Since I asked for a review earlier, I'll go ahead and give my own now that I've been playing for several weeks.
TL;DR: I've run the gamut with EQ Emu servers for more than a decade and this is probably the best original EQ option (other than P99). I won't get into why I'm not interested in P99 (because it's irrelevant to this review), but if you are looking for a sandbox to experience early EQ (that is not P99), this is a very good option.
The Good:
-The mechanics are solid and so is the database- so far. Things generally work like they are supposed to and I'm not 50 yet and there are lots of camps I haven't tried, but if the database/mechanics were significantly screwed up (like they are on a lot of emus), I would know about it by now.
-The experience rate is good. Not too fast, not too slow. It doesn't seem like the devs have done anything crazy yet, like screw around with resists, AC, melee damage, etc. Everything feels pretty legit.
-The community is small but friendly and growing larger. I was on P99 from opening day and this server reminds me of how that server started- i.e. slow. The GMs/Admins seem nice and hands-off. The impression I get from devs/admins is that they are mainly interested in creating an early EQ sandbox and letting people do what they want in it- which is exactly what I was looking for.
-The server is not religiously classic. It's basically a PoP era server with only classic zones open (and a few others). I put this in the "Good" column, because I don't think it needs to be religiously classic. In fact, I think it is better off with some of the stuff they left in. I happen to like the PoP era, personally. You can check out the server forums for a full list, but a few examples are they left newb armor quests in (which I like) and they allow Iksars and BLs even though Kunark hasn't technically opened. Both of these things are good imo. The thing to keep in mind is that this isn't the Titanium client. The client they use stopped in PoP era and in some ways that definitely makes this server feel a lot more classic than the emus based on Titanium.
-The server is fun. Like I said before, I was mainly looking for a classic EQ sandbox to mess around in. I wanted to take my time and do a lot of stuff I have never done in EQ or that I haven't done in a long time and it looks like this is a good place to do that, with no wonky mechanics, no patchy database, and no nazi GMs/Devs to worry about. My room mate and I are both 3-boxing (that's the boxing limit) to make a full group.
The Bad:
-It can be a pain in the ass to set up. Not horrible, but not super easy. It's actually easier to set up on a PC than a Mac. There are other issues that need to be fixed though. The native UI for the Windows client is strange and the text can be hard to read. There are problems with messages showing up (pet damage, etc), that you can fix just by going into the options menu and deselecting/reselecting all the text options. There are very few things that can't be worked around, but it does take a little time.
-It's not the Titanium client. I put this in both good and bad for a reason. The bad part is that there are some things you are probably used (if you play on Titanium-based emus) to that won't be here. Examples: you can't move forward/cast a spell from sitting without standing first. This sucks. It's been a pain in the ass relearning to hit /stand (or the hotbutton equivalent) before I move or cast a spell. Likewise, you can't /camp without hitting /sit first. Both of these things are manageable, but a pain in the ass. There are a few other things like not being able to stack quest turn ins, etc. Again, these things are actually truly classic, but a pain in the ass.
-There are some bugs/problems. Pathing is definitely off in lots of places. Mobs that shouldn't path into and kill each other. Mobs also occasionally path through walls or disappear. Nothing egregious, but it can be problematic. Some zones have issues. North and South Qeynos hitch fairly badly and the NPCs seem to have the bug where they stand rigid, arms and legs spread wide, and they hover an inch of the ground and float around that way. Considering the number of potential problems a server can have, though, I would rate this one as having relatively few bugs and none (so far) groundbreaking.
The Unknown:
-Hopefully the database and mechanics will hold as steady as they have so far as I spend more time on the server and go through more content. Nothing is more frustrating than to find out the mob you have been camping for days isn't itemized right or the spawn table doesn't even include that rare spawn you have been waiting for. So far, that hasn't been an issue here like it has on other servers.
-I have no idea how responsive server staff is to bug reports and GM help requests. I haven't had any issues severe enough to require either (which itself is a good sign), so I don't know if this is the type of server where if somethings broken the devs just ignore it, or they actually jump on it. Likewise, I haven't needed a GM for a stuck character or anything, so I can't speak to that.
Conclusion: I'm really picky about emu servers because I have wasted plenty of time on shitty ones (and don't plan to again). This server seems worth my time so far, which is pretty much the biggest compliment I can think to give it. Would recommend a try.
