So I'm torn between starting up EQ2 and Vanguard, convince me yours is better. :-)

I want good community, casual RP, good PvE without 8 hour raids, grouping more than solo focus, great graphics.

Well, let us see (I have a station account and play both). EQ2 do have better community than any other games I been playing.

EQ2 do have a lot of content and tons of huge dungeons. The solo content is not as good, it is clear that you need to group to get the most of the game.

EQ2 have a lot more character sustomization than Vanguard, VG have only 3 choices for hair where 1 is bald, EQ2 have a lot.

More gear in EQ2. More players also.

The crafting is about as fun in both the games. I think Eq2 have a little better class balance.

EQ2 have more races to choice from, like Faes and lizards.

On the bad side does EQ2 have zooning. And Vanguards weather effects are a lot better if you have XP, on Vista they don't even work. EQ2 only have weather effects in some zones.

Vanguard also scores a point because EQ2s level have increased a lot making you miss a lot of the original gameplay since you runs past it very quick.

I don't mind zoning much, it lets me make sure the dogs have water or get some myself. Low level forgiveness is good cause I reroll a lot, can never decide what I want to play.

Loke pretty much wrapped it up. I will say that I personally feel that the graphics in EQ2 mesh together a bit better than Vguards. I think they are both great games and I was actually in the same boat you are about a month ago...i couldnt decide if i wanted to go back to EQ2 or Vguard and honestly i got the 14 day trial to both and tried them out. I would suggest you do the same. My vote is EQ2 after talking to both playerbases about endgame and realizing i didnt think Vguards endgame sounded like it was for me. I chose EQ2 for its helpful community and awesome class selection. Not to mention its got a bit more of a solid future than Vguard. Dont get me wrong i love Vguard but I think somewhere along the way both games stumbled and broke its foot and it just hasnt quite recovered as well as EQ2 did.

I agree with Sortis.

Try the trials for both games and decide for yourself which one you like.

Now I admit I am biased. I have both games installed and have station pass so I can play both and I do. How ever when I play Vanguard, I can only last an hour or so playing. I really hate the look ov the characters. To me they look like they don't belong, or they were after thought and that turns me off. The game world is beautiful and fun to play at least for short bits for me.

I love EQ2. I like the look of the world, my characters feel like the belong there. There is tons of content. You can level as fast or as slow as you want (Want to take your time, diasble combat and quest xp). You have more class choices, and with alternate achivement make them unique.

That is my thought on the subject anyways.

Good luck in oyur decission.

You can turn of exp? That's pretty cool, cause I really want to experience the game along the way (like one of the recent articles on this site addressed).

Originally posted by Loke666

EQ2 do have a lot of content and tons of huge dungeons. The solo content is not as good, it is clear that you need to group to get the most of the game.

Huh? I think you mean Vanguard because I rarely ever group in EQ2 and have never had a problem. Yes, there are certain quests that I miss because of this but its not the end of the world.

Originally posted by daeath

You can turn of exp? That's pretty cool, cause I really want to experience the game along the way (like one of the recent articles on this site addressed).

You can do this in both EQ2 and Vanguard.

Here are some of the points that come to mind when I compare the two games.  These are my opinions having played both games quite a bit.

EQ 2 offers a couple really nice things

1. You can mentor - this lets a higher level person group with a lower level person and drop down to their level.  The lower level person gets a booxt in xp and the higher level person gets a shot at lower level quests and content they missed and gives them AA xp.

2. EQ2 housing is really nice with probably 1000s of items and evenyone has one from lvl 10 or so.  Guild housing is amazing.

3. EQ2 is very polished and some of the UI elements are outstanding.

4. EQ2 has more of those small details that come from maturity.  Things like housing having lots of useful items like mailboxes, ports to various areas, ports to guild halls, etc. 

5. End game raiding is more casual in my opinion.  This is kinda lopsided however I have not raided in VG due mostly from being unable to get into a raiding guild.  I'm a casual player.

VG also has some nice features

1. A fuller game in terms of things to do.  Crafting and Diplomacy are not little side things but like full games in their own rights.

2. VG crafting is extremely deep and involved.

3. VG combat is better developed and more varied between classes.

4. VG classes are more diverse with more uniqueness.

5. VG world is amazing, the feeling of being in an open world with flying mounts and many many dungeons is hard to express but it is a very good feeling.

Originally posted by Otiro

How ever when I play Vanguard, I can only last an hour or so playing. I really hate the look ov the characters. To me they look like they don't belong, or they were after thought and that turns me off. The game world is beautiful and fun to play at least for short bits for me.

I love EQ2. I like the look of the world, my characters feel like the belong there.

As to the issue of the character models, I think I remember a lot of discussion about the EQ2 character models when it first came out and whether they were as "realistic" as intended and whether they were any good at all.   Eventually, they added alternate models, and I'll have to admit that I like the alternates much more than the originals.  I doubt they'll ever take the time and effort to do that with VG, given how long it's taken them just to add an oompaloompa in game.

Well,I played both games,now I'm playing only Vanguard because:

1. I love open world with no zoning,it just feels like I'm really there and can get more into lore of the game(AOC had great lore until loading screen pops up every 2 min.)

2. I just love to craft and VG is number 1 in crafting (haven't played SWG,so don't flame plz) in my MMO history exp. You can build your ships witch you can accually navigate,you can build houses,not just buy one...you get my point..:)

3.Much easyer to find groups in lower lvl's now since VG feels like it's having another release atm(aldo without any marketing at all).

4. Flying mounts,land mounts(you can even dress up your mount :) )

5.In the end, VG is a very complex game.When you leave Isle of Dawn after trial you will feel like a total noob in the world. It has so many things to do that your head will spin. And EQ feels somehow familiar if your first MMO was WoW (I know WoW came out later..bla,bla..).

In the end,appologies for spelling. English is not my native language. Ty :)

Biggest difference is that EQ2 has a much larger development team, and the game is receiving the most love from SOE in terms of resources, manpower, and expansions.  Of course EQ2 also has a much larger population than VG does.

Vanguard is a good game, but development is slow, content rolls out very slowly, has a lack of endgame content, and there are less players playing the game these days.  But if you don't mind small population, there's nothing wrong with playing VG.

Like people have suggested above, try both game's free trials and see which one feels right to you.