quest Mask of Eternity, Soul Reaver, Prince of Persia, Aladdin, Starwars on SNES, Warhammer fantasy tabletop, Warcraft I and II

Yeah Tribes for sure and also this online mech warrior type of game called Starsiege. Also Command and Conquer. Damn i loved that game....

Same but Empire on Snes was the GOAT! :D

Diablo 1 for sure. First game I can recall doing a lan party with. Dying and losing all your crap and having to corpse cannon back to pick it all up. Losing your ring of Jordan and having it rot before you could get it back. Fun stuff.

Warcraft
Warhammer (Table top)
and somehow Shining Force on Sega Genesis

Good stuff.

Friend showed me Quest for Glory 4 and I was pretty much done for.

I remember thinking someone wanting to play Ultima Online instead of going to a birthday party was insane.