The Dangling Carrot

What Keeps Us Coming Back for More

By: Savanja

In my years of MMO gaming, I’ve found an interesting thing; there are an awful lot of people who become loyal to their
chosen game. And come hell or high water, they will stick with it!

This, of course, isn’t always true. Apparently you can drive off an entire playerbase if you
really try, ala SWG. But that
takes true talent.

I’ve been playing Everquest II since pre-launch. Through all the many live updates, changes, and class and zone revamps,
I soldiered through. In fact, the game that I play now is quite a bit different than the game that I played during beta. But not once
did I consider not playing.

I have seen a lot of friends go. And I’ve seen some come back. Yet still there are many,
like myself, that continue to log in and play no matter what those tricksy
developers toss at us.

Why?

For the Love of the Game

Obviously, a reason people play is simply because they love the game. I’ve had a lot of people ask me that happen to play
that other game, how I could spend so much time playing EQ2?  Umm, well…because I love this game! 
If I didn't, I wouldn't play.  Duh!
The life and lore that resides within Norrath, is one that I can sink into. The graphics, to me, are stunning and beyond
compare with current MMO’s on the market. The gameplay, which has been changed, re-done, and smacked around, has become
comfortable and makes sense. The game is growing and learning and only getting better.
Several of my own friends that left the game shortly after launch, recently returned to give it another go.
Most were happily surprised that the game as grown into itself, and has become something that appeals to a wider market,
with the addition of things like the exchange and PvP servers.
No game is perfect, the most one can hope for is a game perfect for them. EQ2’s that for me right now.

There are still things I’d love to see changed. MMO’s are forever evolving games, and I see good things for the future of
Everquest II, and I want to be around for it!

New Lands to Conquer

Expansions are a huge reason why people keep playing. Adding content on a regular basis gives those of us who have hit
the level cap, new places to explore, and new goals to achieve. With the addition of new spells and combat abilities, the
alternate advancement system that benefits all level ranges, armor choices, and tradeskill goodies, the higher-level folks can
still log in and find something exciting and interesting.
And it is just as important to keep the lower level content fresh. I was very pleased with the Isle of Refuge zone revamp that
gave us more flavor and fun with clear Qeynos and Freeport themes.
The class changes made the 1-19 levels vastly more intriguing, giving the classes each their own feel, letting you
experience your chosen class from the beginning. This was a smart move and went a long way in encouraging early play. I can
roll a new toon and still be excited about it!

EQ2 also happens to have adventure packs, which I think we are just about due for one. These mini-expansion seem to target
the lower and mid levels, adding new zones, items, and mobs to give the wee ones something fresh to explore. 
And having these zones scale to level range makes it easy to cover a wide span
of players.

Yeah, Some of Us Are This Sappy

Characters that are created, nurtured, and get months or years invested into them, are very hard to let go. I become
personally attached to my main characters. And I’m one of those that will pay for a subscription just so my
favorite character
doesn’t get deleted, even if I don’t really play the game anymore. 

I have Satinka on Everquest I, that still exists, and
even though I don’t really play that game anymore, because I happen to love that character, I will log in occasionally and
run around, kill some stuff, log back out. It’s like character visitation! I know, I know. It’s clearly a sickness I have.
I am seeking treatment.

But there is a certain amount of motivation to log in to EQ2 just based on my love for my Monk. Every one of my characters
represents a small part of me; my main character represents a huge part. And while this certainly isn’t true for all, I do
believe a lot of people feel that attachment. Maybe not for the character itself, but perhaps for the time spent, the coin
and items earned. All that work that was done, it’s just hard to walk away from it.

For The Posse

I’m going to have to say that the community in which someone plays has a whole lot to do with why we keep logging in.
And may even be the biggest reason that a lot of us come back for more. The friends that we make when we play, those that
we play with regularly, our guilds, our server mates, etc., all the people that shape our gaming experience. When we find a group
of players that we happen to mesh with, logging in becomes one of those things that we always look forward to.

Quite honestly, I imagine that had I not found the Fishies (Guild: Aggro Fish) that I would have grown bored with the
game long ago. There are times that I am guilty of just logging in for a couple hours, with no intention to play, and I
just sit in Graystone Yard and chat with my guildies. And the nights of dungeon crawling, while listening to the drunken
Necromancer sing his commands to the group in Teamspeak, or giggling like mad to the stupidest of things (Mooo), this is all
good stuff. A family within a game that cannot be replaced or duplicated. These people will always keep me logging in.

With any game, one has to find search for their own dangling carrot. Not all games fit all people, and EQ2 isn’t the
“it” game for a lot of gamers.

But regardless of what game you choose, making it the best experience you can by surrounding yourself with fun and interesting
people, taking the time to explore the lands and getting to know the world in which you play, and choosing and learning a class
that suits you perfectly, it will all keep you hooked and so very willing to log in. 
And now, if you don't mind, I have some gaming to do!

See you all in Norrath!

Question?  Comments?  Declarations of adoration?  E-mail
me!