Returned after many years to...Catskills Wasteland?

[Dorian Silver]

I decided to restart my account yesterday. It’s been about 10 years since I last played regularly. Of course, back then if you didn’t pay for 6 months , they deleted your account so my arsenal of elite armor and weapons (I see “a silver katana of vanquishing” just isn’t what it used to be) was wiped out.

Anyway I started in Vesper…not a soul at the bank. I waited around a few minutes…nothing. Hmm…am I on a test server? Quick look at the title bar tells me I’m on Catskills. I run up the road and see a house with some vendors…fully stocked. That’s encouraging, at least someone was here. I walk back thru Vesper and all the way to the bank in Britain. Nobody. It’s 8:00PM CST and back in the day there could be 40+ people here easily. I go thru a moongate to Fel…ran around Britain without seeing anything but animals and your random ettin. While in Fel I went to check out my old “neighborhood”…a group of houses that belonged to me and some friends…all gone of course. Back to Britain in Trammel where I FINALLY see someone else who tells me people hang out in Luna now. Luna is a new one to me but I find it in the moongate and travel there where I run into 4 or 5 people but…wow!

Is this what has happened? Did I just catch it at the wrong time? Is everyone in the new lands (I’m not even sure if Stygian Abyss added new lands?). I was all pumped to play again but seeing this was a pretty big buzzkill for me. I had hoped to build up another T-Hunter and meet some people and go on hunts and learn all the new stuff that has changed and maybe join a guild and…*ugh*. I was halfway expecting a pop-up message saying “Congratulations you are one of the final 10 subscribers!”. I don’t want to spend the time grinding if I’m going to just be playing with myself….I can do that without the computer.

 

[Corvak]

I decided to restart my account yesterday. It’s been about 10 years since I last played regularly.

Welcome back!

Of course, back then if you didn’t pay for 6 months , they deleted your account so my arsenal of elite armor and weapons (I see “a silver katana of vanquishing” just isn’t what it used to be) was wiped out.

Ah, that'd be the Age of Shadows. It replaced all the old items with new stat-based items, similar to a Diablo style system.

Anyway I started in Vesper…not a soul at the bank. I waited around a few minutes…nothing. Hmm…am I on a test server? Quick look at the title bar tells me I’m on Catskills. I run up the road and see a house with some vendors…fully stocked. That’s encouraging, at least someone was here. I walk back thru Vesper and all the way to the bank in Britain.

Sad but true, many old towns are empty these days.

It’s 8:00PM CST and back in the day there could be 40+ people here easily. I go thru a moongate to Fel…ran around Britain without seeing anything but animals and your random ettin. While in Fel I went to check out my old “neighborhood”…a group of houses that belonged to me and some friends…all gone of course. Back to Britain in Trammel where I FINALLY see someone else who tells me people hang out in Luna now. Luna is a new one to me but I find it in the moongate and travel there where I run into 4 or 5 people but…wow!

Yeah, Luna is the new commerce hub. Though 4-5 people seems low for peak hours.

Is this what has happened? Did I just catch it at the wrong time? Is everyone in the new lands (I’m not even sure if Stygian Abyss added new lands?). I was all pumped to play again but seeing this was a pretty big buzzkill for me. I had hoped to build up another T-Hunter and meet some people and go on hunts and learn all the new stuff that has changed and maybe join a guild and…*ugh*. I was halfway expecting a pop-up message saying “Congratulations you are one of the final 10 subscribers!”. I don’t want to spend the time grinding if I’m going to just be playing with myself….I can do that without the computer.

SA did add new lands, but they aren't a new hub or anything, most people go there when they have something to do, and otherwise hang out in Luna or to a lesser extent New Haven.

There aren't as many players as there used to be, but there are still quite a few - and summer is usually pretty quiet overall.

 

[Pandora_CoD]

Welcome back... I too was a returning player and my first reaction was pretty much the same. BUT there are certainly people on the shard, they do not all hang out in one place. And while Luna is the "bank hub" that Britain used to be, folks just bank in many places now.

Add me to ICQ or email me, all part of my signature. I'd be happy to get you some training tips, starting gear, etc. etc. Whatever I've learned since returning, and depending on your play style I can introduce you to others with the same interests.

Enjoy!

 

[Flutter]

Welcome back.

Ya not many people just sit around and banksit anymore.
With general chat people don't need to actually go to a central location to sell anything, although Luna is a general meeting location. "I'll meet you in Luna" because there is a bank and gate there (although there is one in Tram Brit now too).
I think you'll find more people spread out doing things than most other shards though.

 

[Zosimus]

Welcome back!!

Go to New Haven and you may see some people there helping out new players. Luna is pretty busy in the later part of the day and evening hours eastern time. Lot of new land expansion since you played so the population is spread out. Use the new General Chat feature can get you more help quickly if needed.