UlasanAnime.com – The author of the popular light novels “Log Horizon” and “Maoyu,” Mamare Touno, also happens to be a player of the classic MMORPG “EverQuest.” This connection creates a unique resonance for those who, like the author, spent countless hours grinding in EverQuest during their formative years.
The experience of playing EverQuest, with its notorious corpse runs and the mental fatigue from camping for rare items, is something that the author of Log Horizon clearly understands. This shared experience is what makes Log Horizon so intriguing to the author, offering a sense of familiarity that might not be apparent to everyone, especially those less familiar with the early days of MMORPGs.
The author reflects on how the challenges of EverQuest, which felt immense in the early 2000s, might not seem as torturous by today’s standards. While MMORPGs have evolved and often streamlined their gameplay, removing some of the more arduous elements, EverQuest is recognized as a foundational game for many modern, Western-style, full-immersion MMORPGs. Games like World of Warcraft owe a significant debt to EverQuest, particularly in their early iterations.
The impact of EverQuest on the author’s identity as an MMORPG player is profound. The thrill of exploring new territories, a concept central to Log Horizon’s narrative, is reinterpreted through the lens of EverQuest’s demanding gameplay. This exploration often meant spending grueling hours in-game, only to face challenging bosses and inevitable wipes, all before needing to attend classes the next day.
The author questions whether the sense of exploration and adventure found in early MMORPGs can truly be recaptured in today’s gaming landscape, where games are often more accessible and less punishing. The feeling of being alone in a vast, unexplored world, a sensation akin to playing games like “A Tale in the Desert” with a small player base, is a sentiment that popular games today rarely evoke.
The relative scarcity of discussions on this topic further solidifies the author’s belief that the deep EverQuest experience is not widely shared. While many are familiar with generic MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, these games lack the specific “feels” that trigger such strong nostalgia for the EverQuest era. The author suggests that the very essence of what makes Log Horizon good, beyond its anime tropes, lies in its “EverQuest-ness.”
Log Horizon, therefore, serves as a valuable window into the motivations of players during the formative years of the MMORPG genre. It highlights the importance of social dynamics and the immersive power of gameplay that made adventuring feel like a tangible experience. Experiencing these elements vicariously through the anime offers a shared understanding of a once-elusive phenomenon.
In a personal reflection, the author recalls playing an Enchanter class in EverQuest, a role that involved meticulously managing buffs and debuffs on party members. This “plate-spinning” gameplay, combined with mana management, was crucial for success in challenging encounters.
The author also identifies with the Cleric class, a vital role in high-end guilds for their healing capabilities and ability to mitigate the impact of wipes. The importance of clerics was such that raid sizes were often dictated by the number of clerics available, with typical planar raids accommodating up to nine groups of six players.
Since Log Horizon begins at the level cap, the process of leveling from 1 to 90, a core experience in EverQuest, remains unexplored. The author notes that the lengthy leveling process in EverQuest was instrumental in players learning their class mechanics.
A question is raised about whether Shiroe and his team are playing on a role-playing server, and how Japanese MMORPG culture compares to its Western counterpart. Players of games like Final Fantasy XI are invited to share their insights.
The topic of raiding is also brought up, with the author admitting to limited personal experience despite participating in some raids. The fundamental aspects of raiding are considered to have remained consistent across different MMORPGs, although the specific dynamics and challenges have varied.
A significant divide is noted between Player versus Player (PVP) and Player versus Environment (PVE) communities, a common theme in MMORPGs. The author humorously describes PVP encounters in EverQuest as often devolving into comical chases, with players exploiting line-of-sight and casting ranges.
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Finally, the author acknowledges that EverQuest is a shadow of its former self today. However, with a small, dedicated group of players and the right class combinations, it’s still possible to relive some of the game’s original magic and experience a significant portion of its content.
