Evercrack

[Anaeka]

Okay, so it seems that Everquest will finall come to the mac next year. So I was wondering, just how many of you are going to leave CL and go play this? Or will you pay for both? Do you think that DT is going to have some serious time trying to stay alive with this competition?

[Konoko]

Since the mac everquest people won't be able to play with the windows everquest people, this is kind of a drawback. I know a number of people that play everquest for windows but even when it comes to the Mac, I guess I won't be able to play with them.

On the plus side though, I would think since we're getting our own servers for just Mac users, then there are benefits there as well:
- all start out on even footing
- no super characters beating up on all the newbies

I'm thinking I'll definitely try out everquest and maybe even pay for both for a while, but I'm thinking I'll be keeping my CL account. I'll have to see what everquest is like. I'm sure I'll get right into it though :)

Of course where will I find the time to play it is another question! If there aren't anything like library ranks there then poor me will be sitting there with very little experience... :)

Konoko

[Kiriel]

Everquest is the reason I play CL today. My hubby used to be a huge Everquest addict, and I figured if he enjoyed it so much I should try a game like it on the Mac. So I tried ClanLord and the rest is history. He doesn't play Everquest anymore, but he did for a long time.

Personally I don't really think I'd want to play Everquest, but I may play it a bit just to try it out. Clan Lord has some special things that no other online RPG has, and although I'd like to see a bit more in the magic and items arena, and a little less frustration on things like quests, I still think I'd prefer CL to the alternatives. Since it sounds like Mac users playing EQ will be segregated from the PC users, I don't think it'll have quite the attraction of cross platform games like Lineage and Shadowbane and NWN.

I think CL will always have a small group of dedicated folks, but we may see less new folks showing up, and a few established folks going away with every new alternative that comes out for the Mac. At some point DT may have to focus on being a little more competitive with the alternatives out there, but there are always going to be folks who prefer the smaller community and friendlier aspect of CL.

[Delirium]

I've never tried everquest.

I did try Lineage in the public beta period. It was kinda fun, but I just couldn't see making the same long-term commitment to the game, mainly because the players, as a group, were not as nice. Some individual players were nice - I'm sure there are at least as many nice Lineage players as CL players. However, there are an order of magnitude more Linage players, and there are many many more not so nice types.

Lineage made me really appreciate the karma and court system in CL.

-Delirium

[Anaeka]

I personally didn't like Lineage, quite frankly, I thought it sucked and I couldn't play it for a very long time. I'm probably going to try Everquest but I will most likely as well stick with CL, there's more to a game like that than just flashy graphics and such. CL has a very close knit community which is probably why I'll stick around.

[Sargon]

I most likely will give Everquest a try, although I don't think I will play it on a regular basis. (_if_ it comes to the Mac, hehe :)

The fact that Mac users would have their own server more sounds like an advantage than a disadvantage to me. Not really because everyone would start at the same level (which is only true for the 'first wave' anyway) but more because I think Mac users more tend to behave like grown-ups. (I know I'm not a good example :)

/ponder I wonder whether it will be PK or the sluggish game-play which will stop me from playing it :)

Sargon

[Kiriel]

Well if it's like the PC version, there will be a fairly good separation between PK and non-PK folk. EQ has never had a real problem with that I believe.

Although I agree that Mac only servers has some advantages, people who have existing EQ chars who might be thinking about switching to the Mac wouldn't find that good, and there is a certain attraction to being able to play with your PC using friends.

[Nunul]

From what I can gather from my limited knowledge of EQ,
Maybe once the Mac users get a firm footing...(will the mac releases perhaps be different scenarios?)...that a year or two down the line, crossplatforming may be implemented.

Theres lots of talk about how to bring PC people into CL.
Maybe the EQ people saw the disadvantages to bringing in a slew of newlings (from a different platform no less) amongst veterans.

If I had my druthers (don't even ask why I quote from musicals), in CL when the PC slew is brought in, I would start them off completely away from the mac groups. Maybe even on a different server at first so they would not mingle too soon. A year or two down the line I would have a massive WWE that reshapes the world and brings the two groups together. JMHO.


Dorf News: HWC just (after the home equity loan went thru <G>) recieved his new Sony 21"/.24dp Monitor and his Radeon 8500.
I am primed and ready to tackle whatever graphics are thrown (or purchased by) at me.

NWN...bah!

Shadowbane?...BAH!

Giddyup! :cool:




(bacon)

[Konoko]

Congrats Nunul! You'll be ready for anything now! :)

[Himitsu]

Originally posted by Nunul
If I had my druthers (don't even ask why I quote from musicals), in CL when the PC slew is brought in, I would start them off completely away from the mac groups. Maybe even on a different server at first so they would not mingle too soon. A year or two down the line I would have a massive WWE that reshapes the world and brings the two groups together. JMHO.

I didn't think about this but wouldn't the newbies benefit from the experience that the older folks have? Plus, how would mystics get promoted if the new server doesn't have any full mystics to do the promoting? I just don't see any benefits from the PC users being in their own version of Clan Lord so maybe you can explain it to me/us?

[Nunul]

Originally posted by Himitsu
wouldn't the newbies benefit from the experience that the older folks have?

I view it like boot camp. There is something to be said for the bonding that happens when peers experience the same growing pains together. Adversity builds character. Take the ripture wars for instance. Would it have been More Fun or Less Fun if those first exiles had guides?
I believe it would have deflated the experience.
I view CL as an adventure game...if you take out the veteran's experience, you highten the adventure for the new players.

Uncharted territory is always a bonus too.

Originally posted by Himitsu
Plus, how would mystics get promoted if the new server doesn't have any full mystics to do the promoting?

Thats a sore spot.
Himitsu, have you given much thought how the first mystics appeared? Did they have to accomplish the same feats as their decendants? Did they "discover" mysticism? or were they given their powers by a supreme being just to get the ball rolling?

Originally posted by Himitsu
I just don't see any benefits from the PC users being in their own version of Clan Lord so maybe you can explain it to me/us?

They would be on their own at first. Personally I see this as a benefit To Them. I am looking at it from both sides.
The journey is the fun part...its even funner without a map.

(bacon)

[Corwin]

With Neverwinter Nights and Shadowbane going live by year's end, I doubt that EQ will be able to draw much of a crowd from the Mac faithful.

Corwin
Pessimistic ex-Clown

[Nunul]

What depresses me about Shadowbane is reading the various SB scrolls and seeing how long people have been in beta.
How much will be new and fresh when it goes live? By now, cliques have already developed and I anticipate it as someone elses world I will be entering.

Jealousy you ask? You betcha. :mad:

I really hope that the "world" will be completely re-laid out so they don't have the beta people rank whoring and building castles before we newlings get a hang on the game mechanics. :rolleyes:

Is SB indeed to be released by year's end? I was under the impression that they wouldnt even hint at a release date until they were all-but finished with it.

[Himitsu]

Originally posted by Nunul
Thats a sore spot.
Himitsu, have you given much thought how the first mystics appeared? Did they have to accomplish the same feats as their decendants? Did they "discover" mysticism? or were they given their powers by a supreme being just to get the ball rolling?


This is what I've gathered from what I've seen and read and I have no idea if it's a secret or not so I hope I don't get in trouble by anyone. I have no idea if I'm right because I wasn't around back then so don't go around repeating this as the absolute truth.

Before the war, mystics became mystics by solving puzzles and they got automatically promoted when they solved enough puzzles. I've heard something about the seller of sunstones being involved with mystics so I think he was the one that promoted mystics when they solved enough puzzles. Then things got changed so that mystics promoted other mystics I think after the war. So all of those that were Mystics before the war got sort-of grandfathered into becoming mystics after the war. I'm not too sure about that and it could just have been that once there were enough mystics, the system changed but no one got a free ride to become a mystic. As I said, I don't know. This could happen with the new server in that an NPC promotes mystics and then when the two worlds merged everyone comes over with their mystic status kept and then they follow our mystic rules of being promoted.

Then again, I don't know anything about how it used to be back then or possibly when to keep my mouth shut. [:D]

[Himitsu]

From what I've read Neverwinter Nights is more of an engine and editor to create scenarios that you can play for either one night or a couple of sessions. So it's not really a MMORPG like Clan Lord is in that it doesn't have a sustainable world that everyone can participate in. I could be wrong but that's what I've read on the official site. So unless you can get involved with a group that can make your own scenarios or use someone else's scenario, there isn't a big draw for many Clan Lord players I think.

I agree with Nunul about Shadowbane already having groups and clans and friends. I'd be a stranger there if I decided to play although it does seem like there'd be a lot to do. It's just hard being the new kid in town.

I keep on getting free trial password offers about Everquest but I don't have a PC so I've never tried it. I like trying new software whenever one comes out so I'll probably give it a try especially if there's a free demo.

However, if I do play any other online game I'd never leave Clan Lord. For one thing, I want to get promoted to Journeyman Mystic and eventually Full Mystic. I want to get full pathfinding training. I want someone to tell me, as we're going through a tough place, to turn to me and say "I'm glad we brought you along for your mystic skills." I want there to be a time when halflings have eyes and a mouth instead of a giant blank face and sleeves will be nice too. I want Eyes of Puddleby to an affiliation where more than 20 people can be members and the requirements to enter aren't so rough.

Sure, the other games have more features but I and I'm sure many of the others in this clan have many goals in Clan Lord and hopefully won't be leaving for good. Plus, I'd miss you all!

[TerraHawk]

Everquest never interested me (I was poor at the time and couldn't afford the monthly fee, and by the time I could, it had passed me by).

NWN is kinda like Diablo, but with more features. There's the single player game, and then there's the Multiplayer game (same game, just on servers), and then there's the "Create your own scenario using the scenario editor" multiplayer game. There are a few central servers, but also servers on other people's computers.

Just waiting for prices from a friend of mine so I can upgrade my PC with a new Motherboard and Processor so ic an play NWN properly :-).

Never heard of ShadowBane.

TH.