When did Everquest start to really decline in quality of experience?

[Forsh]

I played from 2000-2007 and I loved it so much I literally wrapped my life around my play. Raid nights with my guild were as important on my schedule as waking up and going to work or eating.

I left EverCrack during the Gates of Discord expansion because my career required all of my extra time but I didn't want to leave, I still had that addiction to log in and grind and make raids and so forth. As of this past year I've had all of my free time available where I could dedicate 24 hours a day if I wanted to into an MMORPG. I downloaded the free EverQuest install and logged in....I couldn't even get through the introductory quest because everything was so terrible. The interface was terrible, the quest itself was terrible, the "missions" and options looked like a low budget version of what World of Warcraft has....I just couldn't....it was so terrible and not even close to what EverCrack was.

My first experience in original EQ was logging in and being scared out of mind when an Orc Pawn started to own me while I was killing bats. He snuck up right behind me and I could never get away from him, he never stopped chasing me....I freaked out....and hooked from that point on....the game was exciting....it was fun being forced to make my way in the world with other people.

No matter how much excitement and passion I had ths year to devote my life to playing again it was impossible for me, this new EverQuest made me sick to my stomach. When did this game get so bad?