Remember when Everquest was EVERCRACK??? Everyone just had to have their daily fix of EQ, and then some. That was about 7 years ago for me. Well, after much time, and a few years of WoW, I am fondly remembering EQ.

That being said, the 9th anniversary EQ is coming out this month (April), and for 20 bucks you not only get the original game but EVERY expansion for it, including the new one. I mean, I realize it is old, but man, all expansions for 20 bucks, many of which I did not play, and I fondly remember playing EQ.

What do you guys think? I could use some tips from people who maybe felt this way and came back only to realize it was just hopeful thinking because of being hungry for a good game? Or have many of you returned and found it to be just as good and addicting as it was years ago? And maybe there are enough new players playing right now to make it a rocking time either way, hehe. I just don't want to risk thinking it would be great to come back and play only to be like in totally dead zones, leading to a totally bummer experience all alone and solo, or even worse, to realize I have a bad memory, lol. For maybe my fond memories have made me forget why I left in the first place, hehe. 

After a couple years of WoW, and quitting about a year ago, I have been seriously Jones-ing for daily fix, and most of the Beta's like for LotR and TR and others just couldn't get me to take the plunge, which is why EQ came back to mind, I guess.  Hope to hear from you guys, hehe. Otherwise, I guess I will just wait for Warhammer or Stargate, lol. 

PS Crap, I just noticed this is the suggestion topic, drat. Thought I was back in original threads for EQ, so maybe someone can move it for me, since I can't delete it and repost it. My fault, sorry. If not, hmm, Game Suggestions...hmm...how bout lowering the monthly price so the decision to come back wouldn't be so hard, lol. Hard to dish out $12.95 for such an old game, lol. Heck, do what Anarchy Online did: Let us play EQ for free, and set a monthly charge if you want to play the expansions, lol. How's that, hehe? Now this thread actually belongs in the Game Suggestions, lol.

I'm in your shoes all the way man.  I have never found a game that recaptures those golden years of everquest. 

They made a major change that you may have heard about with the addition of mercenaries.  Back in the day there was an unspoken respect for tanks and clerics, and assembling pick up groups was a great social experience with balancing classes, getting skilled players and so on.

Now a days everyone pretty much plays dps classes.  A merc can be hired from town, you pay him a bit of plat on a regular basis and he can be summoned with a new ui window at any time.  The merc is equivilant to an equal level player and is either a cleric or a warrior that usually is much more efficient then any player could be. 

So obviously in response, all the healers and tanks that enjoyed their roles quit eq.  The class distinctions that really were the core of eq are muddled, and groups of any two random classes with mercs can camp an area without any real skill or strategy.

Aside from this huge tarnish though, the servers are actually quite lively.  They've merged all their servers down to 4 to 1 ratios of what they were at the peak.  They have a new 51/50 server (start at level 51 with 50aas).  There's lots of great ideas that popped up over the years that are pretty unique to MMOs in general, like monster quests where you take control of a monster and do some random task (one lets you be a zombie and pillage the homes of halflings).  There are evolving weapons that you feed xp to grow.  There were some servers known as progressions servers that were a very neat idea; a new server was created that had no expansions enabled whatsoever.  Even The Hole was pre-vamped.  As each of the key raids were done, and leet armors forged by someone in the server, a new expansion was unlocked in chronological sequence.  Unfortuantly the server has already completed everything and is now a regular server again :(.

Anyway, its still a good game and it has a lot to offer, but it's much different then the eq we grew up in.  Times change, people change.

On a side note, keep an eye open for eqclassic.