Greetings!
I played EQ1 from the launch of Kunark to a little after LDoN, but eventually quit. This was primarily due to the downwardly spiralling quality of the player base. The game I came into had a strong community spirit, people were polite and courteous and (gasp) many even roleplayed their character!. A few years on the "OMG U R GAY' and the 'You Suxxorx, I pwned U' crowd filtered in, then came the plat farmers, the gear/equip grinders and the 'botters'. So I quit.
After that i tried basically every mmorpg out there, SWG, Horizons, City of Heroes, EQ2 etc (I recently participated in the D&D Online Beta) and never found the spark of life i found in the early years of EQ, again this was always due to the player base, not the game (hell, with the right crowd, ill happily play a text RPG).
Then I found this website through a posting on MMORPG.com, I read your rules and got genuine "butterfiles' in my stomach. Im patching right now (whee, 8 hours to go, got to love S.O.E!).
Looking forward to meeting you all, and rediscovering a whole new EQ!
Happy Trails!
Tamalan
PS Please find below one of the last posts i made on one of my favourite EQ Ranger sites i used to frequent, Id like to think it sums up why i left EQ1 and the many other 'dumbed down' clones that followed.
The Thrill of the Hunt
The autumn sunlight darted through the shifting canopy, dappling the mossy ground. Flickers and twitches brought shadows to catch the eye and the air was thick and heavy with the ebb and flow of nature. Tamalan leant against the gnarled trunk of tree near the glade entrance, and grinned at the pleasure the forest brought to his heart. Removing his backpack and quiver, he began the final check before the days hunting began.
"Right, lets see...Rations.. Water.. 100 stacks of Silver Tip Arrows.....spare bowstrings.."
He examined his bow, handed down to him by his Elven grandfather Timeron, the wood worn by years of use, warm to a touch that knew every curve and knot of the seasoned wood. He smiled again to himself. The hustle and bustle of life can distract from time to time, but days like these made his heart sing.
A distant twig-snap far ahead made him start, his senses instantly searching for the source of the disturbance. Coming through the trees toward him ran a figure. Tamalan moved his head to try and get a better view, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"What in the name of Tunare..."
The running figure had a tail! as it came closer Tamalan's keen eyes could make out... scaled skin?
The figure suddenly burst through the bushes in front of the surprised ranger. Breathing hard, it fell to the ground at his feet.
Tamalan paused. He nudged the prone body with his foot. It didnt appear to be breathing, but showed only minimal signs of damage. Curious...
"Well what have we here? a lizard man? are you able to speak my friend, or has natures gift of life passed from your body?"
Incredibly, despite its death-like appearance, it spewed forth a stream of guttural syllables.
"***!! Im FD! *** R U? a Fking NooB? Gimp Ass Gar, OMG UR so GAY!! BTW.... TRAIN!!"
A torrent of creatures poured from the forest, engulfing Tamalan, vainly drawing his swords to defend himself. Alas it was all too much for the proud Ranger. His lifeless copse fell to the earth, his blood staining the emerald green of the mossy forest floor.
The lizard creature, opened a single eye and watched the creatures depart. It raised his head, and shouted to the forest.
"Want SoW. and Buffs. PLZ THX"
I played EQ1 from the launch of Kunark to a little after LDoN, but eventually quit. This was primarily due to the downwardly spiralling quality of the player base. The game I came into had a strong community spirit, people were polite and courteous and (gasp) many even roleplayed their character!. A few years on the "OMG U R GAY' and the 'You Suxxorx, I pwned U' crowd filtered in, then came the plat farmers, the gear/equip grinders and the 'botters'. So I quit.
After that i tried basically every mmorpg out there, SWG, Horizons, City of Heroes, EQ2 etc (I recently participated in the D&D Online Beta) and never found the spark of life i found in the early years of EQ, again this was always due to the player base, not the game (hell, with the right crowd, ill happily play a text RPG).
Then I found this website through a posting on MMORPG.com, I read your rules and got genuine "butterfiles' in my stomach. Im patching right now (whee, 8 hours to go, got to love S.O.E!).
Looking forward to meeting you all, and rediscovering a whole new EQ!
Happy Trails!
Tamalan
PS Please find below one of the last posts i made on one of my favourite EQ Ranger sites i used to frequent, Id like to think it sums up why i left EQ1 and the many other 'dumbed down' clones that followed.
The Thrill of the Hunt
The autumn sunlight darted through the shifting canopy, dappling the mossy ground. Flickers and twitches brought shadows to catch the eye and the air was thick and heavy with the ebb and flow of nature. Tamalan leant against the gnarled trunk of tree near the glade entrance, and grinned at the pleasure the forest brought to his heart. Removing his backpack and quiver, he began the final check before the days hunting began.
"Right, lets see...Rations.. Water.. 100 stacks of Silver Tip Arrows.....spare bowstrings.."
He examined his bow, handed down to him by his Elven grandfather Timeron, the wood worn by years of use, warm to a touch that knew every curve and knot of the seasoned wood. He smiled again to himself. The hustle and bustle of life can distract from time to time, but days like these made his heart sing.
A distant twig-snap far ahead made him start, his senses instantly searching for the source of the disturbance. Coming through the trees toward him ran a figure. Tamalan moved his head to try and get a better view, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"What in the name of Tunare..."
The running figure had a tail! as it came closer Tamalan's keen eyes could make out... scaled skin?
The figure suddenly burst through the bushes in front of the surprised ranger. Breathing hard, it fell to the ground at his feet.
Tamalan paused. He nudged the prone body with his foot. It didnt appear to be breathing, but showed only minimal signs of damage. Curious...
"Well what have we here? a lizard man? are you able to speak my friend, or has natures gift of life passed from your body?"
Incredibly, despite its death-like appearance, it spewed forth a stream of guttural syllables.
"***!! Im FD! *** R U? a Fking NooB? Gimp Ass Gar, OMG UR so GAY!! BTW.... TRAIN!!"
A torrent of creatures poured from the forest, engulfing Tamalan, vainly drawing his swords to defend himself. Alas it was all too much for the proud Ranger. His lifeless copse fell to the earth, his blood staining the emerald green of the mossy forest floor.
The lizard creature, opened a single eye and watched the creatures depart. It raised his head, and shouted to the forest.
"Want SoW. and Buffs. PLZ THX"
