What makes us keep coming back to EQ?
June 17, 2008 by Morninglark
I recently started playing Everquest again. When my friends heard, several of them came back too. Suddenly, there was our old play group, hunting and questing just like we have for over nine years. There have been many improvements and changes to the game, but that is not what calls us back.
I started thinking, “What is it about this game that makes us want to play it?”
I asked my friends and other folks I grouped with. At first I got the usual responses. “There is lot’s of content.” “Lot’s of quests.” Etc.
While it is true, that Everquest has considerably more content and quests than any other game right now, I don’t think it’s why we go back. I think it is the community of EQ that makes it special. Something about EQ, encourages a closeness that no other game I have played can imitate. You need other players. You want to be with them for safety and camaraderie. The longevity of the game, has led to real friendships forming.
SoE added something called fellowships. A mini-guild of sorts, where nine people can chat, and port to one another. It’s a nice touch, but honestly most long time players formed their fellowships years ago. I know that we did. We had a core group of friends. We all laughed, made our own chat channels, grouped together, helped one another.
We had real life BBQ’s and events, we shared our births, deaths, marriages, and daily problems. This group of ‘on-line gaming friends’ became friends in real life. We live all around the world, but I am closer to most of them now, than any of my so called real-life friends.
So I guess, the reason I come back to EQ…is it’s like a comfortable old pair of jeans. It is one of my old friends.
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Well, I do think of you guys as my Norrathian family. It’s not the game so much as the fellowship, just as you’ve pointed out. I tend to play those games where I have friends or family playing. Hence, I will hang out with my brother in WoW or be logged into EVE with friends. It’s why I have logged into EQ and Vanguard. Sure, I’ve spent a lot of time alone in Vanguard, but I’m also kind of active in the Diplomacy channel. I’m still a far better diplomat than a Dread Knight, but the Dread Knight is coming up, slowly but surely.
You are indeed part of the Norrathian family! I think you will always be a better Shadowknight than a Dreadknight. (Much like I will always be a druid, and not a warden!)
We come back because of the friendships that we created many moons ago and the things that we have shared. I know most of the people I have met in EQ have influenced my life in a good way for the most part and its nice to know there are people out there who don’t care how dorky I am, but rather love me for it. =)
I love the social aspect and the fact that meeting new people and making new friends is encouraged in EQ, whereas in a lot of games…its not so encouraged. Just my sleepy 2cps. *huggles*
Jazzy you are so right! (and welcome to my site)
I have many games that I love, but none of them ever gave me the sense of community that the original Everquest did.