With the launch of Fippy Darkpaw the Everquest progression server I decided to try it out with some of my guild, a return to the days when many of us played together before the current guild was formed.
Stepping back into the original Norrath has been an eye opener so far, it’s amazing how much you forget. It’s great that I died 3 times early on as I forgot just how much more difficult than EQ2 it is in EQ for a starter character. Those pesky orc pawns saw that my High Elf Enchanter didn’t get too far from home the first few times I tried to stray far from home. I soon learned to run as you do outrun mobs pretty easily in EQ.
The graphics are dated sure, but I found myself not really noticing after a while, in fact the Dwarf model did make me wish I’d made a Dwarf in honour of my first ever EQ character many years ago. The interface is poor but I suppose at the time we didn’t notice, I couldn’t even remember how to get quests from NPC’s. It was funny having to type the right text in reply to an NPC’s line in order to be offered a quest.
I tried to run to Freeport the other night to have a look around and jumped on a boat from Butcherblock Mountains, only to find myself dropped into the sea at a dock in the Ocean of Tears. I stole a small boat and tried to row to Freeport only to crash to desktop and then on return be told you can’t zone in those small boats anyway. A few others players arrived after a while and as I stood on the dock my comment in /ooc of “Welcome to the Hotel California” drew a few laughs from the players in the zone. I then walked out into the sea to welcome my death, as death is the only return home method my character has at the moment.
I have enjoyed my nostalgia so far though I don’t think I’ll be playing beyond the first month. The reason’s for this are my EQ2 sub, upcoming Rift sub and the fact that with my other half at home on baby duty I can’t justify another sub for maybe 1 session a week.
It’s a shame but unless some rich sponsor arrives to fund my MMO travels or I decide not to stay long in Rift, I’ll be sticking to a max of 2 games at a time for the foreseeable future, well pay to play ones anyway.
I will enjoy the rest of my nostalgic month in Norrath v1 and if anyone spots a rather lost badly equipped enchanter named Yetian, say hi.
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