Egh, yeah I haaate the raid dependency 'end game' that a lot of MMOs constitute as being necessary... It's bad enough just getting 20 or 40 people to be in one place within 2 hours of the start time. Argh the memories!!! :angry: :blink:
I love to solo, but am more of a group junky. I primarily play healer classes (Priest in WoW, Warden in EQ2 (and Ranger and Warlock mains hehe), Druid in DAoC (least I think that's it, was a long time ago), same in Ryzom etc. So I am very much used to finding groups, though often not hard to do. I love the challenge of healing.
That being said, I think WoW and EQ2 both did healing well, in different ways.
As stated with WoW, you can 'spec' your healer to do damage. This I didn't do, 'coz if I want to solo in WoW, I play my Hunter.
In EQ2, there are four different Healer classes; from Templar (no solo ability) to Fury (semi-Mage). This is different from WoW in that you can't respec to change your play style, but I like it in the sense it gives you the option of being a true group healer god, or to heal when needed and solo when required.
I think the dual class system of HJ will kill all these comparisons though. It's the ultimate choice. It's more akin to Saga of Ryzom that anything. You use what skill type you like, and level it as you use it. You and the Mage can literally swap places if you've both got high enough skills. But the HJ system even tops this in my opinion, as you have to make a choice as to what you want to role-play, but you're given a LOT of choice. With a system like Ryzom's, you're never really unique. With HJ, you certainly could be.
For the record, I'm waiting on the HJ Healer info to be released, but I'll either be going Healer/Cleric or Healer/Ranger or such a 'Druidic' combo. Time will tell of course.
Customisation... If it happens that I am at 'max' level, meet a stranger who is also at 'max' level, check out their gear and see an item or three that I have never seen before that make me go "Oh my god that's beaaautiful!', well I will know I'm in a game that has 1000x the customisation of any decent MMO out to date.
It's the one thing I totally HATE about WoW - "Can we go do Instance X over and over? I need to get Sword#2521 that he drops". Static loot drops are the evilest of evils imo.
EQ2 is somewhat different in that there's a random loot drop system, to a degree, but the items are all still static - what drops is what you get, no customisation.
The Simugods have spoken about the customisation they're planning, growing our equipment with us etc. I just pray that this is a fully realised goal and not one of those things that gets constrained due to time/difficulties etc.
Plainly put, if Simutronics can bring the thrill of the true RPGs (Arcanum, Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale etc) into MMOs (which is laughable that no one has done this effectively yet really) while integrating the MMO aspects, they are going to have the hugest success on their hands.
Purely because I think MMO players are sick of being handed cookie-cutter characters.
Rock on Simugods. Rock on.
(Yay for obscenely long posts!! My new computer is being couriered today, so I am just going nuts trying to waste time! :blink: )