Greetings L2 Community,
I played beta and 6-months in release, quit for six moths, returned for six months, quit for 2-years, and here I be again. I've been watching the development of the game and I wanted to check out the new content.
To give you context, I began playing MMO's in Sept. 97', the day UO was released. I love PvP, but I hate the sale of virtual property for rl money and third party leveling services more than I love PvP.
However, I happen to love Lineage ][. While I would have preferred a server option with no karma system at all, I find the clan and siege mechanics of the game to rock.
I Tri-Box, without the use of any programs, of course. In fact, stupid as I am, I didn't even begin using the macro's to help me save time buffing until just before I last quit. My mains are only level 56 characters, a Prophet, Bounty Hunter and Warsmith. I figured with that configuration I'd be as self sufficient as is possible in this game, and participate in PvP using my Prophet and Warsmith, although I don't need to tell you guys what's become of Dwarves in PvP.
Enough about me. Few things about you and the game.
I play on Sieghardt. From these boards, one would think it's dead, but sure doesn't feel that way to me. The community, "you guys" are awesome. Perhaps playing a while in L2 does one or two things, maybe both, drives you nuts, and/or makes you a better gamer. The people on Siegehardt have been incredibly helpful with all my newbie questions and the like.
You all have been busy. I can't believe the levels I see. Actually on that note, I don't see levels, but can tell. Is there a way to see levels? I think not, actually I seem to recall that being one of the mechanics of the game I liked. The average level far exceeds my own, and the gear people have make me feel like I just rolled a level 1. Fortunately, my experience in game isn't effected by what others have attained.
The prices for stuff in the game is just insane. I see things for sale costing 10's or 100's of million of Adena. Like I said, I have three characters on three accounts at level 56 and my total adena is maybe 1.5 million, with only one character with a B weapon a few pieces of B gear.
I read many posts about the farmers, but you know, it's like blaming the drug dealers for the problems of addiction; not an entirely true picture. We all know there would be no Adena farmers, if no legitimate players bought Adena from them. In the end, we have ourselves to blame for the current economy and farmer/bots. The real source of the problem is not with the game developer, or even the farmers. The real source of the problem, no matter what the game, is the players. We buy the stuff, so we need to just accept responsibility for what we do to the MMO's we play in.
All we can do is our part, which is why I personally don't support it, even if I lack the ability to fairly compete. I'd rather lose a fight with a character leveled and played legitimately, than win one with third party help.
Any way, this post certainly isn't intended as a lecture. You guys know all of this stuff as well, if not better than I do, just needed to vent some of it.
Thank you all for sticking it out in the game. It's a tough game, but an extremely cool one. NCsoft is making a terrible mistake not offering this "Call of Arms" event to all players that have subscribed, and left in good standing.
The landscape of MMO games today sucks, to be honest. There is certainly very few PvP-Centric games, and many many gamers are just waiting for Warhammer; and really, like every MMO, no one really knows how that will be; just hope.
This is a golden opportunity for NCsoft to try to entice the old timers like me, back. I paid to return, and have have no gripes, but few of the old players will do that. They need to experience the game as it is today first, before making that leap.
Thanks for reading, and for keeping the community together.
It's great to be back.
Regards -Bambam
Sieghardt