But I do wish the Kunark experience could have lasted a bit longer for a new/returning player like myself. The quality of Timorous Deep exceeds any other MMO experience for me yet so why stop there? There was obviously a group or team or quality designers at work here. Yeah I’m moping and borderline whining but couldn’t it have continued? The old world is simply lack luster (Old world meaning Enchanted Lands, not the EoF stuff) and reminds me why I used to stop playing EQ2 or why some people would never be interested in EQ2 to begin with. Sure it’s nice and these days you will spend less time in the old world than the new but let’s face it… late 20’s to late 30’s sucks. I can’t wait to get out of EL/Zek and in to Steamfont. From there I am seriously tempted to grind until I can go to Sinking Sands or Lesser Fay.
So really now, why include the 1-20 experience at all then? Some players think it is a cruel attempt to entice new or returning players. I agree. Some players think it simply looks good on paper to say that Kunark can accommodate a level 1. I agree. But I don’t think it was a waste (for the reasons I originally stated). All of this does however raise a few questions: If you don’t like Gorowyn itself for what it is then why would you ever lay down roots there? Also, what makes Sarnak so evil? I give Gorowyn credit for the bird to BB docks but I really don’t see it being much more convenient than Neriak which has instant teleportation right to the docks of TS or Nek. I’m also not convinced why the Sarnak are evil. There really was no evil doing in my 1-20 quests aside from trying to massacre an already tainted tribe of aviaks. I was an honorable newbie.
It’s an interesting fact that had I not been able to create a Sarnak and enjoy a Sarnak newbie experience then I would have likely never resubbed. Score one for the EQ2 marketing team. I also have a reason to keep playing now so that I can return to Kunark at level 65-80 and enjoy what is hopefully an equally fantastic experience. Score two for EQ2 marketing team.
I’m now level 34 and making my way back to Kunark. That’s my goal and I do not want to fall short of it. But dang if I’m not disappointed that I have to endure some crap on the way.
Just keep grinding those levels because the rest of Kunark is at least as good as Timorous Deep!
And until then the EoF should keep you occupied stuff that is almost as good.
Cheers,
Ikke
I’m in Steamfont now Keen and its a blast! I absolutely love the clockwork littering the landscape and the place that you grab most of the quests (I wont’t give the name away in case you haven’t been there yet). Think the quests start here at level 35, so you could be here sooner than you think.
Yeah, that’s a laugh out loud moment to be sure. Interestingly, Ryan Schwayder over on Nerfbat has a new article about that kind of humor in games.
I resubbed to EQ2 with the addition of the Sarnaks and Kunark as well. I’ve enjoyed my Sarnak Necro through all his 23 levels so far, but I have to agree that I’m not sold on the “Sarnaks are evil” concept.
From what I can gather, they are lost and confused about where they come from and the bird wars only started after they invaded first. The way the quest lines play out in TD seem to paint the Sarnaks as innocent bystanders that were left alone for the most part until these evil birdmen encroached on their lands.
Another thing that was a bit overwhelming after coming back from a 2 year hiatus was the vast difference in questing from TD to Butcherblock.
In TD, the quests all seemed to be located near each other and you could reasonably complete large chuncks of quests at a time…all the while being funnelled forward in progression.
In Butcherblock, the starting area you are dropped off in only has a few quests (although more can be found at the docks nearby) and they don’t progress you forward in the zone. There are far too many random questgivers placed in weird places in the zone. Also, as I am a completionist at heart, I was a little disheartened at the fact that I had to make a mad dash across the zone to grab all of the level 20 quests while I still get AA credit for them.