OK, 40 hours in to open beta, all solo except for grouping the expedition:
* Just barely missed level 30.
* Got my Marauder faction halfway through 2nd tier (Guardian I think?)
* Failed the level 25 expedition 3 times with groups who refused to plan. Beat it tonight with a kick ass team
* Didn't fish once!
* PVP flagged exactly once. I finished all 3 missions and got ganked running back to town.
* Got my mining, skinning, logging all 60+ (best advice I can say is get steel stuff as soon as you can)
* Could never afford a house, cause I bought all steel tools. If I hadn't bought tools I could have bought a half price house. I think the tools were the way to go in beta, the house will be my first buy at launch
I could have been 4-5 levels higher if I didn't try to go wide on the experience. I think this was way more valuable learning.
I will definitely join a company on day one, US east, Marauders, Hopefully one that is viable in PVP and town ownership.
I played Everquest for 17 years and never thought I would do a MMO style game again. This one has me hooked like no other experience has since original EQ. It has warts but no deal breakers.
1x Steel Axe/Pickaxe
13x Steel Ingot 13x Flux OR 39x Iron Ingots OR 156x Iron Ore 26x Charcoal
3x Timber OR 12 Greenwood
2x Coarse Leather OR 8x Rawhide
1x Steel Sickle/Knife
8x Steel Ingot 8x Flux OR 24x Iron Ingots OR 96x Iron Ore 16x Charcoal
2x Timber OR 8x Greenwood
1x Coarse Leather OR 4x Rawhide