EQ2 in Afghanistan

tearec · 08-21-2009, 12:26 AM

Kind of a frivolous question for me given the circumstances, however I'm curious about it all the same.

Anyone here ever try to log in to EQ2 from Afghanistan? I'm facing a somewhat imminent move to there and I'm curious if anyone was able to use the military-provided or sponsored internet services to log in. I know some folks who were able to while in Iraq, just never heard of anyone doing so in Afghanistan.

Kiljoi · 08-21-2009, 12:28 AM

i've been guilded with someone that servered in the military and was able to log in from over there while on a base. it was about 3 years ago now iirc

no clue if you can now tho

Morara · 08-21-2009, 12:43 AM

The general story I hear is that the internet service they have has ungodly lag.

Iggy · 08-21-2009, 01:28 AM

dont know about the internet thing, but just want to say ... I have much respect for all our soldiers in the military. Good luck and stay safe over there.

Kampfer · 08-21-2009, 02:49 AM

Depending on the base you could end up with satellite based internet which would have the un-godly lag. If it big enough base like maybe Bagram or something you would stand a better chance of having wired internet that should be less laggy.

Golur · 08-21-2009, 08:43 AM

Recent experiences of mine:- in Kandahar Airbase, a Mahoosive places, now 12,000+ pers, the internet is mostly supplied by Pakistani contractors. It costs (did cost, earlier this year) around $70 for 48k up / 48k down, up to $110 a month for 64k up / 128k down (e.g. very slow indeed) and these speeds are theoretical maximums. Not only is this too slow for any sort of game, it is barely usable in the evening when everyone shares the bandwidth. Final nail in the coffin - the contract you sign specifically bans use of the connection for any sort of peer-to-peer or online MMORPG type game.

Basically, unless you can piggy-back off a Military connection (which would probably be unwise, illegal, and rather unpatriotic!) then you are buggered.

Some other bases have better connections, but I've never heard of anything capable of playing any sort of on-line game - it's hard enough keeping a Skype connection open! One consolation - a lot of people don't encrpyt, so I was able to 'borrow' an awful lot of interesting (and often educational, especially the Dutch stuff) video footage from other people's PCs.....

You'll just hav eto suffer being able to read about EQ2, and then come back to find that none of your Toons can do anything any more as your gear has degraded so much

Melodias · 08-21-2009, 08:56 AM

I have had a few encounters with those in the military gaming from either Iraq or Afghanistan. I watch their constant and horrible lag as they bounce around zones, disappearing and re-appearing a distance away, long pauses in the conversation and constant LDs. From these experiences I see it's difficult but certainly possible.

Just being in game as the connection allows is better than not at all I think. It allows us fellow gamers who are sitting comfortably in our homes to remember and recognize those who make it possible for us to do so.

Please, be well.

Thaddeus · 08-21-2009, 09:39 AM

If you're going to Bagram, you're going to pay about $80 a month for a shitty connection with 700-1200 ping from a satellite that goes down all the time. In the end it's still worth it cause it's all you have and you learn to deal but good luck playing anything other then utility cause you cannot react as a healer or fighter, much less a soloing mage.

Oh, and if you can, get the LAN connection, stay off the WiFi.

Nurta · 08-21-2009, 09:41 AM

Silly question but do you guys get cell service? If so is it reasonably priced? Can you tether?

And I'd also like to offer my gratitude for your service, please stay safe.

Denna · 08-21-2009, 12:48 PM

I'm headed over there sometime in the next year. i doubt I'll be able to play though. We'll see. I do work in the como section so maybe I'll get lucky.